Child Care Center gets grant from state

WINSTED — In July, the Winsted Area Child Care Center was awarded $100,000 by the State Department of Education and Office of Early Childhood as part of their Early Childhood Bond Funds Grant Program for Minor Capital Improvements.

The Winsted Area Child Care Center, founded in 1979, has made steady growth through physical and educational improvements to its Child Care Center on Prospect Street and their Before and After School Education (BASE) program on Lake Street, opened in 2002 and 2005, respectively.

“This most recent grant will go toward new flooring and area rugs at the center as well as BASE,” Executive Director Rachel Tway-Grant said. “Our playground at the center will also be getting new fencing, drainage and surface material. We’re excited about the improvements to the playground because they will fix the drainage issue we’ve always had with the playground built next to a hill. Rain and runoff washes away the wood chip surface material and we’ve repeatedly had to pay to replace it because of state regulations to maintain a certain level of surface. With the drainage improvement, we won’t be seeing our money washing down the drains.”

Tway-Grant said that LaPointe’s of Winsted has been awarded the contract to replace the carpet inside the building. 

“We’re so glad to work with a local company that is so flexible with the specific needs of our organization,” Tway-Grant said. “Keep in mind that we’re considered a full-day, full-year program. We’re open 10 hours a day, 50 weeks a year, and only close for 10 holidays. Since we need to remain open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., LaPointe’s has generously agreed to complete all the necessary work during time outside our regular hours of operation.”

In the past, Draper Foundation grants have gone towards building improvements and new curriculum. In Spring 2014, the Center received $21,800 for new gutters and heat strips to melt snow and a new broiler was installed at BASE. In fall 2014, $16,150 was used to purchase creative curriculum for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, along with anti-bullying curriculum, and CATCH curriculum at $2,000 per kit.

Also this summer, $1,500 was obtained as part of Women and Girls Fund to be awarded as scholarships for BASE, and Summer Sensations for single working mothers.

Winsted Area Child Care still has grants and tuition assistance available on a sliding scale based on family size and income. 

“Our full fee is normally $150 a week,” Tway-Grant said. “We still have a few slots available to make our high-quality child care available at a more affordable cost, anywhere from $9 to $97 per week, for those in need. The open School Readiness Program and Child Day Care slots are mostly for preschoolers, on a first come, first served basis, but there may be additional openings depending on circumstances.”

For more information, contact the Winsted Area Child Care Center at 860-379-0006 or the Before and After School Education program at 860-379-2779.