Leonard Kirtz School

Hopes & Dreams Childcare and Learning Center opened in Austintown in 2004 and holds a Gold rating from Ohio's Step Up to Quality program. We care for children from 6 weeks through 12 years old, Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Our teachers write weekly lesson plans for each classroom using the HighScope Curriculum, which aligns with the Ohio Early Learning Content Standards and covers eight content areas, from language and literacy to science and social studies. We track each child's development with the COR Advantage assessment, which pairs with HighScope. Learning here is play-based and hands-on. Teachers plan activities around the interests and needs of the children in each room, so a typical day includes active exploration, problem solving and time to question and experiment.