Growing Together Preschool

It is the overall goal of Growing Together Preschool, Inc. (GTP) to provide children of varying abilities and advantages with nurturing, safe care, therapeutic services and the foundation for school and life readiness in an inclusive environment. GTP provides educational and therapeutic child care services for families needing quality preschool, infant, and toddler care. Our programs include educational screening, curriculum and assessments, health screening, case management, IEP, IFSP, child care and therapy. The high quality of our program is indicated by our accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). GTP is accountable to the Board of Directors, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Child and Adult Care Food Program, NAEYC, parents, and undergoes a yearly financial audit. GTP pioneered the first inclusive preschool program in 1982, was a founding member of the Preschool Interagency Preschool Council, and served as a field study site for Kentucky's core content for early childhood education, and, most recently, pioneered the first farm to preschool program in Kentucky.

GTP provides a well-rounded program to meet the needs of the whole child and family. The information gathered from our evidenced based screenings and assessments help teachers determine the activities and experiences provided in the classroom and identified children with developmental concerns as early as possible. Teachers then work collaboratively with families to establish goals for the child. Physical health is supported through nutrition education, providing daily gross motor and fine motor activities and nutritional meals. Social and emotional development is supported through routine care, nurturing environments, understanding of temperaments and learning styles of children and developmental milestones. In order to ensure teachers are using best practices in the classroom, it is important to ensure they have access to and take advantage of up-to-date, relevant and evidence-based training and opportunities to further their education. GTP provides on-site quarterly in-service training, supports staff with additional opportunities for learning and financially supports staff in attaining credentials and college degrees in Early Childhood Education. We believe that these methods benefit our clients because they are evidenced based and measurable.

Since it's inception in 1982, GTP has been recognized as an innovative program serving those typically neglected by other institutions and pioneering inclusion. No matter their challenges, graduates of GTP enter schools in the local community with a healthy and strong foundation for school success. We believe our success is due to our focus on maintaining and forming new collaborative partnerships and a constant focus on quality enhancement initiatives.  GTP has a volunteer Board of Directors that provides oversight on the financial audit, review of policy and procedures, fundraising, special projects and monitoring of the program. The Education and Outreach Coordinator has 25 years of experience in education, program management, reporting, staff coaching, training and development, performance standards, mental health services, compliance and curriculum oversight. The Executive Director has experience in business and nonprofit management, marketing, social marketing, program development and implementation, public health promotion, coalition building and providing support for mothers and families. 100% of lead teachers hold a credential or degree in Early Childhood Education. Evidence-based quality indicators such as NAEYC, STARS for Kids Now, ITERS and ECERS rate program quality and the ability to impact children based on the education level of teaching staff and staff to child ratios. Quality and capacity are maintained by having 100% of lead teachers with a credential or degree in Early Childhood Education and low staff to child ratios. GTP collaborates with First Steps, Horn and Associates in Rehabilitation, Bluegrass Early Care Program, Down Syndrome Association of central Kentucky and the Autism Society of the Bluegrass for therapeutic services. We partner with the Human Development Institute, Child Care Council of KY, NAEYC and STARS for Kids Now to ensure program quality. We partner with Head Start, Early Head Start, KY Department of Education and Fayette County Public Schools to ensure the quality of our education program. And, we partner with Seedleaf, KY Department of Agriculture, KY Department of Public Health, LFUCG Health Department and CACFP to ensure the health of our students.

Supporting the education and development of young children is an ongoing process.  With over 30 years of serving young children in the community, we have the amazing privilege of realizing success in our goals over and over. Our biggest lesson is in being flexible and constantly focused on quality improvement. Research on education, brain development, and best practices change as rapidly as children grow. In order for us to continue to provide the highest quality, evidence-based care, and services, we must remain vigilant in keeping our practices up to date. Recent, drastic cuts to the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) have resulted in families in our low-income neighborhood to no longer being able to afford childcare and early education. The true cost of providing high-quality early education and care is far greater than most families can afford. GTP has been able to offer a higher level of quality services due to funding from United Way of the Bluegrass.  However, these cuts to CCAP make providing these services to low-income families an even greater challenge.  There is a huge need to establish a scholarship program for families who have lost the ability to afford education and care for their children.