Statement from Learning Together

Learning Together, in partnership with the Edenton Street United Methodist Church (ESUMC), is excited to announce the expansion of Learning Together with the opening of 4 new inclusive classrooms at ESUMC to serve children with and without developmental delays/disabilities, and their families.

Together, Learning Together and ESUMC are addressing a crucial need that existed long before the Covid-19 pandemic and has only been exacerbated since – the need for affordable, high-quality, inclusive early childhood education. Learning Together is one of only four certified developmental day centers in Wake County and works in partnership with the Wake County Public School System to provide inclusive services for children ages 3-5. Wake County parents of children with delays or disabilities have few options for childcare that can both meet their child’s needs and their family’s budget.

Kyle Reese, Executive Director/COO of Learning Together states, “This opportunity to partner with Edenton Street UMC is the first extension of the internal work we have been doing the past two years. Before the COVID-19 pandemic we started the hard work of transforming our organization at every level to increase our impact and better serve the children and families of Wake County. We want to thank ESUMC for joining us on this journey to provide more equitable and inclusive education.”

While childcare centers around the country are closing due to staffing shortages and wage inequities, Learning Together is growing, and providing a safe, caring environment for children of all backgrounds and abilities to thrive. All our classrooms are inclusive and maintain a 50/50 ratio of children with and without delays or disabilities; we do not separate any children into self-contained classrooms, providing a truly inclusive experience that benefits all our students.

Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, Learning Together will bring our unique super-inclusive model of services to the space previously occupied by the Child Development Center at ESUMC. This expansion will further our mission by adding an additional 57 students to the Learning Together rosters. With this expansion, Learning Together at Lenoir Street and at Edenton Street has the capacity to serve up to 125 children. We know from our 50 years of experience in the inclusive early childhood education field that the ripple effect of helping just one student reaches far into the community and into the future.

Statement from Edenton Street United Methodist Church

We at Edenton Street are ecstatic to offer space and partnership as Learning Together expands its critical work in the Raleigh community. Our building is uniquely poised to help Learning Together flourish, and we see it as our mission to offer our facilities for the good of the city.

“Edenton Street has a long legacy of offering educational and community formation for children and families within the life of our city. From the birth of Methodist Home for Children to the Child Development Center, the Early Childhood Program, and many other offerings along the way, we have long been committed to making sure that children of all backgrounds have access to an excellent education. This partnership with Learning Together is a wonderful advancement of this legacy, and we are so grateful to be able to partner with them as together we empower children with and without developmental delays and their families to have the tools and skills essential for a life of learning and success.” – Edenton Street United Methodist Church Senior Pastor, Rev. C. Greg Moore