After several months of discussions and presentations, Vernon Independent School District is joining forces with
Child Care Partners to create a new early learning center in Vernon that will be a benefit to not only VISD
employees with young children, but also a benefit for all community residents with young children.
“We are very excited about the partnership and hope that we can help to meet the needs of children and
families in Vernon and Wilbarger County,” said Keri Goins, Executive Director of Child Care Partners. “Dr. Ward’s
passion for children is exciting, when we began talking about Vernon’s needs and he told me, ‘Keri, infants are
our children too’. I knew this partnership was something we wanted to do.”
The partnership will be housed at the VISD’s Central School facility. It will serve families with children from six
weeks to four years of age. The facility will be providing care year-round, and will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30
p.m.
Vernon ISD Supt. Dr. Kermit Ward said after the first meeting with officials from Child Care Partners, it was an
easy decision to move forward with the partnership and take the idea to VISD Board of Trustees. The trustees
approved the partnership at their November business meeting.
“Vernon ISD is committed to providing the best education possible for the children of Vernon and Wilbarger
County, and Child Care Partners has shown that to be their goal as well,” Dr. Ward explained. “We believe
children who go to this facility will have a strong, solid education foundation to continuing building on when
they move on to the first grade.”
This partnership will be based on the Texas Workforce Commission’s “Pre-K Partnership Model”. In a pre-k
partnership, children are a part of both public-school pre-k and TWC's Child Care Services program. They stay at
the child care center, even before and after pre-k instruction. These partnerships are useful for families with
working parents and help children have consistent care and learning.
In this partnership, the Pre-K classes will be led by VISD teachers. Pre-K students will be “dual” enrolled with
Vernon ISD as well as with CCP’s early education program. Both entities will be using an evidence-based
curriculum called Frog Street. According to Goins, “What really sets this partnership apart from others across the
state is that VISD is including infants and toddlers as well; because of the fantastic space VISD will be making
available, CCP will be able to provide services for babies as well.”
VISD and Child Care Partners are currently working on a name that will personify the partnership as well as
honor Vernon’s strengths as a community, something Goins knows all about.
“I was born and raised in Wilbarger County and know what a special small community it is,” she said. “Vernon is
full of rich history and hosts several thriving businesses and industries. We very much want the name to speak to
that.”
Child Care Partner’s is a nonprofit in Wichita Falls that has been serving families and children for over 100 years
with five early learning centers. All of their centers are 4-Star Texas Rising Star Centers, Texas School Ready and
licensed by the state of Texas.
If you are interested in enrolling, please join our waitlist at: https://form.jotform.com/24016...
The opening date will be contingent on licensure, with a goal of late spring. We are currently accepting resumes
for the director position at Vernon@childcarewf.org
Location: VISD’s Central
1300 Paradise ST
Vernon, TX
Wait list: 