Gorton Announces New Drop-In Center Director

Gorton Community Center is pleased to announce Kristy Richardson has accepted the position of Director, Gorton Children’s Drop-In Center (DIC). Kristy first came to Gorton as the lead teacher in the Infant/Toddler room and has served as the interim director since October 2014. Under her leadership, the center has boosted membership, and has implemented a number of new programs including science and language enrichment, children’s Zumba classes, parent-teacher conferences, and scheduled curriculum planning sessions for instructors. She also worked to successfully obtain the Center’s first grant to fund a 2015 teacher enrichment program.

“The Drop-In Center is a special place that serves our community’s most valuable asset – our children and their families, so the search for our director was rigorous,” said Gorton’s Executive Director Brenda Dick. “The voices of parent support for Kristy’s leadership were echoed by the warm, exceptional endorsements of DIC teachers. Our extensive interviews revealed how fortunate we are to have Kristy assume the full-time Director role.”

Kristy holds a B.A. in English from Truman State University in Kirksville, MO and fulfilled her early childhood teaching certificate credentials at North Park University in Chicago. She has experience teaching preschool as well as kindergarten through second grade. Prior to her work in early childhood education, Kristy honed her business administrative skills as a sourcing specialist for a large industrial supplies corporation.

Open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Children’s Drop-In Center is a 29-year-old membership-based program that offers flexible, early childhood care, education, and summer camp activities for children ages six weeks to five years. Each year, children from 200 area families enjoy this nurturing, safe, convenient, and fun environment that boasts nearly 2,100 square feet of brightly colored childcare space spread over three classrooms and a private, updated playground designed especially for this age group.

A spring enrollment special is now in progress - membership fees for the remainder of the school year are $102.50 for one child and $130 for multiple children. Hourly fees are $9 for one child and $4.50 for each additional child. Hot lunch is included daily from noon to 1 p.m. For more information, please visit gortoncenter.org or call (847) 234-8355.

Gorton Community Center is a privately-funded, not-for-profit 501c3 organization which operates in partnership with volunteers and the City of Lake Forest to enrich the lives of its residents through cultural arts, education and charitable service. Gorton relies on the generosity of residents and businesses to help fund programs, services and building improvements offered in the historic building owned by the city. The gathering place in the heart of our community where people connect, converse, learn, listen, play and perform