Brandon Twp.- Stepping Stone is stepping up to fill a need for childcare.
The child development center, 885 S. Ortonville Road, is expanding their summer childcare for the summer and possibly even for the next school year.
School-aged childcare will be offered at the H.T. Burt Lifelong Learning Center, 209 Varsity Drive, with June 18 the first official day of the Stepping Stone School-Age Summer Camp. Director Jenny Smotherman said the camp will be from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays and as required by Michigan summer camp licensing rules, will be held outside at least half the time.
‘We’re going on weekly bus field trips to places like the park, the beach, putt-putt, and roller skating,? Smotherman said. ‘And we usually do a walking field trip every week to places like A&W, the library, and Papa Bella’s.?
Additionally, fun days at the school include ‘water day,? ‘bike day,? and use of the track, tennis court and playgrounds at H.T. Burt, where Stepping Stone is leasing two rooms from the school district.
Smotherman said school administrators called and offered rental of the classrooms as well as referral of students after the district ended childcare programs for infants and toddlers. Preschool programs in the school district will continue.
‘We hired some of the district’s teachers that were laid-off, so it’s a win-win for everybody,? said Smotherman. ‘And we are going to be next to the latchkey run through the district, so we hope to do things together. Friends will get to see each other during the day.?
There are also plans in the works to build a 2,000 square-foot multi-purpose gym addition to the existing Stepping Stone building. If approved by the township planning commission, the gym would open this fall.
Smotherman said she believes the economy may be making a recovery with increased enrollment at Stepping Stone and more parents working. This summer, the center has 20 more children enrolled and currently has some openings in the toddler and preschool rooms because of the expansion to H.T. Burt.
Details: 248-627-8800.