Questions parents ask about LSU

Yes. LSU holds a continuous child care center license from the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, Provider Number 300656. You can look up the license, our Step Up To Quality rating and state inspection reports on Ohio's child care search site.

LSU cares for children from 6 weeks to 13 years old. Babies, toddlers and preschoolers attend full-day care, and school-age children come for before-school care, after-school care and school-break care.

LSU is open Monday to Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.. Holiday closures are posted on the calendar.

LSU is rated Gold, the highest of the three ratings in Ohio's Step Up To Quality system. Gold means a program goes beyond the state's licensing minimums on teacher training, lesson planning, child assessment and family engagement.

LSU is at 8282 Yellowbrick Road, Mentor, OH 44060, in Peoples Commerce Park. Open directions in Google Maps.

Tuition depends on your child's age and weekly schedule, so the director shares current rates on your tour or by phone. LSU accepts Ohio publicly funded child care for families who qualify.

Use the tour request form or call (440) 255-6011. Tours take about 30 minutes and you are welcome to bring your child.

Openings depend on the age group, and infant spots usually fill first. Send an enrollment inquiry with your desired start date and the director will tell you where your child stands.

Ohio requires at least one caregiver for every five babies under 12 months (or two caregivers for twelve babies in one room) and one caregiver for every six children from 12 to 18 months. LSU meets or beats these ratios at all times, including at drop-off and nap time.

Babies sleep on their backs, alone, in a crib with a firm, flat mattress and nothing else inside, following American Academy of Pediatrics safe sleep guidance. Teachers check on sleeping babies regularly and log every check.

Yes. Bring labeled breast milk or formula and bottles each day, and teachers feed your baby on your baby's own schedule. You get a written record of feedings, diapers and naps every day.

Labeled bottles, diapers, wipes, diaper cream and two changes of clothes. The director gives you the full list at enrollment, and you can ask about anything on your tour.

Ohio requires one teacher for every seven children from 18 months to two and a half years, and one for every eight from two and a half to three. LSU meets or beats these ratios and keeps toddlers in small, consistent groups.

Yes. Teachers follow the routine you use at home, offer regular bathroom breaks and celebrate small wins, so your toddler hears the same words at school and at home.

Toddlers learn by moving, touching and talking. Their day mixes free play at learning centers, songs and stories, art where the process matters more than the product, outdoor time, meals and a nap.

Children move up based on age and readiness, usually around their third birthday. Teachers plan the move with you so your child visits the new room before switching.

Kindergarten readiness is the goal of LSU's preschool and pre-K years. Children practice early reading and math, following directions, taking turns and caring for their own things, and teachers assess progress regularly and share it with you.

Yes. Ohio's Step Up To Quality program requires rated programs to use a curriculum aligned with Ohio's Early Learning and Development Standards, and LSU's Gold rating means teachers plan lessons around each child's needs and track growth over time.

LSU offers full-day preschool that fits a working day. Ask the director about part-week schedules if you need fewer days.

Ohio allows one teacher for every twelve 3-year-olds and one for every fourteen 4- and 5-year-olds not yet in kindergarten. LSU's preschool rooms stay within these ratios at all times.

LSU opens at 5:30 a.m. on school days, so parents with early shifts can drop off before work.

LSU serves Mentor-area elementary and middle schools. Use the school route check on this page or call to confirm your child's school.

Ask the director about transportation for your school. Many Mentor families use the school bus stop at LSU or drop off at school themselves.

Yes, children can eat breakfast at LSU before school, so mornings at home can be simpler.

After a snack, children get a quiet homework block with help from staff, then outdoor play, games, art and group projects. Older kids get more choice in how they spend their time.

Pickup is until 6:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Children are only released to adults on your authorized pickup list, with photo ID.

Yes. LSU cares for school-age children up to 13 years old, and Ohio allows one staff member for every twenty children aged 11 to 14, so older kids get room to be independent while still supervised.

Yes. LSU offers full-day care on many school breaks and in summer. See school-break and summer care for dates.