August 12, 2026
One of the many perks of working at Kendal at Oberlin is having access to an on-site preschool. Over the years dozens of staffers have enrolled children and grandchildren in the Kendal Early Learning Center, which today is a Step Up To Quality Five-Star rated program by the state of Ohio.
What makes Kendal an attractive place to live is also why it’s ideal for preschoolers to learn and play. The 110+acre John Bartram Arboretum campus is home to woods, wetlands, ponds, walking paths and diverse plant and wildlife that children enjoy exploring with their teachers. The center was designated an official WILD School Site by the Ohio Division of Wildlife because of its outdoor opportunities.
Given its location within a life plan community, the center offers rich intergenerational programming that has led Kendal and the Early Learning Center (ELC) to be named a “program of distinction” and receive a shared-site award through Generations United. Many residents have earned the nickname “grandfriend” because of their involvement with the preschoolers, whether it’s reading a book or helping with gardening.
“It’s not just a childcare or a day care. It’s a program that’s meeting family’s needs, residents’ needs, children’s needs and it’s something that brings joy to everybody,” says Jeni Hoover, ELC director.
Currently three staff members have children (photographed above in the Courtyard Garden at Kendal) enrolled in the center. Here are their stories.
Hannah Brod, Sales & Marketing Analyst, and son Otto, 3.
Hannah joined Kendal this spring, but she was already familiar with ELC because of her daughter Zippy, now a first grader.
“We had a great experience with Zippy and had always intended to send Otto when he was old enough. I had been keeping an eye on the Kendal employment page in large part because the on-site preschool benefit was so important to us.
On rainy days, the kids often walk through the halls to get some exercise. His group will sometimes stop into my office to say hi and give a few high fives to our coworkers. Sometimes I peek through the windows while the kids are outside playing, but I’m careful that he doesn’t see me–otherwise he thinks I’m picking him up! We have a Friday routine where I pick him up a little early to help me water our office plants. My coworker, JoDee Palmer, gave him a special strawberry-shaped watering can that he uses. He’s very invested in taking care of the plants and knows it’s his job. I love feeling like my family life and my work life are connected in a healthy way. It’s a more holistic work/life experience than I’ve had in the past.
I had no idea that Otto was going to be so outgoing with the residents. He seems to take it as a challenge to see how many people he can greet in a walk through Heiser. He loves the attention and I think most of the residents enjoy it too! It’s been so fun to see how quickly he got to know the grandfriend volunteers. Whenever he sees one of them in the hall, he yells out, “That’s my friend!” Usually, he knows them by name.
I love the single classroom setup because it means that he’ll be with the same kids and teachers all day. He’s benefitted from that consistency, which is not a guarantee in typical early learning environments. We also love the intergenerational component so much. When we visit with my own grandma a few times a year, my kids are completely unfazed by her age. They talk to her like
anybody else. I’m grateful that the full spectrum of life stages is normalized for them, and I hope they’ll carry that throughout their lives.”
Rachel Duncan, Grounds Manager, and sons Archer, 5, and Findley, 3
Rachel’s brother sent his three children to ELC and “raved” about how wonderful it was, so Rachel knew someday her children would attend ELC.
“I do my “morning drive-through” of campus with my kids in the car. My intent as Grounds Manager is to look for areas of campus that needs work – a lawn that needs mowed, a bed to weed, trees to mulch, a clogged gutter, siding that needs pressure washed, etc. My kids use the opportunity to point out beautiful trees, rabbits, woodpeckers, and other sights of nature. It’s a great way to start both our days and I enjoy sharing this work time with them.
After drop-off we part ways for the day, but I often get to wave to them through the windows of the play yard or if they are on a walk, and occasionally I lead a nature walk or other programming with our littlest of friends. I’ve planted flower bulbs with them, caught grasshoppers, enjoyed a hike along our prairies, and more. The Grounds Team has also provided construction supplies for the children to explore, such as PVC pipe parts and hard hats, and paraded our equipment – skid steer, tractors, side-by-sides – for the students to learn about.
Seeing my kids randomly throughout the day, whether it’s a planned program or a surprise walk by in the hallway, is a delight and always brings a beaming smile to my face.
Archer and Findley love their playtime outside, playing the “magic table” games with their grandfriends in Jameson, and especially gardening with residents Nick and Lillie Long!
I’ve always felt a connection to the KELC – I’ve innately understood the value of intergenerational relationships and how impactful this is for both residents and ELC students. Having so much of my family benefit from the program strengthens my understanding of the importance of having the KELC here at Kendal. I’ve really enjoyed collaborating with the teachers there on how my team can help support their program and create more commUnity!”
Kelly Corcoran, Associate Director, Marketing, and daughter Catherine, 3
When Kelly was hired by Kendal at Oberlin over 5 years ago, having an on-site preschool was certainly a plus for down the road, and this summer the road became reality.
“I love “spying” on the kiddos in the playground and love pointing “my kid” out to my coworkers and residents. I do tap on the window and all the kids yell “Catherine, your mom’s here.” She loves running over and saying hi and quickly leaves to return to whatever she was doing before.
Catherine now thinks the Sales and Marketing office is her office and points out to all her classmates “her office” when they walk around the community. The kiddos also frequently stop by the office and say hi to the entire team – thank goodness everyone is good sports with a group of toddlers popping in for visits.
Catherine loves telling me which grandfriends have visited the class that day and is partial to resident David who showed her how to make “rockets” out of dixie cups.
Catherine is a dog fanatic and loves to pet any dog she sees, which is often at Kendal. We are working on asking permission to pet dogs first with resident) Kathy Caldwell, whose dog is named Heidi. Catherine also calls Heidi, her dog.”
