About Us

   In, 2008, we opened our first center on 5400 S. Taylorsville, UT.  Prior to opening this location, the owner Wendy Pendleton provided childcare in her home for 13 years. Her goal for providing childcare was always to offer quality childcare at affordable rates and that continues to be our focus. In 2018, we opened our second center in Taylorsville located on redwood road. This has allowed us to continue to offer quality care to more and more families.

   Wendy is committed to providing the best care possible by employing the best staff possible. Many of our teachers have been with us since we opened and are spread between both centers. All of our staff take courses each year to continue their education in the field of child development. Certifications held by staff members include: CDA (Child Development Associate) and NAC (National Administrator Credential). All teachers are certified in First Aid and CPR and re-certify on a regular basis.

  Our daycare centers are smaller than most. This allows us to have smaller class sizes and provides us with the opportunity to really get to know each child and their family. Both centers offer an enriched curriculum in a home like environment.



 

Food, Nutrition and Healthy Living

  At Bear Essentials Academy we only serve healthy nutritious meals. While your child is here they will enjoy breakfast, A.M snack, Lunch, and P.M snack. We participate in the National Food Program and follow all the healthy food guidelines. We serve whole grain items at least once a day, fruit at least twice a day, vegetables at least once a day, and milk 2-3 times a day. Children also have access to water all day long and classes take water breaks to encourage water drinking.  

 Both locations are Top Star endorsed. This means we go beyond the requirements of the National Food Program. Some of these additional nutritional choices include only offering juice 2 times a week and offering whole grains more than once a day. Top Star endorsement also means our staff has been trained and certified in healthy habits. Children are taken outside twice a day to enjoy the benefits of outdoor play and exercise. In class activities such as dance and music give children the opportunity to move and have fun with exercise as well.




What Sets us Apart

 Sibling Discount- We offer families with two or more children in our care a 5% discount on the total monthly tuition. 


Part-time Options- We offer part time at either 2-3 days a week or half days (morning or afternoon). Contact us directly for part time rates.

Summer Break - If you want to have your children home with you for the summer, you will NOT lose your spot for the following school year!! Great option for school teacher schedules!

Extra Helpers - We bring in an extra teacher during busiest transition times to guarantee children's needs are being met.  (ex: getting ready for lunch, laying down for quiet time, getting up from quiet time, etc.) We also bring in extra teachers each summer for our off campus field trips.

Family Activities - We love to get to know our families and have the following events each year: Muffins with Mom, Donuts with Dad, Summer Family Picnic, Christmas Singing Program.

Community Service- We teach the children how to honor members of the community by making gifts for crossing guards at the end of the school year and making cards for fire fighters and policemen each year.

Safety
We take the safety of each child very seriously. The entrance to the property at each center has a gate with a latch to protect all children from reaching the street. At the 54th location, we have key lock entry doors so only parents/staff with the code can access either building. At the redwood center we keep doors locked from the hours of 9:30-3:30 PM. We also follow all lockdowns sent out by law enforcement.
We maintain the play equipment and toys the children have access to. If something breaks, it is immediately removed from the play area and either fixed or discarded. When headed outside, teachers do a sweep of the play area to make sure there are not any broken items or hazards the children might come in contact with.
Each month we hold an unannounced fire drill. We push the button on the fire alarm so children are familiar with what that sound means and help them know what to do. Each classroom has 2 exits so teachers have multiple ways to evacuate depending on the danger. Two-three times a year we practice other disaster drills. Other disaster drills include; earth quake, gas leak, lock down, safety concern, power outage, etc.
We also take food allergies very seriously. All children who require an epi-pen keep one onsite in our medicine cabinet and are properly stored and labeled. We train our teachers once a year on the proper way to administer an epi-pen and use testers to demonstrate the two types of pens. Allergy lists are posted in all classrooms and the kitchen. Our cooks are trained on cross-contamination and proper food safety. Every teacher employed is required to be certified in Pediatric CPR and first aid. 
When a child is picked up, they are only allowed to leave with an adult on the approved pickup list established in their file. If a teacher has not previously met the approved pickup person coming to get a child, they will ask for ID that is verified in their file. If a parent needs a new person to pick up their child, they can message on brightwheel giving a one time authorization and that adult must provide photo ID when picking up. We also follow all court orders provided to us regarding custody arrangements.