A new childcare option officially opens in Portage on Tuesday. Neighbors' Educational Opportunities will cut the ribbon on the Creekside Early Learning Center.
It will serve up to 130 kids, starting as young as six weeks old. Half of those spots will be set aside for financially-challenged families, at 140-percent of the federal poverty level.
In a statement, NEO Executive Director Rebecca Reiner says it will be a game changer for parents and good for business. She says surveys of business owners show dependable child care is critical to retaining employees.
NEO also says Creekside will open at the second-highest level of the state's four-level quality rating system. That means it'll offer a planned curriculum, in addition to having a consistent daily schedule and meeting health and safety standards. Creekside says it will also work on getting a nationally-recognized accreditation, to reach the state's highest quality rating.
Tuesday's ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at the NEO Center on U.S. 6.
