There’s no place like home for Amy Crowell, a junior kindergarten teacher at Planet Kids Children’s Center for the past four years and now the center is going to feel even more like home. Crowell, along with sister-in-law Kelly Collins have purchased the business, which serves about 180 families.
Planet Kids, housed in a 9,400-square-foot building opened in 1999, offers daycare and education for children from six weeks old through 12 years old. The center has preschool, young fives program, full-day kindergarten, latchkey and summer camp (for ages 6-12). Planet Kids employs 37 caregivers.
‘It’s been a longtime dream for Amy and I,? Collins said.
‘It’s been absolutely amazing.
‘I can’t wait to get here in the morning and I hate to leave at night,? Collins added.
Crowell and Collins stirred up the idea and it took about two years for them to realize their goal.
Collins, who has been with the center for eight months, enjoys watching the children at the center grow into their personalities over time.
The Clarkston area was a draw for the business partners as they searched neighboring communities.
‘It’s a growing area and an amazing, tight-knit community,? Collins said.
Collins is a 1993 graduate of University of Michigan, where she earned a degree in early behavioral science after getting an early childhood degree from Macomb Community College.
‘Any time you’re working with children, you have to understand their behaviors, their temperament and how they fit into the community,? Collins said.
Collins brings with her nearly 20 years of related experience to her position.
‘I’ve worked with children since I was a teenager essentially,? Collins said.
After working 10 years with the United Way, where she was a manager, and her time running the managerial affairs for her husband’s business, Collins said she acquired the skills to run her own business.
Crowell has her master’s degree in education from Potsdam University in New York and her undergraduate work was in child psychology at Empire State College.
The curriculum at Planet Kids is designed to mirror that of Clarkston schools, giving its students an advantage as they make the jump to elementary school.
‘Our programs are about giving our kids a head start so that when they do transfer, some go to public and others go tjo private school, they have extra experience background knowledge to be able to succeed,? Crowell said.
‘The kids whose parents put them in the pre-school and junior kindergarten programs want them to have that extra experience because when they (transfer) they’re already there (mentally).
‘It makes that move easier, because they don’t have to focus so hard on learning that new information because they already know it.?
The center’s full-day kindergarten also gets students more than prepared for first grade, Collins said.
Planet Kids is also incorporating Spanish lessons into their curriculum as well as ‘Writing Without Tears.? This summer, the center will offer a tutoring component with its summer camp.
Collins and Crowell are keeping Planet Kids with a ‘community-minded? focus. The center hosts a Kids? Zone, monthly movie night, special camps, scrapbooking for moms and bible study.
‘We’re trying to reach beyond our school into the community,? Collins said.
‘That’s a component we’re a little different in.?