Michelle Smith Lank & Kids World Learning Center

WRITTEN BY JENNY STARLING FOSS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK FORTUNE

Her mom, Maria Smith, says she played teacher when she was little. Plus, she has aunts who are teachers. And, her father is a retired Army drill sergeant. With that pedigree, it’s clear to see how Michelle Smith Lank ended up with one of Georgia’s model early child development centers.

Kids World Learning Center was started by the late Frances Bradley of the Adabelle community. In 2005, Bradley was preparing to sell the business to another individual.

“My own children, Jasmyn and Jamel, went to Mrs. Bradley’s daycare and I asked her to call me if the plans to sell to that person changed,” said Lank.

Back then, the learning center occupied one house with a fenced-in yard. Since purchasing the business, Lank has expanded to practically a city block of childcare at 367, 369, and 371 Savannah Avenue, and 32 Lindberg Street.

“When I opened the center, there were several areas in which we needed to update and improve,” said Lank. “We implemented progressive programming and demand grew for exceptional daycare. I love the challenge of taking something old and making it into something new.”

From the time Lank purchased the center, she worked to meet and exceed industry standards. „

“It took two years for us to reach All Exceeds from our state inspections,” said Lank. “We fixed everything and created curriculum according to the Georgia Department of Early Care & Learning ‘s ‘Bright from the Start’ programming.”

Lank disdains the daycare models that offer little more than babysitting services for parents. Having been a single Mom herself, she values the parental support she is able to give, and the programming recommended by the state which includes child care services, child care and parent services, Early Head Start partnership, Georgia’s Pre-K, Head Start, Nutrition, Instructional Support, Professional Learning, Summer Transition Program and Quality Rating.

“I think it’s important to meet and exceed those standards with an inhouse ‘Core of Values,’” said Lank. “Number one is family first. Number two is community partnerships, and number three is quality matters. Everything is based on these values. I have great expectations. I think it is important to strengthen the link between parents and children and set the foundation for education, nurturing and high-quality standards.”

Lank keeps up with the latest in childcare through her many associations. She is past president of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Childcare Association, where she is currently the VP of Marketing. She was the Georgia GOAL winner for Bulloch County and now sits on the Planning Committee of the Technical College System of Georgia’s Board of Directors. She is one of 14 delegates chosen from Georgia and the only one outside of Atlanta by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s T.H.R.I.V.E. Emerging Leaders Reimagined program. T.H.R.I.V.E. stands for Train. Hope. Rise. Innovate. Venture. Elevate. – “an executive-level training series designed to accelerate the growth of high-potential small businesses across the United States.” She was chair of the Business & Workforce Committee of the Statesboro/Bulloch Chamber of Commerce for two years. And, she and Tony Phillips were voted as Fan Favorites in the Safe Haven fundraiser, Dancing with the Statesboro Stars.

“My state affiliations have helped me with the bigger picture in childcare,” said Lank. “They make it possible for me to travel and get a larger perspective for the Center, and give me the opportunity to share best practices and learn from others in the profession.”

Lank believes in training her staff the Kid’s World way. She expects them to be teaching meaningfully, and pouring into the families.

“If I keep that in mind, all else will fall into place,” Lank said.

Each day begins with greeting the children, then a warm breakfast followed by group time and learning. Then there’s outside time and afterwards a hot lunch. Lunch is followed by story time, nap time and afternoon activities. There’s still a recess in the afternoon and then the children are dismissed for the day.

“At staff meetings in January and July I asked my staff to choose a word for the year,” said Lank. “This year they chose ‘Aspiring.’”

They’ve been aspiring for greatness by bringing in a diversity of programs to benefit the children.

There’s a garden on property so the children can see how their food is grown. They supplement the meal program with locally grown foods, whole wheat and whole grain products. Vegan and gluten free children are accommodated.

There is a ‘celebrity’ reading program where people such as the late Senator Jack Hill and current Senator Billy Hickman read books to children. The Bulloch County School’s Book Bus makes visits to allow children to choose free books.

There are no TVs in the centers. The staff holds and talks to infants about colors and numbers and reads to them. There are lesson plans for all ages.

Lank was one of the first to go through Governor Kemp’s Language & Literacy Program. Kid’s World was the first in the state to become quality rated by Bright from the Start.

“Now we’re a mentor site for the state,” said Lank. “New owners tour our facilities and observe our programming as a model. Consultants, state testing professionals, someone is always observing.”

Lank offers classes for parents as well through ZOOM, such as Effective Guidance for Children. She asks parents what methods they use and gives them guidance.

“I love being a resource,” she said. “There are so many family dynamics: grandparents, traditional parents, new parents, divorced parents, non-traditional parents. We hope to be a resource and to offer support to our parents.”

The Center has three classes of Infants/ Toddlers: Infant A, Infant B, and Toddler 1.

“To me the most important stage is infancy,” said Lank. “We spend time with the babies. We teach through play for positive outcomes.”

If there’s a crying baby that can’t be settled, staff members call Michelle.

“I’m the Baby Whisperer,” she said. “I love filling the children’s day with joy, it’s an expression of the passion I have for what we do. Our burden is heavy – responsibility for so many – children, parents, the state, etc. We take that responsibility seriously. Our goal at Kid’s World is to always send our kids home better than when they arrived.” S

Number one is family first. Number two is community partnerships, and number three is quality matters. Everything is based on these values.

Michelle Smith Lank