Ligonier Valley Learning Center
Latrobe Kinder-Schull, 320 McKinley Ave, Latrobe, PA 15650
About
Ligonier Valley Learning Center offers outdoor play, creative classes, enrichment opportunities, artistic expression, and hands-on learning, along with daily play. Children at the program participate in regular fire, severe weather, and emergency drills as part of the routine.
• Ages: 0–18 years old
• Schedule: Programs operate Monday–Friday, with Ligonier Valley Learning Center hours from 9AM–3PM and related child care services in Latrobe operating from 6:30AM–5PM
Ligonier Valley Learning Center is a nonprofit human service agency whose mission is to support children, youth, adults, and families by providing programs and services that promote growth, wellness, and overall quality of life. The agency offers an Infant Program for children ages 6 weeks to 14 months, a Toddler Program for ages 14 months to 2 years, a Step-Up Program for ages 2 to 3 years, a Preschool Program for ages 3 to 4 years, and a Pre-K Counts Program for eligible children ages 3 to 5 years. Pre-K Counts is a state-funded, free preschool program that focuses on school readiness for eligible children ages 3 to 5 years, and an infant toddler grant is available to assist income-eligible families.
The center provides Keystone STARS Educational Child Care, NAEYC Accredited Educational Child Care, and a state-subsidized PA Pre-K Counts School Readiness Program. Ligonier Valley Learning Center currently operates full-day child care services in Latrobe, PA Pre-K Counts classrooms in Ligonier and Latrobe, and Mental Health Wellness Services in Ligonier and Latrobe. Mental Health Counseling Services include individual, couples, and family therapy, and are provided by highly skilled, licensed clinicians, including additional staff who were hired as trained mental health clinicians.
Teachers and staff complete required state training, background clearances, and ongoing professional development, and staff members are trained in pediatric CPR and First Aid. Families receive regular updates about their child’s day through ClassDojo. Children are served nutritious meals such as breakfast, lunch, and snack that meet state nutritional guidelines, and they have outdoor play every day, weather permitting. Children transition between classrooms based on developmental readiness and age.
The center is transitioning from Learning Beyond Paper to The Creative Curriculum, which is described as a comprehensive, research-based approach that encourages children to learn through hands-on exploration, play, and meaningful experiences. Admission, services, referrals, and employment opportunities are made without regard to race, color, religious creed, disability, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, or sexual preference. Families complete an enrollment packet, provide required health and emergency forms, and submit any necessary documentation before their child’s start date, and they inform the center of any food allergies or dietary restrictions so needs can be accommodated whenever possible.
Ligonier Valley Learning Center began in 1984 as a child care center in a rented home in a community on the north side of Ligonier and has been providing services to individuals and families for over 40 years. Initial funding from the R.K. Mellon Foundation supported the purchase of the current facility, and in 1996 space was rented in Latrobe from Adelphoi, Inc. to begin another child care center titled Latrobe Kinder-Schull. In 1997, renovation work began at the Ligonier facility to include mental health services, and seven years later the agency obtained a state license to operate a mental health clinic at the Ligonier, Latrobe, and Greensburg sites. In 2007, Ligonier Valley Learning Center partnered with Seton Hill Child Services to operate the PA Pre-K Counts program at the Ligonier and Latrobe facilities. The agency reports that its success for over 35 years is due to donations from individuals and foundations, as well as dedicated, hard-working, and skilled employees.
Ligonier Valley Learning Center employs 45 educators and mental health specialists and provides educational and mental health wellness services to approximately 400 clients in the Ligonier and Latrobe communities. Partnerships were formed with Adelphoi and several other agencies to provide child care and preschool under the same roof, and community-based services began to address the mental health needs of children and youth in area schools, homes, and community settings. The Creative Arts Studio offers creative classes and enrichment opportunities and is available for rental for special events, celebrations, gatherings, and community activities. The agency states that services are provided in a safe, nurturing, and non-judgmental environment and that it is committed to recognizing and respecting each person’s distinct family, cultural, and spiritual beliefs and differences.
The leadership team includes Rebecca Faulk, who is listed as Executive Director and current CEO. One parent testimonial notes feeling at ease after touring the school, mentioning the outside classroom, the facility, and the staff, and describes a child who had some difficulties acclimating at first and references a staff member named Miss Gunde.
Last updated July 13, 2026.
• Ages: 0–18 years old
• Schedule: Programs operate Monday–Friday, with Ligonier Valley Learning Center hours from 9AM–3PM and related child care services in Latrobe operating from 6:30AM–5PM
Ligonier Valley Learning Center is a nonprofit human service agency whose mission is to support children, youth, adults, and families by providing programs and services that promote growth, wellness, and overall quality of life. The agency offers an Infant Program for children ages 6 weeks to 14 months, a Toddler Program for ages 14 months to 2 years, a Step-Up Program for ages 2 to 3 years, a Preschool Program for ages 3 to 4 years, and a Pre-K Counts Program for eligible children ages 3 to 5 years. Pre-K Counts is a state-funded, free preschool program that focuses on school readiness for eligible children ages 3 to 5 years, and an infant toddler grant is available to assist income-eligible families.
The center provides Keystone STARS Educational Child Care, NAEYC Accredited Educational Child Care, and a state-subsidized PA Pre-K Counts School Readiness Program. Ligonier Valley Learning Center currently operates full-day child care services in Latrobe, PA Pre-K Counts classrooms in Ligonier and Latrobe, and Mental Health Wellness Services in Ligonier and Latrobe. Mental Health Counseling Services include individual, couples, and family therapy, and are provided by highly skilled, licensed clinicians, including additional staff who were hired as trained mental health clinicians.
Teachers and staff complete required state training, background clearances, and ongoing professional development, and staff members are trained in pediatric CPR and First Aid. Families receive regular updates about their child’s day through ClassDojo. Children are served nutritious meals such as breakfast, lunch, and snack that meet state nutritional guidelines, and they have outdoor play every day, weather permitting. Children transition between classrooms based on developmental readiness and age.
The center is transitioning from Learning Beyond Paper to The Creative Curriculum, which is described as a comprehensive, research-based approach that encourages children to learn through hands-on exploration, play, and meaningful experiences. Admission, services, referrals, and employment opportunities are made without regard to race, color, religious creed, disability, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, or sexual preference. Families complete an enrollment packet, provide required health and emergency forms, and submit any necessary documentation before their child’s start date, and they inform the center of any food allergies or dietary restrictions so needs can be accommodated whenever possible.
Ligonier Valley Learning Center began in 1984 as a child care center in a rented home in a community on the north side of Ligonier and has been providing services to individuals and families for over 40 years. Initial funding from the R.K. Mellon Foundation supported the purchase of the current facility, and in 1996 space was rented in Latrobe from Adelphoi, Inc. to begin another child care center titled Latrobe Kinder-Schull. In 1997, renovation work began at the Ligonier facility to include mental health services, and seven years later the agency obtained a state license to operate a mental health clinic at the Ligonier, Latrobe, and Greensburg sites. In 2007, Ligonier Valley Learning Center partnered with Seton Hill Child Services to operate the PA Pre-K Counts program at the Ligonier and Latrobe facilities. The agency reports that its success for over 35 years is due to donations from individuals and foundations, as well as dedicated, hard-working, and skilled employees.
Ligonier Valley Learning Center employs 45 educators and mental health specialists and provides educational and mental health wellness services to approximately 400 clients in the Ligonier and Latrobe communities. Partnerships were formed with Adelphoi and several other agencies to provide child care and preschool under the same roof, and community-based services began to address the mental health needs of children and youth in area schools, homes, and community settings. The Creative Arts Studio offers creative classes and enrichment opportunities and is available for rental for special events, celebrations, gatherings, and community activities. The agency states that services are provided in a safe, nurturing, and non-judgmental environment and that it is committed to recognizing and respecting each person’s distinct family, cultural, and spiritual beliefs and differences.
The leadership team includes Rebecca Faulk, who is listed as Executive Director and current CEO. One parent testimonial notes feeling at ease after touring the school, mentioning the outside classroom, the facility, and the staff, and describes a child who had some difficulties acclimating at first and references a staff member named Miss Gunde.
Last updated July 13, 2026.
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