SALISBURY — Yadkin Path Montessori in Salisbury is currently enrolling children 6 weeks to 6 years old for the hours of 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Yadkin Path offers childcare for the whole child — physical, social, emotional, and cognitive, in an environment that encourages skills acquisition, independence, awareness of others and a lifelong love of work and learning. The infant classroom is for children 6 weeks to 15 months. The toddlers and twos classroom is for 15 months to 36 months. The primary classroom is for children 3 to 6 years old.

Owner and director Myra Tannehill is a native of Rowan County. Becoming a mother helped her see a need for a variety of childcare options in Rowan County, so Tannehill opened the daycare center in March of this year, with a temporary state license to operate. The center is licensed for nearly 60 children. According to Tannehill, many of the quality childcare centers in Rowan County are full and have wait lists of hundreds. The county has 6,000 children under the age of 5 with only 2,000 childcare slots available.

“The average family does not have extended family to care for their children while they go to work, and many people do not want to hire someone who would have access to their home or take their child into someone’s home that the parents don’t really have access to,” said Tannehill.

The brand new 2,400-square-foot building features classrooms with large windows and direct exits to natural learning playgrounds. The 9-acre property, only minutes from Interstate 85 and downtown Salisbury, feels as though it is in the country. Tannehill has already begun on phase two of the property which will add 2,400 square feet representing three additional classrooms.

The daycare includes protected three-hour work periods, outside time and healthy home-cooked meals made from whole foods. Montessori daycares are often called “schools” to differentiate them from the babysitting aspect of the typical daycare. The environment is peaceful, interesting and inviting. The teachers are calm with lowered voices. The children are challenged in their learning, but are greatly supported so that they experience success.

According to Tannehill, “The most important thing we encourage is the practice of concentration. A child who can focus on something interesting is very happy. So we train teachers who do not interrupt a child who is focusing, we create an environment with as few distractions as possible and we teach children how to respect other working children.”

Yadkin Path offers 12 month or 10 month contracts with half day (8 a.m. to 12 p.m.) and full-day (8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) as well as extended day (6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) options.

The Montessori method of education, developed by Italian physician Dr. Maria Montessori, is a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children from birth to adulthood. It is based on self-directed activity and hands-on learning. Children make choices in their learning, supported by the classroom environment and the teacher who guides the process. Dr. Montessori’s method has been time tested, with over 100 years of success in diverse cultures throughout the world.

Yadkin Path Montessori is located at 2135 Bringle Ferry Rd in Salisbury. For more information or to apply, email yadkinpath@gmail.com or call 704-642-2211.