The Learning Center of North Arkansas is excited to announce the opening of their latest location at 220 South Stone Street in Jasper. The Newton County Chamber will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 5.
The project began over two years ago, when Executive Director, Karla Gray, met with community leaders, including former Mayor Jan Larsen, who strongly noted the need for quality childcare. After several attempts at purchasing property, an offer was made on the former laundromat and car wash on Stone Street, and the project came to fruition. The community leaders were very supportive of The Learning Center relocating a campus to Newton County.
After months of renovations and changes to the location, the facility received its license from the State of Arkansas for operation. After purchasing the former laundromat and car wash, The Center renovated one building and subsequently tore down the other, and a new parking lot was established. The Center also purchased the adjacent house to the car wash, removed it and will hopefully be building another childcare center as the need grows in the community.
The Learning Center provides services to children birth to five years of age. An initial screening is conducted on a child to determine placement, and based on the evaluation provided, the child could possibly qualify for free services. The Center provides one-on-one instruction based on goals and objectives which were identified in the evaluations. The Center also provides bus service; hot meals provided by the Newton County Senior Center; and physical, occupational, speech and developmental therapies. Presently, over 50 children may receive services at the new Jasper Campus of The Learning Center.
The Site Director, Chasity Little, has a Master of Arts in Teaching and would love to show the public the new facilities. She can be reached at (870) 280-2912. As the enrollment rises, The Center will also be looking for applicants with childcare experience. They offer competitive salaries plus health insurance and 401k benefits. The website www.tlcna.com also offers applications and more information about the services and job positions available.
