North Callaway R-1 School District recently received a $19,999.77 Child Care Development Fund grant to improve the T-Bird Learning Center, its early childhood education program.
More than half of the grant, $11,074.17, will fund and furnish a new outdoor play area, which will include tricycles and ride-in vehicles, a sand and water table, playground equipment, a picnic table, a junior basketball goal, a playhouse, an art set, and more.
"We don't have much of a playground at all right now," TLC director Tia Neal said. "This is one of the things we talked about - we knew we were going to have to put several thousand dollars into the playground in the next couple years and we weren't sure how we were going to do that."
The center provides care for children ranging from six months old to 6 years old. Once completed, the center will have two play areas - one designed for infants and toddlers and another for older children.
Every new purchase is planned with a specific educational or developmental goal in mind - new tricycles will help the children improve their motor skills, while other materials will help introduce more science into play.
"Our families will gradually see new fun and excited materials integrated into the classrooms over the next few months," Neal said.
The center plans on spending $1,410.79 on STEM-related materials and supplies, including an iPad, an activity table, block and card sets, and magnet sets. For music and dramatic play, the grant will provide $1,005.66.
"This grant is for enhancement purposes," North Callaway interim superintendent Nicky Kemp said. "Making it stronger, better, more academically-inclined - more than just a childcare center."
One of the requirements of the grant is the center, which is already licensed through the state, must also seek accreditation.
"We already run like an accredited center," Neal said.
But, once officially accredited, the center will be able to introduce more professional development opportunities for teachers, she said. The grant will also allow center staff to attend a conference sponsored by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Districts and universities from all over the state could apply for a CCDF grant, but only 16 centers were awarded money. TLC learned it was one of those 16 on Jan. 14.
"To be truthful, we were sitting in the office and I was thinking, we're not going to get it," Neal said. "Then Gayle walked in and said y'all aren't going to believe it, but it says North Callawy got the grant."
Neal and Kemp worked with district data coordinator Gayle Timm, special programs director Sarah Baumgartner and North Callaway High School principal Brian Jobe to submit the grant proposal back in September.
"The whole district pulled together," Neal said. "If it wasn't for the high school principal and special education and everyone pulling together, we wouldn't have gotten this grant."