St. Lawrence Catholic Preschool on Indianapolis’ northeast side is the only Indiana Catholic preschool, attached to an elementary school, that has achieved Level 4 Paths to QUALITY™(PTQ).

It is quite a feat, and it didn’t happen by accident. Nor was it required.

Getting to PTQ Level 4 took vision and diligence.

Each morning, Director Kathryn Kutan, greets 45 eager, cheerful faces, knowing that her students are receiving high-quality preschool. Kathryn’s passion for educating young minds only rivals her own desire for learning and growing. It was that combination that inspired her to reach out to Child Care Answers six years ago to seek accreditation for St. Lawrence Catholic Preschool. PTQ is Indiana’s four-level statewide quality rating system for early care and education programs.

To begin the process, Kathryn contacted Child Care Answers and spoke with a team member to see how to become an accredited program and achieve Level 1 PTQ. The first step for registered ministries is the Volunteer Certification Program, with primary standards of meeting health and safety requirements. Child Care Answers connected Kathryn with United Way of Central Indiana staff who provided funds for needed safety improvements including improved lighting, door installation, bathroom access, sink installation and similar projects.

Once the safety measures were met and St. Lawrence achieved PTQ Level 1, Kathryn pushed ahead towards Level 2, with assistance from Child Care Answers. St. Lawrence was well-positioned for the transition because of the learning environment and curriculum already in place.

The school progressed from Level 1 to Level 3 in less than one year.

“Our Child Care Answers coach was amazing,” said Kathryn. “She helped us navigate the PTQ system and provided us with coaching and training opportunities that allowed us to quickly move through the process.”

After holding at Level 3 for almost four years, Kathryn decided to pursue Level 4 with support from her new principal. “We were already doing a lot of things right,” said Kathryn. “I wanted to see what we could do better and how we could receive that high level of distinction.”

Ultimately, they reached Level 4. The distinction allows St. Lawrence to flourish as a high-quality early learning environment, impacting the rest of the school, which serves kindergarten through eighth grade. Child Care Answers’s coaching and training boosted teachers’ skills and knowledge, providing a better-quality experience for their children.

“Child Care Answers is a great resource for early care and education programs,” says Kathryn. “As teachers encounter training needs or specific situations, the coaches are always available to assist them with meeting those requests and in realizing a higher level of quality.” Kathryn serves as a leader among her peers, encouraging other parochial schools to reach out to Child Care Answers for assistance.

St. Lawrence Preschool has three preschool classrooms and nearly 90 percent of the children enrolled receive financial aid to attend. Child Care Answers provides more than 5,000 coaching hours a year to a multitude of early childhood education programs in Central Indiana.

Lorenzo was almost two months old when the panic set in. His mom, Maria, knew that she was one month away from returning to work and had not yet found the perfect place to trust with the care of her newborn son. Maria had moved to the United States in 2001 seeking a new adventure and the opportunity to follow her dreams. She was well-equipped for success with a degree in education and a job in Indianapolis as an au pere. Her background and experience gave her insight into high-quality care, and the knowledge that it would not be easy to find.

“A friend referred me to the Day Early Learning Center for Infants and Toddlers, but I was very hesitant,” said Maria. However, from the moment she opened the door, she knew it was the right place. With a keen-eye for quality education and a mama’s warm heart, she was confident that this center was exactly what her son needed.

Maria had found Lorenzo’s second home. The center was designed around safety and play, and the teachers were tender, energetic and passionate about teaching. “They were consistent,” says Maria. “Every day, I was greeted with the same smile and friendly hello. I know they treated my son with the same kindness each day.” Maria appreciated that the teachers understood the emotional stress of leaving a baby somewhere new, and they did their best to make it a good experience.

“I felt like they truly loved Lorenzo,” Maria says with gratitude. She recalls the time that Lorenzo had a fever and the center called her to pick him up. Maria was in the process of wrapping up a large event at work, and it took her two hours to get to the center. She was flustered and concerned when she arrived, only to find that Ms. Stephanie, Lorenzo’s teacher, had clocked out of work an hour earlier and stayed at the center to rock Maria’s fevered baby until she could arrive. Lorenzo’s teacher also began learning Spanish to ensure that she was able to communicate with him, since he was being raised bilingually. These gestures of kindness made the center’s staff feel like family to Maria.

“Day Early Learning changed our life,” said Maria. “I would have lost everything I had accomplished in my career and life in the United States had I not found the right child care for my son.”

The emotional safety-net and certainty in care she found at Day Early Learning Center for Infants and Toddlers gave Maria a partner in raising her son, along with the assurance that while he was receiving excellent care, she could take the necessary steps to build a successful career.

Lorenzo turned three this past year and transitioned to Day Early Learning State Government Center. Maria worried about the transition, but quickly realized that the advantage he was given at the Day Early Learning Center for Infants and Toddlers had prepared him for his next step in education. She is confident that the State center is preparing him for success in kindergarten and beyond.

“He is going to be successful wherever he lands, because he was given a strong start thanks to Day Early Learning,” says Maria.

The audience at The Brain Advantage: Boosting Brain Growth from Birth to Three had the special opportunity of hearing a heartfelt testimonial from Day Early Learning parent, Shauna Wagner.

Shauna shared her perspective on the importance of high-quality early learning experiences and the impact it has had on her and her two sons, Elijah and Chance.

Shauna began her journey with Day Early Learning three years ago when she enrolled her eldest son, Elijah, in our Day Early Learning pre-K program.

Shauna described how lucky she felt when Elijah’s name was picked from a lottery for an On My Way Pre-K scholarship. Others weren’t as fortunate and did not receive scholarship assistance.

A newly-single mother at the time, the scholarship enabled Shauna to go back to work and eventually start her own small business.

“I began to explore other options and thought about hiring a babysitter to cut costs, but after seeing the amazing results in Elijah’s progress at Day Early Learning I did not want to put him in a lower-quality program.”

“Because of our experience I don’t see pre-K as a luxury, rather I see it as an essential beginning to my children’s education. I can confidently say my family has been positively changed and encouraged forever. Because it’s 100% clear and true that success starts early.”

Elijah, a proud graduate of Day Early Learning, now attends an IPS Montessori school. Chance currently attends our Day Early Learning Lilly Family Center.

Today, Shauna is a passionate advocate for access to high-quality early care and education and proud small business owner.

Nearly six years ago, Brad and Anneliese learned they were expecting a baby and soon began the overwhelming process of researching child care. “We immediately knew that high-quality child care and education was a priority,” said Anneliese.

They researched dozens of child care options and toured six different centers, including Day Early Learning Lilly Family Center, based on recommendations from colleagues with children there. “We loved the feeling when you walk in the door,” said Anneliese. “The teachers were well-equipped to teach and very engaged in the classrooms.”

Day Early Learning Lilly was just opening its infant room when their daughter Elena began attending in Ms. Jeanette’s classroom. They loved the care and attention that she gave their daughter and the other children in the infant room. As Elena progressed through the center, they saw how each teacher nurtured and helped her to develop and grow.

“The teachers are fantastic,” says Brad. “The amount of learning and social development that takes place in the classroom is amazing.”

Elena not only gained knowledge, but also grew in her confidence and leadership skills. Elena transitioned to junior kindergarten this past fall. Her parents report that she was well-prepared. According to Brad, “Her breadth of knowledge put her miles ahead of her peers, and she has acclimated quickly to a new setting (junior kindergarten).” He gives credit to teacher, Ms. Marti with preparing Elena for a smooth transition.

Their second daughter, Matilda, now attends the infant room at Day Early Learning Lilly Family Center. Today, they see the same level of care and educational opportunities that they saw with Elena. “The teachers partner with the parents and do a great job of keeping us informed and updated each day,” said Anneliese. “Together we are like one big extended family, providing the best possible care for our children.”

Alethia Minzlaff has been putting smiles on the faces of young children at the Day Early Learning Lilly Family Center for two years as a teacher in the one-year-old room. Each day, Alethia comes to work and shepherds her youngest learners through a busy day of play time and reading books, of learning to socialize and beginning to learn sounds. Her experience tells her that when a teacher is patient and kind and ensures that social growth accompanies academic growth, the student will flourish. She knows first-hand the power of an engaged teacher and the important role she plays in helping children grow.

Alethia knows what to expect from young children. They repeat the sounds she makes and use simple gestures to get her attention. They copy their classmates as they play and figure out the world around them. Along with the parents, Alethia identifies the learning and growth milestones that will allow these young students to achieve future success. However, Alethia also knows that some kids take a little longer to reach important milestones.

She knows this because Alethia is not only a teacher at the Lilly Center, she is also a parent of a student who was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder at a young age.

Alethia was a stay-at-home mom when her youngest son, Miles, was born. Her older son, Ashton, was three and had progressed seamlessly through the early childhood milestones. Alethia was attending school for a degree in library science. But after staying home with her two little ones, she realized she had a passion for working with children. She was pondering a career with children around the time Miles turned one. Miles was a quiet baby and seemed to have a more difficult time with some of the tasks that Ashton did not. At Miles’ one-year-old checkup with the pediatrician, Alethia was told that kids progressed at different rates. By the time Miles was 1 ½ Alethia and her husband, Thad, realized that Miles might need some special assistance. He was nonverbal and having trouble with fine and gross motor skills. He was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder, a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses.

Alethia began working at the Lilly Center and enrolled Miles and Ashton. Ashton completed pre-K and moved to kindergarten at Irvington Elementary. Thanks to Mrs. Marti at the Lilly Center, Ashton was very prepared for kindergarten. He was ahead of the game at reading and quickly picked up on math. Alethia was most impressed by his social skills. “He gets along great with everyone,” she said. “He learned how to be a friend.”

Meanwhile, Miles started in Mrs. Coombs’ room two-year-old room. She worked with him daily to improve his fine motor skills and used sign language to help him express himself. Other symptoms of Miles’ condition are lack of coordination and difficulty engaging in play. Mrs. Coombs discovered ways to help him grow both academically and socially. She encouraged jumping and playtime and helped him to engage with other students. Miles has made great improvements and continues to do so. Miles is currently in preschool with Ms. Asia and Ms. Amber. He has started talking and enjoys playtime with his friends. An occupational therapist, speech therapist, and resource teacher meet weekly or more with Miles at the Lilly Center. They coordinate with his teachers to ensure Miles is continuing to meet important developmental milestones.

“Mrs. Coombs, Ms. Asia, and Ms. Amber put in the time and effort to make sure Miles will be successful in school and in life,” said Alethia.

“They are always very patient and understanding, as it takes him a little longer to adjust to things like potty training.”

Miles is on track to start kindergarten with his peers. Ashton has successfully transitioned into elementary school and he is loving it. Alethia is working towards an associates degree in early childhood education and loves her job. Early Learning Indiana provides its teachers with funding for continuing education, as well as, paid time off to attend class and study. Not only is Day Early Learning a job for Alethia, it is a career.

“It’s so rewarding and the best part about it is that I get to be a kid with them every day.”

Alethia also knows that, just like Miles, there are many more children who would benefit from the high-quality early care that the Day Early Learning centers can provide. Early education has increasingly been moving into the community spotlight as a critical part of young children’s development and research shows it not only prepares children for life-long learning, but impacts community prosperity, high school dropout statistics and crime rates. Unfortunately, not all families can afford this crucial community need. The programs of Early Learning Indiana have forever impacted the Minzlaff family and many other families like theirs. Click here to help make a difference in the lives of Indiana’s youngest learners and donate towards scholarship assistance.