Town for tots

Pioneer Packaging owners Susan and Wade Kohler recognized a need for child care in Jay County.

They decided to take matters into their own hands with a new business.

Toddlertown Early Learning Center hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday. The new certified child care center  located at 1505 N. Wayne St., Portland, begins operations Monday.

Susan Kohler explained the demand for child care prompted her and her husband to look into opening the learning center.

“There was a desperate need here in Jay County for sure,” she said. “We knew we had sons that were growing up that were going to have a need, just like the rest of the community.”

Jay County natives Wade and Susan Kohler own Pioneer Packaging, a lumber and pallet manufacturing business that controls 10 different facilities across parts of Indiana and Ohio, including its corporate building on Meridian Street and factory on Lincoln Street in Portland. (The company celebrated its 20th anniversary last year.) They manage about 150 workers across their plants. For employees, Susan Kohler explained, finding someone to look after the children in order to go to work can be difficult.

“A lot of our absences were created for no day care, or couldn’t get day care that day, or somebody was sick,” she said. “That was always the struggle. So we were there to try and fix that problem.”

Although owned by the Kohlers, Toddlertown Early Learning Center will operate as a separate entity from Pioneer Packaging. That leaves the facility open to community members looking for child care.

The 8,600 square foot facility has enough space for up to 78 children. Currently, the facility plans to offer care for up to eight infants, 20 toddlers and 20 preschoolers. Its capacity allows for another 20 preschoolers or 30 school-age children during the summer. 

Toddlertown Early Learning Center has four main rooms separating children by age groups, along with a cafeteria, kitchen, laundry room, isolation room for sick children, training room that doubles as a breastfeeding room for mothers, staff lounge and office space. It also has a fenced-in backyard with space for two separate playgrounds — plans are to put in equipment when the weather gets warmer — for different age groups.

The property’s large backyard allows for future expansion as well, noted Susan Kohler.

More than five years ago, the Kohlers bought the 14-acre property where Toddlertown Early Learning Center now sits, which is adjacent to other Pioneer Packaging properties. Although they didn’t initially have a plan for the property, the idea for a child care facility slowly developed.

“It was just the close convenience to be able to keep our employees here to drop off their children then go close to work, versus being too far away from your children,” explained Susan Kohler.

The Kohlers started nailing down concrete plans last year, with local contractors breaking ground on the project on June 26. Eight months later, their vision has become a reality.

“We did a pretty good, quick turnaround,” Susan Kohler said. “We had some great local contractors. They knew that I was going to push them because, you know, all these parents are waiting.”

Toddlertown Early Learning Center secured its child care provider license from Indiana Family and Social Services last week. Director Deanna Homan will manage regular communications with the state organization as required. The 2017 Jay County High School graduate with a bachelor’s degree in education will be in charge of the center’s daily operations. She’s no stranger to child care, having 12 nieces and nephews as well as her own 11-month-old son.

“I’m so excited to see all the kids and see them learn and grow,” she said, noting the facility’s open house Tuesday. “All the kids were sad to leave … I love seeing that and just seeing their excitement to being here …”

Toddlertown Early Learning Center is still looking for a full-time cook, with Homan currently filling in the role. They’ve already got several children enrolled, Susan Kohler said, but some slots are open for different age groups, such as preschoolers. (She pointed out as children age out of rooms, availability will change.) 

Those interested in enrolling their child may fill out a form at bit.ly/Toddlertown-waitlist. To learn more, email [email protected] or call (260) 251-7619.