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Woods Hollow at a Glance
Woods Hollow at a Glance
SPONSORED BY: Promega Corporation & Usona Institute
LOCATION: 5470 Research Park Drive, Fitchburg WI 53711
SIZE: Approximately 27,000 square feet
LICENSED FOR: 145 children, ages 6 weeks through 3rd grade
HOURS: Monday–Friday, 7:15 AM – 5:30 PM, full-time enrollment
ENROLLMENT: Open to the public, with priority given to children of Promega and Usona Institute employees, Woods Hollow staff, and siblings of enrolled children
A FEW SPECIFICS
A FEW SPECIFICS
A non-profit organization founded in 1991, Woods Hollow has been NAEYC accredited since 1996 — a standard only a small share of programs nationwide hold.
Our staff are highly qualified, many holding two- and four-year degrees in Early Childhood Education, and we actively support their continued professional development.
Low teacher-to-child ratios and small group sizes create room for sensitive, caring interaction throughout the day. Each child is respected as a unique person, with their own needs, interests, and abilities.
Our curriculum emphasizes hands-on experience, with abundant time for lively play across a wide variety of materials.
Children have access to nature trails, the Fitchburg Center Prairie, and a rain garden — setting the scene for ongoing learning and a real appreciation for the natural world.
Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are prepared on-site by our Nutrition Specialist, following USDA Food Program quality guidelines.
We have systems in place for children with food allergies, and all staff are trained to recognize and respond to allergic reactions. Woods Hollow is a peanut butter and tree-nut-free environment.
Families are always welcome to observe or join in Center activities and are encouraged to share their talents and ideas.
A strong Board of Directors sustains our commitment to Woods Hollow's educational mission alongside sound fiscal practices.
OUR NAEYC ACCREDIDATION STORY
Woods Hollow has been NAEYC accredited since 1996.
In 2005, NAEYC rebuilt its accreditation system from the ground up — many more criteria to meet, and an entirely new process to learn. Woods Hollow was one of the first accredited centers to renew under it.
That made us trailblazers. There was no one ahead of us to show how it was done, and much of the guidance was still being written. We decided to move forward and learn along the way, creating our own journey.
We were deliberate about collaboration — with other centers, and with each other across our program. We designed and built Classroom and Program Portfolios from scratch, and they went on to serve as models for other centers. Our goal was twofold: to recognize and celebrate what we were already doing well, and to reach for the best possible outcomes across all ten standards.
It was genuinely challenging. We made mistakes and had setbacks. But over time, we started noticing something — the classrooms were changing, and so was the center as a whole. We could see the outcomes of our effort in the quality of our program.
In November 2007, Woods Hollow earned NAEYC accreditation under the new system, with very high scores across all ten standards and in the classroom observations. We achieved it together, and we are still proud of it.
We celebrated with cake and champagne at our December 2007 staff meeting, where Promega CEO Bill Linton joined us to congratulate the team and thank them for what the accomplishment meant for children, families, and the community.
Today, programs going through accreditation have far more to draw on — NAEYC now offers tools, guidelines, videos, and webinars that build understanding of why accreditation matters. You can learn more at naeyc.org/academy.
Woods Hollow continues to meet NAEYC's standards and criteria, submitting an annual report each year to demonstrate it. We were proudly re-accredited in 2022.
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