Testimonials
Open all year • Monday - Friday • 6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Excerpt from a letter
Excerpt from a letter dated November 9, 2006, signed by a perspective parent client:
“Thank you so much for the grand tour and spending time chatting with me last night. I had an enjoyable visit and was very impressed. Your facility certainly belongs on the short list of high-quality, affordable preschool/child care locations in Livingston County.”
Excerpt from a letter
Excerpt from a letter dated September 7, 2006, signed by a parent client:
“Thank you so much for all you have done. I used to be uncomfortable with the thought of placing my children in a day care setting, but you have completely changed my thinking. My boys seem to love it there and I couldn't be happier about that! You have gone above and beyond to help my family emotionally and financially. I can't thank you enough. . . ”
Excerpt from a letter
Excerpt from a letter dated May 29, 2008, signed by a parent client:
“Dear Sharon, We have appreciated your care and time throughout Matthew's Elementary years, providing before and after school services as needed. Thank your for going above and beyond. . .”
Newspaper Article
The following article appeared on the front page of the “Livingston County Daily Press & Argus” on Friday, August 3, 2007 written by staff writer Kristofer Karol:
“Children's center owner shows kids to 'learn through play'
She was only a student at Livonia Stevenson High School, but Sharon VanOrd said it was at that time she had a feeling of what she would do with the rest of her life.
"I worked in the preschool at Stevenson High School and I absolutely loved it," VanOrd said. "That opened a new door for me."
She went on to Michigan State University to study nursing but the teaching bug bit her again, so the Spartan went into early childhood development and elementary education.
The dream was always to own her own place, and that dream finally became a reality almost two years ago when VanOrd took over the Howell Children's Center.
With a new look, approach and name - Creative Discovery Learniong Center - VanOrd and her staff are preparing their students so they can hit the ground running when they enter Howell Public Schools.
Both VanOrd's business and the school district utilize a phonics program called ZooPhonics. Some of the center's staff is also well-versed in the mathematics program used in Howell Public Schools.
"We know children learn through play," VanOrd said. "The research is out there, so we set the stage for a lot of fun, a lot of opportunities to grow, mature, build their self-esteem and our goal is to really prepare them for learning in the elementary school."
While VanOrd has tripled her enrollment in two years - it's currently above 30 - getting the business off the ground wasn't easy.
When she took over, the state told her she had plenty of renovations to make and only six months to do so.
There were times when he husband would stay at the center until 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. or even spend the entire weekend there working on various projects.
But the hard work has paid off.
The center specializes in children ages 2 ½ to 6 and offers all-day or half-day preschool, kindergarten readiness, latchkey and kindergarten reinforcement.
VanOrd, who also holds a master's degree in elementary education, has made it a point to offer her students several types of activities, with writing, music, science areas and a slew of other things to do.
"We go all day," she said of her students' active schedules.
VanOrd said she and her staff make sure they are tuned into the students' needs.
"We work with each child with where they're at developmentally," she said. "A lot of places will say that, but we do that."
Parent Kristen Moore Cove started sending her two children, Ellie and Mary, to the center last fall and said she noticed there was something special about the staff, especially VanOrd.
"I really think the people make the difference, and right away, I thought she was somebody who was down to earth, (I) could talk to and ask any questions - it seemed like a perfect fit."
The mission going into the future, for VanOrd, is simple.
"We want them to be successful," she said. "We want them to know trying different things . that they can find what they want to be."
