Sisu Integrated Early Learning is preparing for growth this upcoming school year. In a press release, the Gainesville-based early learning school has a full roster for the 2022-2023 school year.
Sisu’s new executive director/CEO Ashley Carter spoke on WDUN’s Newsroom about what changes she hopes to bring with her leadership.
Carter said she wants to expand Sisu’s therapy so more children in northeast Georgia can benefit from the school’s services. Sisu will grow some of its therapy programs in the upcoming school year like applied behavior analysis therapy, physical therapy, speech & language therapy and occupational therapy.
However, Carter said Sisu will have to assess and determine how much space it has to accommodate more students.
“There's also been some off-site space that's been provided in the past to us, if we want to use it at no charge for therapy,” Carter said. “So it might be that we can expand more on the therapy side before we can expand in the actual classrooms.”
Carter wants to expand Sisu’s classrooms as well, and said she hopes for an additional pre-K classroom. However, she said planning for the school’s growth years ahead of time can be a challenge.
“How do you build these buildings to make sure that you can grow into the next 5, 10, 15 years?” Carter said. “So I think that's the biggest challenge right now, with a lot of different people. And the fact that the economy and inflation rates and building prices and everything are just skyrocketing.”
She also said that individual donors may have to reassess how much they give to Sisu as they combat inflation in their personal lives.
However, Carter said she is excited to join the Sisu board of directors on Aug. 1, which is two weeks ahead of the first day of school.
“The quality of education and the quality of therapy that they provide for all of the students that are there is very highly rated,” Carter said. “All of the teachers are excellent, from what I've heard. It seems to just be a very well-rounded education and therapy that each student is getting as they come through there.”
