Sunshine Community Childcare
Preschool in Newton, KS 67114
Sunshine Academy Learning Center was started by Kenneth Ballard and his family back in August of 2000. Kenneth and his daughter, current director at Sunshine Academy Diane Yunghans, and family acquired Sunshine Academy with an enrollment of 65 and did all of the bookkeeping and care by hand and heart. Since, Diane, family and staff have worked tirelessly on behalf of Sunshine Academy, keeping it up, running and in business as a non-profit organization serving and meeting the needs of children and parents in and around Harvey County, Kansas area.
Over time Sunshine Academy has grown. In the spring of 2002 a lot across the street from our facility came up for sale. We jumped at the opportunity for expansion, moving into a new 10,000 sq. ft. building in September of that year. We now have eight class rooms as well as an office, kitchen and art room. We even have separate playground areas for 1-3 year olds and 4-12 year olds. Enrollment has reached 135 to 160 children and our staff has grown to between 30 and 35 full and part time teachers, as well as an office staff of 4.
- Child Ages:
- 3 weeks - 12 years
- Rates:
- $$
- Licenses & Accreditations:
- Kansas Department of Health and Enviornment
- Preschool:
- Yes
- Hours of Operation:
- Monday - Friday, 4:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
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- Classroom Ratios
- Director and Teaching Staff Bios
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Our purpose is simple, Meeting the needs of Harvey County Children. But we also have a philosophy behind our purpose:
Nurturing healthy personalities in children by teaching trust, responsibility, self-esteem, and autonomy;
Instilling the importance of families;
Creating a safe environment in which children can learn and grow;
Allowing each child to grow at his/her own rate physically, socially, and emotionally;
Creating an environment that fosters a childs desire to attend school;
Creating an environment that promotes positive interpersonal relationships between children and their teachers, parents, peers, and others;
Assisting children in developing oral language for expression of thoughts and feelings;
Providing opportunities for children to learn about other cultures and races: their history and customs;
Introducing children to literature, music, and other art forms through hands on experiences;
Promoting childrens self-confidence and self-esteem through learning respect for themselves and others;
Encouraging good grooming and proper health techniques; and
Helping children learn the importance of good nutrition.
Children will be helped to reach these goals through a flexible, yet secure, schedule of free play (inside and outside), planned group and individual activities, art, music, science, language development, number concepts, physical development, quiet periods, and snack and meal times.
Early childhood care and education should excite curiosity, stimulate creativity, expand intellectual and motor skills, create awareness, and help each child better understand him/herself and the world around him/her. This type of education happens everywhere, spontaneously and through planned activities.