Locally Owned and Operated Since 1992

Becky Dollins, Owner & Director

I am an educator who followed a dream and chose to open, own and operate a child care center business.  I am not a business woman who was looking for a business opportunity.  Bright Heights is not a franchise nor is it part of a corporate chain.  When I opened Bright Heights Learning Center in 1992, I was completing my Master’s Degree in Education at The College of William and Mary.  My passion was educating young children and I began to recognize the need for quality early childhood education.  My belief was then and still is now that children learn through natural play.  My job as the owner of an early childhood facility is to provide children with a stimulating environment guided by knowledgeable professionals who love what they do and recognize its value.  Bright Heights has positively affected the development of hundreds of young children while also partnering with their parents.  As the mother of four, I understand the challenges parents face in raising healthy, happy, and confident children while also trying to meet the demands of all of the other roles we play in our lives.  

Christy Deans, Assistant Director

Ms. Christy joined Bright Heights in 2002 as a floating teacher.  After completing the requirements of the BHLC Edge Program, she became the lead teacher of the Bumblebees program before advancing to the full time management position as Assistant Director in 2005.  Ms. Christy is also currently pursuing her CDA credential.  She is an extraordinary asset to Bright Heights.

Our Team

Bright Heights is also very fortunate to have at least one professional in each program who has been with the center long term. 

Our Philosophy

The program at Bright Heights is based on Piaget's theory that children learn best by doing. Providing a curriculum that includes a stimulating, learning environment with developmentally appropriate activities, gives each child the opportunity to grow at his or her own pace. We want your children to see how the skills they are learning can be meaningful to them. A fundamental component of the program is encouraging feelings of competence in the child by offering choices throughout the day. Self-esteem is the single most important attribute we can foster in a child. This single characteristic fosters an "I Can" attitude that is crucial to their future years of learning.

The Edge Teacher Training Program

The qualities first and foremost required of each teacher hired by Bright Heights are a love for children and a passion for making a difference. Our teachers come to us with varying degrees of experience and education. We have teachers who began with Bright Heights after receiving a formal education in the early childhood field. We also have teachers who began with us as assistants with no formal education or experience at all. As long as they have the desire, the Edge Teacher Training Program can provide a complete program or a supplementary program to the one a teacher already has. Bright Heights invests in its staff so that the children and families receive the benefit of their knowledge and dedication. Long term staff provides consistency and quality for the families that we serve and Bright Heights places great value on its qualified teachers.