Dee and Howard Hotaling are bringing a wealth of personal experience to their dream of a Preschool and Childcare facility. They are doing it in North Baltimore, where they expect to grow in an “up-and-coming community,” with a population that is hungry for just these services.
The Hotalings are opening the NB Discovery Academy on Poe Road in North Baltimore, and the name is carefully chosen to signify the professional approach of a couple who have spent their lives working with children, both in their jobs and at home.
The Academy will operate in two shifts, from six in the morning until midnight, to accommodate the diverse needs of this working area. Offering both a preschool curriculum and an extended-hours childcare facility, it will accommodate children from 18 months to 12 years old. Its mission is “to not only provide childcare in a loving atmosphere, but also to help support working parents to enhance educational, nutritional and interpersonal skills in their young children.” Dee emphasizes that “we are not just a babysitting facility.”
The Academy has forged partnerships with the local schools and library, and also with the Briar Hill Health Care campus for intergenerational programs. There are computers in place, as well as a wide range of learning and recreational materials. The staff all have specialized degrees, with the skill to handle a full spectrum of young people.
The new building on the outskirts of North Baltimore projects a home-like atmosphere, surrounded by playgrounds and open fields for nature study. Waiting to welcome the children is Miss Zoe, an energetic part-poodle who has the title of “entertainment director.” Howard is the resident cook, ready to prepare meals and snacks, having served as a chef during his varied working career.
Dee and Howard had the help of Toledo SCORE counselors Robert Dorn and Chuck Gallagher, as well as assistance from other local agencies. The big challenge has been obtaining the necessary licenses and permits, but the Hotalings believe the result will be an Academy that truly serves the needs of the area.
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