At Young Scholars Academy family business means more than caring for children.

It says a lot when the offspring and relatives of a day care facility are enrolled where their parents work. “It’s an unspoken perk,” said Jordan Moylan, assistant director of YSA,” to have our children go here. We’re raising our kids together.”

Yet, that’s not the driving force, she explained, for what makes Young Scholars Academy a special place to work. “We’re a super small, family business. Our owners know our families. It’s like the best extended family.”

The center was established more than 20 years ago.

YSA has 30 teachers and four administrators. Moylan has been with the company for more than a decade. However, she attended YSA as a child. As stated on the company’s website, “I have been here with Young Scholars Academy since I was 4 years old! I grew up here at the school, I did the Preschool, Pre-k program, and Summer Camp. When I got older and couldn’t attend anymore I took out the trash and even cleaned the toilets. I’m one of those kids that just never left. Now my goal is to connect with families and their children so that they can have a great upbringing at Young Scholars just like I did.”

The average tenure she said is 4.8 years. “This is pretty good for this field,” she added.

Much of the retention goes beyond the staff having their own children onsite. “Everybody actually cares about the work we do. We don’t just go to work to wipe noses and color every day. We want to change lives and shape brains,” Moylan said. “We want to make an impact on young lives.”

Additionally, there is also the sense that everyone helps one another. “Our staff knows they’re not the only ones doing everything,” according to Moylan. “Everyone has the same goals in mind.

Toward that end, according to the daycare website, seven teachers serve as Team Leaders “to engage and promote learning beyond the classroom.” They coordinate activities with community members and develop interactive activities to further enrich the center’s day-to-day routines. Each leader is responsible for one of the following areas: health and safety; parent connection; curriculum; social and emotional; literacy; and wellness.

Young Scholars Academy offers programs to address a number of daycare needs for children ages six weeks to 14 years. These include before and after school care as well as summer camps for children ages 4-14.

Each month one of the staff is celebrated as “Team Member of the Month.”

The relationships go beyond being colleagues. “People make best friends here,” Moylan said. “Our kids grow up together.”

Moylan’s daughter and niece are enrolled at YSA.

The center also received Best Workplace recognition in 2018 1nd 2019. For several years it has consistently been a winner in The Gazette’s annual Best of The Springs. It is accredited with the National Association for Education of Young Children.

All of my coworkers and I are genuinely working towards the same goal together. I’m not doing it by myself or picking up other people’s slack. We are changing lives together as a family! — YOUNG SCHOLARS ACADEMY EMPLOYEE, BEST WORKPLACES SURVEY