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Our Story: Our story begins in 2012. Angela Kapp was managing a Head Start center on the Hubert H. Humphrey Job Corps campus when she learned Head Start would be closing the program. Angela submitted a proposal to Job Corps to open the center as her own. The proposal was accepted and Arona Child Development Center opened their doors in October of 2012 under the umbrella of Midwest Child Development, LLC
In 2016 we moved to the Hamline Church. In 2017 we opened a location in the Como neighborhood and in 2018 we changed our name to The Learning Garden. We went on to open additional locations in White Bear Lake, Inver Grove Heights, and Maplewood. By June of 2023 we down-sized to just one location (Maplewood), due to the impact of Covid and the early childhood staffing shortage. You can read more about the early childhood workforce issues here. Our Maplewood location is conveniently located off of Hwy 61 and Hwy 36, close to highways 35 and 694. We provide care and education for children 6 weeks to kindergarten entry. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Learning Garden offers a quality education program and full-day child care. Our program is designed to meet the needs of our families by providing a safe, nurturing, educational environment for children ages 6 weeks to kindergarten entry. We believe that parents are a child’s first teacher so our unique partnership with parents provides support, resources and information about child development and involves the parents in goal setting for their child. Children at The Learning Garden receive all the food necessary to meet USDA nutrition requirements, including cereal, jar food and formula as needed for infants. Meals are prepared fresh daily and children and teachers eat together family-style. Infants and Toddlers are provided with diapers and wipes. Sunscreen, nap blankets and all curriculum and field trips are also included in the tuition. We use a research-based curriculum and believe that children learn best when engaged in hands-on, interactive activities that address all of their senses. We take advantage of local parks in the neighborhood. We hold quarterly family events and invite special guests to visit from the community such as storytellers or the local fire or police department. Our highly trained teachers hold various degrees in education and receive on-going professional development and training on current topics in the field of early childhood education. Our secure, warm and inviting center allows for small class sizes and low child-to-teacher ratios. Our small size allows families and teachers to develop trusting relationships with each other, creating a unique and special sense of family. |
Hours of Operation and Holidays: The Learning Garden is open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, 12 months a year.
The Learning Garden is closed for the following holidays and Staff Professional Development Days: Monday, May 29, 2023 Memorial Day Monday, June 19, 2023 Juneteenth (Staff Professional Development Day) Monday, July 3, 2023 Licensing Preparation Day Tuesday, July 4, 2023 Independence Day Friday, September 1, 2023 (Staff Professional Development Day) Monday, September 4, 2023 Labor Day Monday, October 9, 2023 Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Staff Professional Development Day) Friday, November 10, 2023 Veterans' Day (observed) Thursday, November 23, 2023 Thanksgiving Day Friday, November 24, 2023 Native American Heritage Day Friday, December 22, 2023 Christmas Eve (observed) Monday, December 25, 2023 Christmas Day Monday, January 1, 2024 New Year's Day Monday, January 15, 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Staff Professional Development Day Monday, February 19, 2024 Presidents' Day |
