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Tiny Tots highlights 54 years of infant‑toddler care and after‑school services in Struthers
Summary
Laura Spontes, representing Tiny Tots Child Development Center, told the Struthers City Council the center will mark 54 years in September and provides infant‑toddler care, after‑school programs and parent communication via the Brightwheel app.
Laura Spontes, representative of Tiny Tots Child Development Center, told the Struthers City Council that the center will mark 54 years in September and continues to offer infant‑toddler care and after‑school programs for working families.
"It'll be 54 years in September when we have our infant toddler care, which some daycares don't offer the infant care because most of them have to be potty trained before they start," Spontes said. She described a long-running program that now includes an after‑school option for children needing care until parents finish work.
The center uses a parent‑communication app (referred to in the record as "Bright Whales," and identified in practice as Brightwheel) to share photos and updates, Spontes said, and parents can message staff through the day or schedule appointments to discuss a child's needs. She said the center requires an extensive application packet that asks about a child's prior experiences and any special needs.
Why it matters: Child care options that include infant and toddler care and supervised after‑school programs are a service for working parents and can affect local workforce participation and family stability. Spontes' remarks described how one long‑running provider in Struthers manages parent communication, intake and program scope.
The remarks in the transcript were discussion only; no formal council action, motion or vote on the center or child care policy was recorded in the provided excerpt. The presenter emphasized the center's longevity, its intake process and parent communication tools rather than requesting a specific action from the council.
Additional details from the remarks: the Tiny Tots intake packet is "pretty extensive" and usually includes bringing the child in for an in‑person appointment; staff and parents discuss needs, prior care and any special requirements during that meeting. Spontes noted the center's local history and family connections in Struthers, saying, "I'm from Struthers. We've lived in Struthers all my life," and describing family businesses tied to the site's origins.
No funding sources, regulatory citations, or formal requests to the council were mentioned in the transcript excerpt.
