Berkshire Early Childhood Center opens full‑day preschool, flexible options and extended care

The Berkshire Early Childhood Center, which serves 3‑, 4‑ and 5‑year‑old children, is accepting registrations and offers full‑day preschool as well as flexible part‑day options, center leaders said on a Stadcast episode recorded at the school.

"The Berkshire Early Childhood Center is a school for our three, four, and 5‑year‑old students," said Dr. Pov, who with Mrs. Dawson runs the center. "We will accommodate and work with any family if they are not comfortable with sending their children five days a week full day." The program, leaders said, will work with families to transition children from part‑day to full‑day schedules as needed.

The center maintains an information and registration page on the Berkshire Local school district website, where an online registration box lets parents submit applications, guests said. Leaders emphasized that children from across the county—not only parents who live in Berkshire—are eligible to enroll.

Why this matters: Early childhood access affects kindergarten readiness and family work schedules. The center’s leaders described a mix of instructional and care services designed to support early literacy, social‑emotional learning and working families.

The program uses the Creative Curriculum and aligns instruction with what the guests described as "science of reading" standards. "All of our teachers are state‑licensed," a guest said, and two staff members serve as intervention specialists to support students with individualized education programs, reducing the need to send children elsewhere in the county.

Center leaders listed community partnerships that supplement classroom work, including visits from the Burton Library and programs from Fairmont Arts. They said they are working on a Master Gardener partnership through Ohio State University Extension to add hands‑on gardening activities. Catholic Charities’ "Dino School" also visits weekly to provide story‑based social‑emotional activities, the guests said.

The facility includes child‑sized toilets and sinks inside each classroom, a fenced playground, and a sensory/vestibular room intended to help children who need a calm space to regulate. During a walkthrough, staff demonstrated adaptive supports such as an augmentative and alternative communication device used by one student.

The center operates an extended‑hours program known as Badger Care: parents can drop children off as early as 6:30 a.m., and the program runs until 5:30 p.m. for families who need care beyond school dismissal. "We open at 6:30 in the morning and then we provide care after school until 5:30 in the evening," Mrs. Dawson said. Staff said the extended‑care service will charge $5.50 per hour.

Leaders described planned curriculum additions for the next school year, including a "whole‑body listening" routine and social‑emotional learning stories incorporating visual cues and sign language to support regulation.

The center’s leaders encouraged families to register online at the Berkshire Local district website. The Stadcast team then toured classrooms where children participated in name‑based literacy activities, STEAM projects and gross‑motor obstacle courses.

The center did not announce formal changes to district policy or funding on the program during the recording. For registration details, parents were directed to the Berkshire Local school district website.