Dream come true at Thompson Pre School
SUN PHOTO/LOUISE BOLGER
Cindy Thompson, executive
director,
Thompson Pre School and Kids Club.
No one can resist the charms of babies and young children, but there are few people in the world who love them as much as Cindy Thompson. For 10 years Thompson has worked in the child care industry, and in August her life long dream of opening her own child care center came true with the establishment of Thompson Pre School And Kids Club in Bradenton.
Her enthusiasm is absolutely infectious as she shows you around the 7,800 square foot building, which has been totally renovated and retrofitted for the highest level of use and child safety.
There are a variety of rooms and play areas where the children are rotated into during the course of the day, including a library, art room screened in play area and a fenced outside play area. Classrooms are converted into rest time space, with each child having his/her own nap time cot with his/her name. The infant room is away from the older children where it is quiet and soothing background music plays. All exits, play and common areas are monitored by a video surveillance camera, and the main entry door is locked and accessed via a coded key pad.
Currently there are 104 children enrolled in one of the many programs offered by the school. Eighteen professional staff members, many of whom have worked together as a team for two years, conduct ing classes, monitoring play and rest time and keeping peace. Cindy Thompson is the executive director and Desi Johnson is her director, and together they have designed a creative and fun environment for the children to thrive in. The curriculums being utilized are Beyond Centers and Circle Time and Beyond Cribs and Rattles.
Thompson Pre School has an assortment of programs to choose from accommodating children from infants to 10 years old. The Pre School Program is for infants through five years of age, the Kids Club is for ages kindergarten through fifth grade and includes an after school program with pick up at three elementary schools, and the Drop-In Childcare accommodates infants through five years old on an on-demand basis by calling ahead. All food and beverages are included in the cost of care.
On Saturdays and Sundays the school is available for birthday party rentals and for parents who need a night off, kids between two and 10 can be dropped off on Saturday nights between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Future plans include the possibility of adding a private kindergarten, something that many of Thompson’s clients have requested.
Cindy Thompson’s enthusiasm and energy has kept her involved in the Anna Maria community through her organization of the Friday Fests, Bayfest and her work with the Anna Maria Island Chamber. She thanks her husband, Doug Thompson, for helping her realize her dream and her mother, Jackie Estes, for being the greatest cheerleader and chef.
Thompson Pre School And Kids Club’s mission is to be a resource for families where they can be confident their children are well cared for and involved in stimulating activities. In Cindy Thompson’s world, children rule with the rest of us just along for the ride, and maybe that’s as it should be.
Thompson Pre School and Kids Club
2015 75th St. W., Bradenton7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday
Phone: 941-794-1100
Fax: 941-794-1108
Email: thompsonprek@aol.com
Discover, MasterCard, Visa