Today we’d like to introduce you to Khiari McAlpin-Knox.
Hi Khiari, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Before becoming a daycare owner, I was a school teacher for seven years. I taught Pre-K in LaGrange, GA, 2nd grade in Auburn, Al, and 1st grade in Charlotte, NC. I attended Auburn University where I received my bachelor’s and master’s in Elementary Education. During both undergrad and grad school, I worked part-time at a daycare which is where I found my true passion for working with young children. I would walk into work every day dreaming of owning my own school one day. It was not until December of 2016 when I came home to Birmingham to visit my family and attend my friend’s grand opening of her bakery. While attending her grand opening, I met her Landlord who also was her contractor.
I casually mentioned that I wanted to open a daycare one day and his eyes lit up. He shared with me that his best friend had a building for lease and it used to be a daycare. In fact, the daycare was called “The Perfect Place.” Talk about a coincidence. The next day I was able to visit the building and before leaving I prayed and asked God if this was the plan He had for my life to please make it crystal clear and known. I headed back to Charlotte to begin the spring semester of our school year, but this time, I had a goal in mind. I could not stop thinking about the building and following my dreams. I worked on getting my Director’s license, preparing all documents for a bank loan, met with several childcare owners, and everything else in between.
In May of 2017, I turned in my resignation letter at the school I was teaching at and told them I was moving to Alabama to open a daycare. Little did anyone know I did not have a lease in place nor funding. I literally stepped out on faith and believed that God had me covered. On October 16, 2017, Vinehouse Nursery was officially in business. As of today, I am excited to announce that I am the owner of the building, we serve over 50 children, we have 5 classrooms, and we have a total of 12 teachers.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
In March 2020, Vinehouse Nursery faced our largest loss due to a nationwide Pandemic- COVID-19. Vinehouse was ordered by the State and DHR to shut down for 6 weeks leaving families without childcare and staff without pay. During those six weeks, Vinehouse Nursery did not charge their families for tuition; it was extremely hard to charge families for a service they were not receiving. Vinehouse Nursery was not able to pay their employees or monthly expenses until the help of the PPP; we were able to back pay our employees and pay all monthly expenses. In May 2020, Vinehouse Nursery was granted to re-open, but under strict guidelines leaving us to operate under full capacity. Several families of Vinehouse Nursery could not afford to have their children return due to losing their job. Several families were still not comfortable with their child returning due to the unknown of COVID-19. Several children were not able to return due to underlying health issues that were not safe for them with COVID-19. Although COVID-19 is still prevalent, we have been thankful to have very few cases and we are continuing to operate at full capacity.
We’ve been impressed with Vinehouse Nursery, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Vinehouse Nursery is committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate learning environment, which fosters a child’s natural desire to explore, discover, create, and become a lifelong learner. As caregivers and educators, we believe in the value and uniqueness of each child we serve. Our childcare experience is designed to promote each child’s own individual social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. Committed to the families we serve, we strive to give parents a home away from home feeling through a quality child care center, while planting smiles, growing giggles, and harvesting love.
Vinehouse Nursery is a 100% Eco-Friendly Child Development Center. Everything we use is made of natural and organic products. We pride ourselves on reducing our impact on the environment and preserving natural resources by ordering our diapers, wipes and cleaning supplies from the Honest Company. In addition, we have gone GREEN is by using toys that are made of 100% recycled, dishwasher-safe products.
At Vinehouse Nursery, we ensure that exceptional growth is produced with each month of your child’s first year, as those months prove to be pivotal stages in their development. Our desire is to plant solid roots, with a quality teacher, for our Vinehouse kids and families. We grow these roots by recycling 3 key beliefs from birth to 5 years old: Nurture Creativity, Expand Self Expression and Increased Independence.
Vinehouse Nursery proudly provides developmentally appropriate programs within a warm and nurturing environment that fosters positive self-esteem and promotes creativity and individuality. We believe in a multi-sensory approach, where children are immersed in the learning process. They are actively and purposefully engaged throughout each day. Every moment is a teachable moment and our curriculum is designed to encompass all areas of early childhood development while making certain to meet the needs of the individual child and capitalize on their personal interests and motivations. We offer many varied opportunities for learning through active play, social interaction and 1:1 instruction. Our goal is to foster a strong sense of self-worth in the children, providing a strong framework of success for overcoming all later life experiences and challenges.
We embrace the belief that our parents are the first and most important teachers in your child’s life. The family connection is fostered throughout the year as we continually urge parents to participate in classroom activities, read-aloud, and social activities. We have an open-door policy and parents are encouraged to schedule a time to volunteer in their child’s classroom.
Our program is built around the concept that children are born ready to learn. As caregivers, we strive to create a learning environment that is safe, stimulating and encouraging.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
There are several people who have played a big role in my success:
– Parents, siblings, and friends: support and guidance
– Danielle Johnson: Graphic and Website Designer (Co-Owner of Champion Dreams Production)
– Accountant: Howard Taylor
– Brittany Sharp: Marketing (Co-Owner of The Modern Mold Agency)
– Tim Clay: Mentor
Contact Info:
- Website: Vinehousenursery.com
- Instagram: Vinehouse Nursery
- Facebook: Vinehouse Nursery
