Dunham grows early childhood education options with robust program for two-year-olds | Sponsored: The Dunham School

The Dunham School will soon expand its Baton Rouge footprint with the addition of a second campus to house its rapidly-growing early childhood program for two-year-olds.

The program has been at capacity for the past two years, surpassing all expectations. In order to accommodate more families, the program will move in 2025 to a nearby church facility, within one mile of the current campus. Steve Eagleton, Dunham Head of School, said this will allow the two-year-old program to serve approximately 42 children, an increase of the 22-student capacity at the current location.

“We studied our area to see what options were available for busy working families. We didn’t see any that were education-oriented and offered the same quality experience that families have at Dunham,” Eagleton said. “In our first year, we had twice as many applications as capacity. That was a good indicator that there was a demand in the market that was not being met. When those numbers continued to hold post-Covid, we realized that we were truly filling a gap in the area for families who want their children to be in an educational environment from an early age.”

Morgan Barkas, Dunham Early Childhood Director, said the program for two-year-olds offers a structured day filled with time for play, exploration and socialization. The classrooms are divided into areas for reading, dramatic play, blocks and science. Teachers lead the group in daily activities such as looking at the calendar, daily weather, dancing and table-based activities. Each week, special visitors lead the two-year-olds in other activities, such as tumbling, Spanish speaking, music, kindness and art lessons.

“Our days also have a lot of play time where students can grow socially and emotionally, all within the realm of having teachers guide them,” Barkas said. “There is so much growth that happens in this age range, so we see a lot of progression from the beginning of the year to the end. You see them pick up on age-appropriate developmental concepts and grow in confidence. We want to build their love for school at an early age, so it’s great to see them happy to be here and knowing that they are coming to a safe and loving classroom environment every day.”

The teachers in Dunham’s program for two-year-olds are all certified in education, as well as child-specific areas such as CPR. Barkas said the school has made it a priority to hire degreed teachers to lead the classrooms, as well as ones who have experience working with the youngest learners.

“Our biggest goal is to have teachers who are positive, uplifting and willing to get on the floor and play with these students on a daily basis,” she said. “The teamwork aspect is also very important. Our teachers work together to create activities and a curriculum that is age-appropriate and that can help each child develop. We’ve found that when we stick to those routines and keep the day structured, that the children are engaged and enjoy their time in the classroom.”

In addition to offering quality education and structure, Eagleton said Dunham has taken steps to make the two-year-old program as accessible as possible for parents. There is one flat fee for each child, regardless of their drop-off and pickup times. While about 90 percent of the two-year-olds attend the program five days a week, Eagleton said many families enjoy having the flexibility to adjust their schedules without worrying about additional costs.

“We saw no one else in the marketplace doing that, and we felt it was important for parents to not feel the stress of having a clock running every day,” he said. “Some parents need to do a late pickup once a week. Sometimes, they want to do an early pickup if they are off of work early or want some extra quality time as a family. We’ve designed the program so that parents don’t have to feel like there is a constant conflict between work and child care.”

Parents can also opt for a 10-month or 12-month program. Eagleton said about half of the children in the two-year-old programs are on a 12-month schedule, which alleviates the stress of finding care for their children in the summer. The 10-month option has proven attractive for families who travel in the summer and want extra time for vacations.

No matter which option a family chooses, Eagleton said student safety is paramount. There is a camera system within the program that allows parents to see their children throughout the day. Teachers and staff also send regular updates about class activities and accomplishments.

“We’ve always had a huge focus on safety and security on this campus, and that will extend to our additional campus,” Eagleton said. “We want everyone at Dunham to be safe and secure. That includes all of our students and staff. A lot of the work we are doing at our new facility is to ensure that it meets all of our safety standards.”

As the two-year-old program continues to grow, Eagleton said he expects it will continue to serve as an entry point for families to begin their Dunham experience at earlier ages. Thus far, the program has attracted both children who are new to Dunham as well as the younger siblings of current Dunham students. Eagleton noted that 99 percent of the two-year-olds moved on to Dunham’s pre-K 3 program, indicating a high level of family satisfaction.

“We believe strongly in early childhood education and the benefits of starting children in a developmentally-appropriate school setting at a young age,” he said. “We see the benefits of offering a strong combination of the academic pieces as well as learning socialization skills. The Christian values that are a part of Dunham are absolutely incorporated into the two-year-old program.”

To learn more about Dunham’s Early Childhood programs, schedule a tour or submit an application, visit www.dunhamschool.org.