Press Release: New State-of-the-Art Building Addresses Early Childhood Education Needs in Porter County

MERRILLVILLE, IN – Geminus, a leading provider of early childhood education services in Lake and Porter counties, held a groundbreaking of its new Head Start facility in Porter County. The event, attended by Portage Trustee Brendan Clancy and several community leaders, kicks off Porter County’s journey towards enhancing access to high-quality and affordable early childhood care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. 

The state-of-the-art facility, spanning 15,246 square feet, will house five preschool classrooms and three classrooms dedicated to infants and children aged three and under. Infant-toddler rooms will be staffed with a 1:3 staff to child ratio, having a minimum of 3 teachers and a maximum of 9 children in each classroom. Preschool rooms will be staffed with a 1:5 staff to child ratio, having a minimum of 3 teachers and a maximum of 15 children in each classroom. This enables Geminus’s Head Start program to keep classroom sizes small while serving 75 preschool children and 27 infants and toddlers, and significantly increasing the capacity to support local families in need. 

The project’s construction costs—more than 5 million dollars—show Geminus’s commitment and investment in the future of early childhood education in Porter County. Funding for the facility was made possible through a generous grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start, highlighting the recognition of the organization’s dedication to improving early childhood education outcomes. 

“We are elated to break ground on this vital project, which represents a significant step forward in our goal to provide children and families with the best possible start in life,” said Dr. Karen Carradine, vice president of early childhood services for Geminus. “With this new facility, we will be able to serve even more children, addressing the growing demand for high-quality early childhood education in Porter County. We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start, for their generous grant, which made this endeavor possible.” 

The Head Start program administered by Geminus in Lake and Porter counties is known for its extensive network of partnerships with region schools, childcare centers, home-based providers, and more. Geminus Head Start currently serves 1,500 children and families. 

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ABOUT GEMINUS
Geminus partners with community-based health care providers, social service organizations and early childhood education programs to help increase access to high-quality social health care for children and families across Northern Indiana. Geminus is a member of the Regional Care Group.