What people are saying
l like that my child is safe and well taken care of. Mrs. Sonny is also another highlight. She is well organized and always professional. Cactus Preschool is an all around five star school.
-- Kelli MarinoTempe Valley, AZ
Our Family
Valley Child Care and Learning Centers and Cactus Preschools have been leaders in Tempe preschool and Tempe day care services for years, and our company’s experience in involvement in high-quality early childhood education reaches back more than four decades.
We started in 1968 as All Seasons Child Care. From the beginning, we offered parents trustworthy, enriching and affordable child education and development services. In 1992, we became Valley Child Care and Learning Center, in recognition of the great demand that existed all across the Valley for excellent infant day care, toddler care and preschool services. Our company has continued to be a provider of high quality child care in Tempe and at our nine other childhood learning centers in the metro area. Today, Valley Child Care and Learning Centers fosters the educational development hundreds of children at more than 48 childcare centers across the country.
We owe much of our success to the values and beliefs of our founder, Paul J. Emch. His grandchildren, James Emch and Mike Emch, now oversee Valley Learning Centers, and they are fully committed to the same high standards of quality and sound business that underlie our ability to offer excellent child care services.
Paul Emch's first mission statement was to give each child “tender loving care and education, too," and that hasn’t changed over the last 40-plus years. The entire Valley Learning Centers family shares the goal of making every child understand that he or she is someone special, and of preparing young children for the adventure of life. Paul expected his employees to exemplify the company’s principles daily by demonstrating love, integrity, generosity, self-discipline and hard work. He insisted that employees simply treat others as they would want to be treated. These values are woven into the fabric of our operating practices and strategic plans. In fact, they are the reason that Valley Child Care and Learning Centers has grown today to a family of nearly 400 employees who provide quality care for almost 1,800 children every day.
Although Paul is no longer with us, his commitments to education, quality and safety have been instilled in the fourth generation of the Emch family, who now guide Valley Child Care and Learning Centers.
What We Believe
We believe that every child is a precious, God-given being with basic needs – social, physical, emotional and intellectual. We will work to instill proper manners and values, honesty and sharing and respect and self-worth in your child. It is our purpose to meet those needs when your child is in our care by providing a safe and loving environment.
Our Mission
To Make Children Smile!
Meet the Director - Kelly Adams
Thank you for visiting Cactus Preschool in Tempe, Arizona! My name is Kelley Adams, and I am the school director. I have over 28 years of experience in early childhood education as a teacher and manager.
Our school provides the perfect foundation for learning and child development in a warm family friendly atmosphere. I run this school as if the children, families, and teachers were my own family. I strive every day to provide a warm welcoming environment while also maintaining an open door policy for families and staff. I take great pride in the relationships I have built and will continue to build with families over the years. I am very passionate about early education and fully support our company’s mission “to make children smile!”
I am married to a wonderful man for the last 20+ years and have the best family a girl could ask for. I have three beautiful daughters and one grand-daughter. I enjoy watching my girls play softball and dance on the weekends.
I look forward to meeting your family and helping you child develop a love of learning.
Please feel free to come in for a tour – I look forward to meeting you!