AGENCY REPORT 1

Agency Report
Brittany D. Addison
Wilmington University








AGENCY REPORT 2
Mission
The mission statement of Mickens Early Learning Academy (MELA) is, Nurturing and
educating young minds, to ensure a prosperous future for all society, in a loving environment.
However, the mission of the owners of Mickens Early Learning Academy is to assist and provide
a service to all families with an emphasis on families that work outside of the normal business
hours and days. Mickens Early Learning Academy is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
and is open during most major holidays. This unique schedule provides a service for families
who work third shift, long hours and at businesses that are open holidays. Providing this service
allows parents the opportunity to engage in employment options that may have been unattainable
due to lack of child care. The schedule is a point of pride for Mickens Early Learning Academy.
Demographics
Mickens Early Learning Academy is an equal opportunity child care provider. MELA
provides child care services for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old. MELA is located in
Springfield, PA in Delaware County and they target their advertising to their neighboring
boroughs of Upper Darby, Aldan, Media, Springfield, Clifton Heights, Secane, Swarthmore and
Drexel Hill. However, due to advertising efforts via social media and the Internet, MELA has
been able to reach out to families that live in cities in PA, NJ and DE. The current enrollment
demographic is as follows:
Policies and Procedures
Mickens Early Learning Academy does not have an employee manual, which is to its
detriment. One of the tasks that will be completed during this internship is the drafting,
completion and implementation of an employee handbook and policy manual. Mickens Early
AGENCY REPORT 3
Learning Academy follows the policies and procedures set forth in the Pennsylvania Code Book,
Chapter 3290. Family Child Day Care Homes. MELA does have a parent handbook which
spells out policies and procedures for parents. The policies set forth in the parent handbook are
in line with the Pennsylvania Code.
Structure
Mickens Early Learning Academy is led by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) and the Chief Academy Officer (CAO). The employees report to both the CEO
and the CAO. The CEO and the CAO report to the Board of Directors and partner with Parents.
Please see the organizational chart below:



Board of Directos
CEO CAO
Employees
AGENCY REPORT 4
Governance
Mickens Early Learning Academy is governed by its Co-Founders and the Board of
Directors. The Co-Founders govern the business based on open communication and cooperative
leadership. The founders see employee mistakes as opportunities for growth and learning.
Although, there is a cooperative approach to governance, the founders have no problems with
having bold and direct conversations with employees who break the rules and have to be
counseled out of their positions.
Funding
Funding for Mickens Early Learning Academy is provided solely through tuition and co-
payments from parents. Tuition costs $40.00 a day per child however; parents are also expected
to pay an annual co-pay in the amount of $50.00. The annual co-pay goes towards updates and
equipment for the children. If parents want their children to be provided meals by MELA they
are expected to pay an additional $5.00 per week.
All finances are based on contract where tuition is based on 52 weeks and 15 weeks off.
Once the parent agrees on a certain amount of days they are accounted for their private pay per
per week. For example: Child A receives care three days a week and also receives meals. The
childs tuition would cost a total of $ 125.00 per week regardless. If the child A needs additional
care the parents are then expected to pay an additional $40.00 after the third day. All tuition is
due the first of every month.


AGENCY REPORT 5
Mickens Early Learning Academy has a subsidized child care agreement with the state of
Pennsylvania which serves as an additional source of funding as well. The subsidized child care
program is called CCIS, which stands for: Child Care Information Services. This program helps
low in-come families pay for Child Care. However, CCIS does not pay all of the tuition. For
Example: Child B and child C both receive five days of care at MELA however, child Bs
parent/s is responsible for only $17.00 a week while child Cs parent/s is responsible for $63.00 a
week. The amount of subsidized care varies according to family yearly income.