Fundamentals Early Childhood Development Academy director Ann-Marie Ogletree says her center focuses on making learning fun for their students. She says this is important because, “If you can’t make learning fun where children learn to think and analyze their choices in life and their experiences and the things that they care and know about early on, you’ve set yourself up for something that is going to be very difficult to do as they get older.”

Fundamentals Academy certainly sounds like a fun place to go to preschool! Ogletree says her center places an emphasis on getting kids into the community to experience all the things Cleveland has to offer and to guide parents about how to do the same without having to spend money.

Fundamentals has been open since 1997 and has had former preschoolers graduate from high school and come back to tell the staff about the impact they’ve had. That’s no surprise when you look at the staff credentials, with most staff members holding at least an associate’s degree and several with master’s degrees.

Fundamentals also prides itself on its partnerships, including with the Buckeye-Shaker Square Community Development Corporation and with the USDA, which allows the center to provide healthy and tasty meals to its students. Their partnership with PRE4CLE has also allowed them to secure a Classroom Start Up Grant to create an additional classroom in their center to serve more children. Ogletree also credits PRE4CLE with helping her fill her seats through the School Quality Fair and a dinner that PRE4CLE hosted to showcase the center.

Fundamentals Early Childhood Development Academy is a 3-Star Step Up To Quality rated center located in the Buckeye-Shaker Square neighborhood. The private center serves kids from six weeks to twelve years old Monday-Friday from 6:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m., year round.