The Discovery Story- Discovery Child Development Center
Before discovery
In the fall of 2010, Mike Dlott and Alex Livas-Dlott were desperately searching for a preschool for their two year old son, Joaquin. They visited schools throughout Cary, Morrisville, Apex and Raleigh on a mission to find a great program for him . Although they were new parents, early childhood education was something they had been passionate about for a long time, and knew the type of learning environment they wanted for Joaquin to begin his educational journey.
Mike took his first course in early childhood education as a high school sophomore. As part of the class, he interned in the onsite preschool at the high school and he loved every minute of it. He had the opportunity to write lesson plans and work with students in small groups. It ended up being one of his favorite classes, and as a result he spent summers in high school and as a preschool camp counselor. He continued learning about early education as an undergraduate through classes at the Eliot-Pearson Children's School and the School of Education at Tufts University. One classmate is his early education policy class in fact was his future wife, Alex. Mike went on to work in education research at the America Institutes of Research in Washington, D.C. He also taught middle school and high school, and went back to school to receive a Master of Arts in Education from Duke University.
Alex was also passionate about education for an early age. While at Tufts, she received her BA in child development and interned in a Head Start classroom and at the The Eliot-Pearson preschool on campus. She went on to teach kindergarten and first grade as part of Teach for America, and then went back to school for a Master's degree and PhD at the University of California, Berkeley.
With their experience as educators and researchers, Mike and Alex had a clear vision of the kind of school they wanted their son to go to. They wanted a place he would be excited to go to each day, where he could make connections outside the class, and where his learning would extend beyond the walls of the school. They wanted to make sure he had not only the skills and tools to be successful in kindergarten, but also the problem solving and critical skills that would serve him well throughout his life. They also wanted him to be at a school that placed a strong emphasis on social emotional development such as how to successful interact with peers and teachers, resolve differences. and foster independence.
One day after visiting the last of the preschool on their list of potential schools in Cary, Alex and Mike decided the only way they would be able to provide the top notch education experience they dreamed about, was to open their own school. After finally deciding to take the leap, they looked at a number of potential sites for their preschool in Cary and Morrisville, before finding a space with the potential for two classrooms in the Grace Park Shopping Plaza. Besides the convenience of being located right between Cary and Morrisville and close to RTP, they also liked being a part of a community with so many different types of businesses that could help provide a variety of learning experiences for students.
Mike took his first course in early childhood education as a high school sophomore. As part of the class, he interned in the onsite preschool at the high school and he loved every minute of it. He had the opportunity to write lesson plans and work with students in small groups. It ended up being one of his favorite classes, and as a result he spent summers in high school and as a preschool camp counselor. He continued learning about early education as an undergraduate through classes at the Eliot-Pearson Children's School and the School of Education at Tufts University. One classmate is his early education policy class in fact was his future wife, Alex. Mike went on to work in education research at the America Institutes of Research in Washington, D.C. He also taught middle school and high school, and went back to school to receive a Master of Arts in Education from Duke University.
Alex was also passionate about education for an early age. While at Tufts, she received her BA in child development and interned in a Head Start classroom and at the The Eliot-Pearson preschool on campus. She went on to teach kindergarten and first grade as part of Teach for America, and then went back to school for a Master's degree and PhD at the University of California, Berkeley.
With their experience as educators and researchers, Mike and Alex had a clear vision of the kind of school they wanted their son to go to. They wanted a place he would be excited to go to each day, where he could make connections outside the class, and where his learning would extend beyond the walls of the school. They wanted to make sure he had not only the skills and tools to be successful in kindergarten, but also the problem solving and critical skills that would serve him well throughout his life. They also wanted him to be at a school that placed a strong emphasis on social emotional development such as how to successful interact with peers and teachers, resolve differences. and foster independence.
One day after visiting the last of the preschool on their list of potential schools in Cary, Alex and Mike decided the only way they would be able to provide the top notch education experience they dreamed about, was to open their own school. After finally deciding to take the leap, they looked at a number of potential sites for their preschool in Cary and Morrisville, before finding a space with the potential for two classrooms in the Grace Park Shopping Plaza. Besides the convenience of being located right between Cary and Morrisville and close to RTP, they also liked being a part of a community with so many different types of businesses that could help provide a variety of learning experiences for students.
The Early years 2010-2011
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In the beginning, there were two classrooms. A young preschool and a mix-aged classroom for children 3-5 years old. The school distinguished itself quickly. Its curriculum was created on site to provide a more personal learning experience. The project-based approach the school introduced was also unique to the area and was immediately embraced my students and families. Mike and Alex also spent a lot of time making sure they hired the right teachers who could implement the vision that they had and who would be able to create engaging and relevant curriculum. Their thoroughness paid off, as the teachers who were there one the first day (Ms. Sanja, Ms. Iva and Ms. Sujata) are all still there today. The program became so popular right aways that a third classroom was added the second year, along with a camp program for school-aged students, Discovery Tech.
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The first Discovery toddler class - Fall 2010 with Ms. Sanja and Ms. Iva
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accreditation and expansion 2012-2014
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As the waiting list for Discovery continued to grow it became obvious that the school needed a larger space. Mike and Alex loved being a part of the Grace Park and Morrisville and Cary communities, and did not want to go far. Fortunately, an outparcel became available right across the street behind the UPS store and Grace Park Animal Hospital, on Lake Grove Boulevard. In the winter of 2014, the school officially moved to 11000 Lake Grove Boulevard. The new building included 7 spacious classrooms, two fenced playgrounds, an outdoor picnic area and a garden. Despite the larger physical space, Mike and Alex made it a priority to make sure we maintain the strong sense of community and family that had made Discovery into a beloved local institution.
In 2014, Discovery also became nationally accredited through AdvancED. As part of the accreditation process a visiting team observed classes, interviewed staff, students, parents and community members. The school received high praise for its project-based curriculum, the dedication of its staff to the school's mission, and its warm and inviting atmosphere. |
Construction of our new building in the fall of 2013.
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ExPANDED OFFERINGS and accolades (2015 to today)
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In the early years of Discovery, we only offered half day programs. We consistently heard from families that they heard great things about our school and wanted to enroll their child, but need a longer school day. As a result, we added a school day option for preschool and pre-k students. We also added a lunch bunch option for our half day students.
Being a resource to families is also an important element of the Discovery experience. The Discovery team has provided many parents workshops over the years, and in 2016, Mike launched a Podcast called Preschool and Beyond. Each episode, Mike brings on topic experts in the early childhood field to discuss topics relevant to parents of preschoolers. The podcast has developed a national audience and has ranked in the top 100 education podcast. As of December 2020, podcast episodes have been downloaded over 125,000 times. In 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2022 we had the honor of being selected by Expertise as one of the 14 top preschools in the Raleigh. We also received high praise in our 2019 re-accreditation report and also became recognized as an official nonpublic school by the State of North Carolina and added kindergarten to our list of offerings. In 2020, we celebrated our tenth year. While we were not able to celebrate the way we had hoped due to COVID-19, we are proud of all we have accomplished together. For Mike and Alex, the dream that started while searching for preschool for their son, has gone on to provide the highest quality preschool education for hundreds of students in Cary, Morrisville, and the surrounding communities. Discovery continues to search for new ways to reach students and families, and inspire the next generation of creators and innovators. |
Graduation 2019
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