Millard Children's Academy child care center and preschool opened for business on January 3rd, 2000. We are licensed by the State of Nebraska to care for children from 6 weeks through 13 years of age.

FACILITY:

Millard Children's Academy is located in a stand-alone building specifically designed to house our child care center and preschool program. The design was the culmination of over 25 years of experience in building and operating five previous child care centers and preschools in the Omaha, Nebraska metropolitan area. This past experience allowed us to take bits and pieces of what worked well at other facilities, along with what we felt could be improved upon, and incorporate those into Millard Children's Academy's custom design.

For instance, we have a fully finished walk-out basement level in which our Infants and Toddlers are cared for. This allows for them:

• To be separated from the older and more active children.
• To be already in or close to our specifically designed and structurally reinforced tornado shelter.
• To have direct access to fire exits on their level.
• To be in areas that are more quiet and serene for nap time.
• To have direct access to a separately fenced playground on their level.

The Preschool and School-Age Programs are housed on our main level. They have:

• Their own classrooms and activity tables.
• A modern iPad Lab with many fun, educational, and age-appropriate games.
• A large, indoor gym which doubles as a nap room for our younger preschoolers.
• A tiered reading and movie "pit".
• Direct access to a separately fenced and larger playground on their level.
• Cubby rooms for their coats, back-packs, and personal belongings.
• A common cafeteria area.

OWNERSHIP:

Millard Children's Academy is family-owned and operated. We are organized as Our Future, Inc., with Terri and Mike Shapland being the sole owners. The company's trade name is Millard Children's Academy. We chose Our Future, Inc. since we both strongly feel that children represent "our future", and we wanted to provide quality child care and preschool programs to help children get off to the best start possible towards their future.

Miss Terri and Mister Mike, as the kids affectionately call us, have lived in the Omaha metropolitan area our entire lives. Terri and Mike were high school sweethearts and have been happily married for over 39 years. We have three adult sons. All three have worked at the Academy at various points, with Justin still here after starting in 2002, and all share our love of children. They have each been some of the kids' favorite staff at the Academy.

SNOW DAYS:

Since its inception, Millard Children's Academy has rarely closed for snow days or inclement weather. In fact, since January 2000, we have closed for snow exactly seven times: four full days, twice at noon, and once at 3:00 PM.

We know many of our parents have to work and are counting on us to be there no matter how extreme the conditions may become. We get that! We will always do our very best to be open when we say we'll be open.