W. C. Bradley Real Estate, LLC
Capri Medical Group
Growing Room Child Development Cntrs
Edible Arrangements
HoBart Builders, Inc.
Lane Dermatology & Dermatologic Surgery
Flooring & More Carpet One
Reynolds Bickerstaff/Waddell Realty Co.
Best Nursery and Outdoor Equipment
D. P. Jones Electrical Company
The Hughston Clinic
T&W Oil Company
Hudson Financial Group

GROWING ROOM CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS
7270 Northlake Drive • Columbus • 706-596-1510 • growingroomusa.com

Growing Room celebrates its 20th anniversary in August. Over the years, Growing Room Child Development Centers have become well known throughout the Columbus area, including Phenix City and Fort Benning, for providing a quality preschool environment. Growing Room actually began right here in Columbus in the hearts of lifelong residents, Sheree and Pat Mitchell.

Sheree served the community as a registered nurse with many years in the specialty area of pediatrics. She found herself a single mother when her son was only 3 months old. For seven years, Sheree worked very hard maintaining a full-time job while trying to provide a good life for her son. Eventually, Sheree remarried and began working for Dr. Kathryn Cheek when she opened her medical practice. During a conversation about child care options, Dr. Cheek mentioned a professional should start a child care program for the local children. The seed was planted and in 1988, Growing Room, Inc. was founded by Sheree and her husband of two years, Pat.

Now, twenty years later, according to Sheree, “it’s very much a family thing.” Sheree and Pat have the pleasure of sharing their days with their children and grandchildren. Sheree’s son, Brad, serves as Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Information Technology while his wife, Brittany, serves as Senior Vice President of Operations and Senior Director of Growing Room Christian Academy. Pat and Sheree’s three grandchildren, 10-year-old Josh and 6-year-old twins, Maddie and Will, have attended Growing Room since they were babies. Former Growing Room children have worked as employees and even have children of their own attending. “It makes me feel like the old woman in the shoe,” Sheree laughed. “It’s just wonderful.” Sheree remains involved in daily operations and participates in many community service activities.

When people call Growing Rooma “day care center,” Sheree and Pat are quick to correct thembecause they have put their energy and resources intomaking Growing Room so much more. Over the past 20 years, they have brought the concept of “day care” to a new level.

Rather than simply babysitting the children, Growing Room enhances their development. Growing Room teachers understand the importance of early childhood education, from birth to age five, and have developed a settingmore like a private school designed to stimulate young minds and bodies while enriching their lives.

A primary caregiver system is the basis of Growing Room’s program for infants. There are only four babies under the care of any one teacher. Teachers use books,music, cuddling and other activities to enhance the abilities of even the youngest and work to help develop their cognitive, sensory and social skills.

Growing Roomstays current on private and public school educational requirements, making sure content standards included in school entrance exams are taught in Growing Room classrooms.

The “Growing Up on Our Block™” curriculum was created by Growing Roomand develops skills to forma firmfoundation for lifelong educational success. The Director of Early Childhood Education prepares weekly themes, including the alphabet, numbers and other concepts, for all ages and assists teachers in creating a learning environment that is both stimulating and fun.

Growing Room’s print-rich literacy program uses phonics as a foundation for a lifelong love of reading. The computer technology program, with computers in each preschool classroom, offers technological experiences for children, beginning at an early age.

The preschool curriculumincludes reading,writing,math and science as well as character education and self-help skills training. Extra curricular activities include Spanish, Ballet and Tap Dance, Jump-Bunch and United Cheerleading.

Summer Camp, which begins at the end of May, provides children a summer filled with fun and educational opportunities such as field trips to the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center at Callaway Gardens and the IMAX theatre at the new National Infantry Museum, baseball and cheerleading camps, as well as NASCAR and “Bugs and Other Icky Things” theme weeks.

The value of Growing Roomcurriculumand philosophy has become evident, and the number of company-owned centers has grown to three. In addition, Growing Room manages two on-site child development centers for Aflac as well as Cascade Hills Baptist Church’s Creation Station.

Growing Room’s ideals and practices are so successful, Sheree has received calls from across the country inquiring about starting similar centers. Franchised locations are now springing up in several places. There are nowthree corporate franchises and the company is still growing.

In a recent development, Growing Room opened Growing Room Christian Academy. The preschool offers a Bible-based Christian curriculumand the A-Beka Christian Phonics program, which is taught in K2 through K4 classrooms. The preschool also provides children with daily prayer as well as praise and worship opportunities. Sheree describes the newpreschool as soothing and tranquil. “It’s amazing,” she said. “The need for what we are providing continues to grow.”

For more information, please contact Growing Room Child Development Centers at 706.596.1510 or visit www.growingroomusa.com.

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Phone: 706-324-6214
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