Family Owned & Operated Since 1973:
After graduating in 1973 from Lynchburg College, in Lynchburg, VA, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education, it has been Mrs. Lynn Laing’s dream of providing a positive foundation of learning to the young children in our community. In September 1973 Mrs. Laing opened the doors of Hilltop Nursery School with the help of her father William Wittenberg. Over the past 36 years many members of the Wittenberg family have shared in Lynn’s goal. They have joined Lynn in her dedication to the students, family, and staff at Hilltop Nursery School. The Wittenberg family does not see this school as a job or just a business, it is our purpose in life and we strive for excellence every day.
Our Staff:
Hilltop Nursery School is blessed to have a staff of qualified, caring, and dedicated teachers and caregivers. More than five of our teachers have been employees at Hilltop for over 15 years, and are now more like members of our family than employees. Some of our employees are also Hilltop Graduates, and even more employees bring their children to our school as well. Besides being reliable, trustworthy and dedicated, our staff members are well qualified. We strive to exceed our licensing obligations in certifications and hours of continuing education. Many of our staff members have their Bachelor’s Degrees in Education. Some other qualifications include Associates Degrees, Child Development Associate Credentials, and Group Teacher Certificates. As of January 2010 Hilltop teachers and teachers’ assistants will have the minimum of a “Child Development Associate Credential.” Our staff’s commitment to further their knowledge of how children grow and learn is testimate to their desire to the best teachers and examples for our students.
“The Locked Center”:
For the safety of our students, Hilltop Nursery School is a “Locked Center.” This means that to gain access to the school you must have a programmed “Access Key Fob,” or be granted access by a Hilltop staff member. Access Keys are only given to current parents and staff members. They are programmed to only allow access during a student’s scheduled hours, and prevent access during non-business hours.
CCTV:
Since 1991 Hilltop Nursery School has been equipped with closed circuit video monitoring of our classrooms and playgrounds. There are a total of 25 cameras located throughout campus for the purpose of monitoring the safety of the center as well as child and staff performance. Parents are welcome to observe their child at any time during the day on either of our two 42” screens located in our offices.
Electronic Sign-In & Out:
In December 2008 Hilltop Nursery School launched its electric sign in and out procedure. There are 6 touch-screen monitors conveniently located throughout the school for easy access. Each authorized adult has an individual 4 character code for check in and checkout purposes. This program allows the administrative staff to easily track each classrooms attendance and comply with the licensing requirement of parents signing children in and out of school.
Expansive Playgrounds:
Children absolutely love the playgrounds at Hilltop Nursery School. We are fortunate to have seven different playgrounds over approximately half an acre of land for our students use. To accommodate the various physical needs of the different age groups, our playgrounds are divided into age and developmentally appropriate sections. Each individual playground is well-equipped with play structures, sand boxes, climbing equipment, outdoor toys, and much more. Our commitment to your child’s gross motor skill development and over-all health can be seen in the emphasis we put on outdoor play and the high quality of the experiences that the children receive on our playgrounds.
Our Facility:
Hilltop’s campus has changed a lot since its humble beginning in 1973. After several additions, our school has evolved from one classroom in a converted house to fifteen beautiful classrooms, an enclosed pool, multipurpose room, and expansive playgrounds.
We are so proud of our school and we love to show it off, so we encourage you to come and visit us at any time. We have an “open-door” policy, so no appointment is necessary.
Aquatics Center:
After the completion of our retractable-roof pool enclosure and multi-purpose room in September 2009, we are now able to offer year-round swimming lessons, water aerobics, recreational swim times, and pool birthday parties. Our heated pool and pool area is a great place for children of all ages to improve their swimming abilities, enjoy swimming, and exercise.
Our pool staff consists of American Red Cross certified lifeguards and swimming instructors. The guards and instructors strive to provide a positive and safe swimming area for each of our students and their families.
