A nonprofit with a 50-year history in child care and early education will open two prekindergarten classrooms in the former St. Joseph’s Regional Academy in Jim Thorpe this fall.

Lehigh Valley Children’s Centers Inc. will open classrooms to serve 30 children with an early-learning, preschool environment, as well as a needed service for working families.

The expansion into Jim Thorpe is a direct result of the Carbon County Child Care and Early Education Survey conducted by the Jim Thorpe Rotary Club.

In 2021, the club began looking at the challenge for families accessing quality and affordable preschool and child care services, and partnered with Lehigh Valley Children’s Center and Immaculate Conception Parish to assess the community’s needs.

More than 200 families completed the survey, which showed affordable child care was a barrier to employment and training in Jim Thorpe.

Of those surveyed, 74% indicated they needed full-time or part-time child care. The greatest need was preschool age children.

“Lehigh Valley Children’s Centers is ready to undertake this long-awaited project. The amount of planning and support we received from the community was overwhelming,” Charles Dinofrio, president and CEO of LVCC, said.

“Now, it is up to LVCC to create an environment where education begins for the children in the Jim Thorpe community.”

The LVCC at St. Joseph’s Academy will work closely with the Jim Thorpe Area School District and Immaculate Conception Parish to ensure children transition into kindergarten with the necessary skills to be successful academically, socially, and emotionally.

The preschool and child care program will operate from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Open enrollment will be from 9 a.m. to noon and 3 to 6 p.m. July 12 and Aug. 9 at St. Joseph’s Regional Academy at 25 W. Sixth St., Jim Thorpe.

Through open enrollment, LVCC can offer resources and support with scholarships, Child Care Works funding support, and other options for the program.

Visit www.lvcconline.org or call 610-820-5333 for more information.