Kids Will Be Kids

Our Teachers

                        Bernadette Hunter, Owner:

Ms. Bernadette is the owner and founder of Kids Will Be Kids. which was established in 2004. She has over 20 years experience in early child care education.

                          Elissa Perko, Director:

This is my 15th year working with children. Of those 15 years, 7 of those have been working with elementary age children. I have a bachelors degree in child development and social studies from Madonna University. My favorite part of working with children has been hearing all the toddlers say the new words they have learned and also, all the hugs I get. When I am not working at Kids Will Be Kids, I enjoy making crafts and even enter some craft shows. I also, work part time at Michaels craft store.

                         Sarah Shacklett, Lead Toddler Teacher:

Ms. Sarah is a recent college graduate. She received her associates degree in early childhood education. She will be starting her bachelors degree soon. Before Ms. Sarah started at Kids Will Be Kids she worked as a Lead Toddler teacher at Tender Hearts. She also was a Lead Toddler teacher for 2 1/2 years at Warren Woods Early Childhood Center. She is ecstatic to continue her experience here with children and teach them and explore the world with them. Ms. Sarah also has 3 children of her own at home. She looks forward to continuing her education in the near future. Her goal is to make sure the children have a great education as well.

            ​             Hailey Thorne, Lead Young Preschool Teacher:

Ms. Hailey recently moved from Missouri. While in Missouri, she worked at an early childhood center called Just Babies. They were a center for children ages 6 weeks to 2 years old. Ms. Hailey has her Preschool C.D.A.- Child Development Associate Credential.

                         Grace Logan, Lead Preschool Teacher:

Ms. Grace has her associates degree in early childhood education. She has been working in the education field for 22 years. Ms. Grace loves working with children of all ages. She loves to challenge their creativity and their energy to explore and learn.

                        ​Karen Ballard, Assistant Evening Teacher:

Ms. Karen has been teaching for 29 years. In those 29 years, she has home schooled her children for seven of them. Most of her experience has been with elementary age and just recently Preschool children. Ms. Karen has her bachelors in elementary education from Summit University. She just recently finished her preschool CDA. Ms. Karen enjoys running, riding her bike, and spending time with her family

                       Keyjuana Elcock, Toddler Assistant Teacher:

Ms. Keyjuana has experience working with other children in different daycares. She also has several children of her own. She is CPR and First Aid Certified. Ms. Keyjuana takes enrichment classes through Great Start to Quality. Ms. Kejuana looks forward to coming to work each day to be with all of the children.

​ Melissa Cooper, Infant Assistant Teacher: Ms. Melissa’s Information is coming soon.

Philosophy

At Kids Will Be Kids we strive to partner with our staff, your families, and the surrounding communities that we serve to in turn provide your child with a safe and nurturing learning environment that encompasses the skills needed for life such as social, physical, intellectual, communication, and emotional skills and also giving them a place to develop them.

We believe that each child Is a unique individual. We are sensitive to their cultural, social, emotional, intellectual and physical needs. We provide developmentally appropriate programs that focus on the process of learning and allow children to experience success. We work to help each child develop a positive sense of independence, and the ability to express, understand, and control their feelings.

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We provide a physical environment that is safe, clean, healthy, nurturing, and child-centered. Learning centers are arranged in an open environment. We provide the opportunity for children to explore, to experience, and most importantly to succeed. We use the Creative Curriculum when planning, preparing, and implementing daily lesson plans. We have parent teacher conferences twice a year (late fall and again in the spring) to discuss your child’s social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development.

About our program

                            Infants:

In our infant room we take care of children 6 weeks old up to 1 year old. The children get read to, have tummy time, do age appropriate art/sensory activities, listen to music, get sung to, and also have plenty of toys to play with. We follow your nap/food schedule.

                           Toddlers:

The toddler age is an amazing age. This is the time that the children begin to talk and learn lots of new words. The children learn basic counting, shapes, colors, and to recognize some letters. The children participate in circle time, story time, art/sensory, music and movement, and fine motor activities daily. They explore nature and lean about the world around them. Weather permitting the children go outside twice daily. The curriculum we use for planning, creating, and implementing lessons is Creative Curriculum. ​

                               Young Preschool:

In this classroom, the children are preparing for the next step, Preschool. The focus is on creating more structure throughout the day. We offer a variety of learning centers. We are preparing children so when they enter preschool they will have the language, early literacy, mathematics, social and emotional, physical, and cognitive skills necessary for success. Through out the day, children will have many opportunities to learn about friendship, develop language, and begin literacy skills. This is also the room where learning to zip zippers, button buttons, snap snaps, and potty training takes place. Spanish will be part of the curriculum 2 mornings a week starting in September. The curriculum we use for planning, creating, and implementing lessons is Creative Curriculum.

                              Preschool  (Kindergarten Readiness) :

With Kindergarten readiness, we focus on each child’s social, physical, and academic development. Children develop independence and the necessary skills for future success. We use learning centers to aid in the children’s academic and social development. Children learn math, writing, fine motor, language, and science skills that will help prepare them for Kindergarten. Children also have time for dramatic play, art, music and movement, and outdoor play. Children will start reading beginning readers during the second half of the school year. Spanish will be part of the curriculum two to three mornings a week starting in September. The curriculum we use for planning, creating, and implementing lessons is Creative Curriculum. We have parent teacher conferences in November and again in early spring.

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Admissions

Contact us We are now accepting registrations for during the day for infants, toddlers, and up to age 12 for evenings. Call 586-393-1096 to set up a tour. You may stop by for tours Monday-Friday 8am-4pm.