Founder Sydni Mundy says her daycare’s “well-rounded, engaging, and diverse curriculum” will foster better lives for children and in turn, better communities.

By Anthony John Wiles Jr.

Photo courtesy of Sydni Mundy

Located in Observatory Hill’s Pride Project, formerly Allen Place and the Chatham Elementary School, a new local preschool—Precious Sprouts Daycare Academy, LLC—promises to provide an equitable and engaging learning environment for its students. The Northside Chronicle recently interviewed Sydni Mundy, founder of Precious Sprouts, about her new business and involvement in the community.

A graduate of Carlow and Robert Morris Universities, Mundy has over 10 years of experience in the realm of urban education. This includes previous work with local nonprofits as well as Propel Andrew Street High School in Munhall and Pittsburgh Public Schools. Her most recent role was program director for the Manchester Youth Development Center, but Mundy states that it was her  fellowship with the Community Problem Solvers Program of CORO Pittsburgh that inspired her to pursue a path in urban education.

With such a strong background, it is no surprise that Mundy sees her daycare as bettering not only the lives of the children it will educate, but also the surrounding community.

“The community is a part of many decisions made for the daycare. I am working to build a daycare that will help to create jobs, properly educate children, and bring a sense of equitable education to families in communities who otherwise may not have access to it,” says Mundy.

Precious Sprouts is the culmination of six years of hard work and dreams for Mundy. Despite time and logistical constraints, she was finally able to secure a location for her business, due to the aid of a friend who had purchased the former Allen Place building. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has been quite a hindrance in trying to open and start her business.

In discussing the process of starting the business, she says “COVID-19 has delayed my process in opening due to the delay of paperwork, due to persons not being in their offices. Fortunately we are moving forward with all the proper paperwork for our opening.”

Mundy and her team have taken several precautions to create a safe and healthy environment.

“We will be following all the CDC guidelines; wearing masks, washing hands and [doing] continuous sanitizing [of] toys and daily cleaning of rooms. We will also be adding air purifiers…” Mundy says there will also be a COVID-19 policy in place as well to “ensure the safety of the children, parents and staff.”

With the gears in motion to open her business, Mundy provides a glimpse into the day to day activities of the daycare, and how she hopes to provide a well-rounded, engaging, and diverse curriculum. 

“We have a daily schedule that includes daily curriculum, art and crafts, STEM, and gross motor skills,” Mundy says. “We will be implementing activities that are culturally responsive and will add to the development of the children. We look forward to building relationships with Reading is Fundamental and ASSEMBLE as resource activities for children.”

Looking to the future, she says her goal for Precious Sprouts is to expand into other areas of Pittsburgh. In addition to this, she hopes to work with a local charter school to provide a feeder system via her daycare.

Mundy says, “I was inspired to start a daycare because I feel children are vessels. I feel it is necessary for children to be equipped with the proper tools to be able to have a successful educational journey.”