Carrots to Cradle: Supporting RePublic Schools Employees with Family Forming and Early Childhood Care
At RePublic Schools, we are committed to supporting our educators in every aspect of their lives—from their classrooms to their families. In addition to offering 12 weeks of paid parental leave to all employees, including those who adopt, we are excited to share two groundbreaking partnerships that reflect our dedication to holistic support for our team: Carrot Fertility, our family-forming benefit, and Little Wonders Early Learning Center at Nashville Prep. Together, these initiatives represent our “Carrots to Cradle” approach to fostering the well-being of RePublic educators.
Carrot Fertility: Making Family Forming Easier
We believe that starting or expanding a family should be as accessible and supported as possible, which is why we’ve partnered with Carrot. RePublic employees can access fertility, adoption, and family-forming services through this innovative platform, backed by expert guidance and emotional support.
Whether you’re considering fertility preservation, adoption, surrogacy, or navigating pregnancy, Carrot Fertility offers invaluable resources, including:
- Fertility Support: Access to consultations, IVF services, and male fertility preservation.
- Adoption & Surrogacy: Comprehensive assistance for domestic, international, and foster-to-adopt processes.
- Emotional Support: Dedicated counseling throughout fertility, adoption, and surrogacy journeys.
- Prescription Support: Guidance on medication, treatment, and even injection administration.
- Pregnancy Support: Expert advice on medical questions, nutrition, labor plans, lactation, etc.
With Carrot, our goal is simple: to make family formation easier and more accessible for all RePublic educators.
Little Wonders Early Learning Center: Excellence in Early Education
In 2021, under the leadership of Chief Talent Officer Karen Vernon, RePublic Schools joined forces with leaders from Rocketship, STEM Prep, and LEAD to address the growing need for affordable and efficient childcare for educators in Nashville. Recognizing the importance of supporting staff retention, RePublic partnered with Angela Goodard from the Joe C. Davis Foundation to bring this much-needed solution to life.
As part of our ongoing efforts to support families, we are delighted to share that we are approaching the 1st anniversary of our partnership with Little Wonders Early Learning Center, available at Nashville Prep. This valuable partnership ensures that our educators have convenient access to high-quality, affordable childcare and early education services right on-site.
Tailored Benefits for RePublic Educators
Through this partnership, we are offering exclusive benefits that make childcare more accessible and affordable for our staff:
- Priority Enrollment: RePublic educators receive priority access to Little Wonders.
- Subsidized Tuition: RePublic offsets childcare costs by contributing $2,500 per enrolled child.
- Lower Tuition Rates: Little Wonders offers reduced rates designed to ease the financial burden on educators.
- 11-Month Care and Payment Option: Year-round care and flexible payment options stabilize families and budgets.
We know that educators often face unique challenges in balancing their profession’s demands with their families’ needs. With Little Wonders, we aim to give our staff peace of mind, knowing their children are in a nurturing, enriching environment that fosters growth and development.
Why “Carrots to Cradle”?
RePublic Schools is committed to ongoing efforts to create a supportive ecosystem for our educators at every stage of their personal and professional lives. Whether it’s starting a family with the help of Carrot or finding high-quality childcare through Little Wonders, RePublic is there every step. These partnerships are rooted in our core values of love, achievement, and anti-racism, ensuring that every educator and their families thrive.
A Community Effort
We thank the dedicated team at Little Wonders, especially Zarabeth Davis, for making this vision a reality. Special thanks also go to Angela Goddard, Executive Director of the Joe C. Davis Foundation, for supporting this initiative.
Together with our partners, including LEAD, Rocketship, and STEM Prep, we are proud to build a supportive and thriving community for all educators in Davidson County.
For more information on enrolling at Little Wonders or learning more about our partnership with Carrot, please contact:
- Little Wonders: LWOffice@littlewonderselc.com | 615-239-5313 | LittleWondersELC.org
- RePublic HR: Felicia Smith, Director of HR | hr@republiccharterschools.org
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