Making a difference in Dunlap, Tennessee.
Sandy Greene’s career in child care began in 1985. Her introduction to early childhood education was teaching at a small, family-owned child care center in California while pursuing her college degree. That part-time job sparked her passion for early childhood education. Over the years, Sandy worked in different types of programs, developing her philosophy and best practices in early childhood education along the way.
In 2020, Sandy purchased a child care center in Dunlap, Tennessee. She has since brought her ideas and experience providing high-quality child care and education to her community.
“It has been the absolute joy of my life to have made the personal and professional journey to Tennessee and to serve the families in the Sequatchie Valley.”
There are three separate, but equally important philosophies Sandy uses to ensure that her program meets the social, emotional and cognitive needs of children in her care:
- Children deserve to have their individuality respected
- Children deserve novelty, cleanliness and beauty in their environments
- Children deserve to have well-educated, well trained educators who possess temperaments best suited to the developmental stages of the children they are working with
Sandy believes that children learn through play and she encourages her teachers to support hands-on, interactive child-centered learning. The GreeneHouse Children’s Center’s classrooms have stations that encourage children to actively engage in activities to foster interactive learning. Sandy reviews lesson plans to ensure that children are engaging in activities that are developmentally appropriate and support their education. She also spends a lot of time observing her educators in their classrooms to see what is working well, provide assistance if needed, and connect with and support her staff.
With her years of experience, Sandy has developed a list of questions she asks job applicants that give her a good insight into the temperament of each candidate. This helps her effectively hire for each age group.
Sandy encourages her fellow educators to belong to groups that set industry standards, like NAEYC. Reading their literature helps her stay on track and keep her staff ahead of new innovations that drive best practices in the child care industry.
The GreeneHouse Children’s Center is an important part of the Dunlap community. Without reliable, quality care many parents would not be able to work and provide for their children. Parents rely on Sandy and The GreeneHouse Children’s Center to provide their children with an enriching day that provides learning opportunities that will prepare children for years to come.
Thank you for everything you do to serve your community Sandy!