Center-Based Programs
Our center-based services are currently on a waiting list. Enrolling in Home-Based services will help you get higher on the waiting list.
Between our four centers, we have highly qualified teachers and teacher’s assistants to care for our children. We also have support staff for our children and families including a Child Development Specialist and a Mental Health and Disabilities Specialist. Staff provide assistance to families whose children may be experiencing a developmental delay or exhibiting behavioral concerns.
To learn more about our programs, please click here to contact our Enrollment Specialist. Fill out an online application to secure your slot on our wait list. Low Child-Teacher Ratios
Hands-on, inquiry based curriculum Family engagement is at the core 
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I did a lot of research and I know that my child is genuinely loved and cared for here. I also know that I am cared for as a parent. I do not worry about his well-being when I drop him off each day. Verner provides comprehensive care and education to approximately 150 children six weeks to five years at our four centers throughout Buncombe County, located in East Asheville, at Asheville City Schools Preschool, the YWCA and in Candler, NC.
In addition to teaching children through play at both indoor and outdoor learning environments, Verner provides Early Head Start and North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten (NC Pre-K) services. Verner believes in blended programming, so children from all socioeconomic statuses, ethnicities and cultures are in classes together. Verner believes in providing a positive, supportive, nurturing environment in which children can learn a variety of things, including getting along with others, moving through developmental milestones, and growing socially and emotionally. 
Outdoor Learning Environments
At Verner, we highly value our outdoor areas as an extension of our classroom and want to provide an environment for young children to learn, play and remain active. Research shows that “When children play in natural environments, their play is more diverse. There is a higher prevalence of imaginative and creative play that fosters language and collaborative skills” (Moore & Wong, 1997; Taylor et al. 1998; Fjortoft, 2000).
On average, our children spend two to three hours each day in our outdoor classrooms, providing them with additional opportunities for children to learn from their surroundings and make sense of the world around them. SPONSOR A CHILD
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We have developed four separate, age-appropriate play spaces to meet the unique developmental needs of the children that we serve. These spaces encourage climbing on structures, digging in the sandbox, exploring native grasses and tasting edible plants.
Porches located adjacent to classrooms allow children to spend time outside most days of the year. Our amphitheater and deck provide a space for imaginative and creative play. These structures are seen as an extension of the classroom and provides a space for a class to read books and is the perfect backdrop for an outdoor play sparking a child’s imagination. The possibilities are endless in our outdoor learning environments.
In 2010, we received a grant from Shape NC, a program funded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation to address early childhood obesity. The program is working with early care and education centers to provide technical assistance to help them change policies, practices and environments and increase physical activity and healthy eating in young children. Smart Start of Buncombe County serves as the regional hub site for the initiative and supports Shape NC efforts in the region.
We encourage families, early childhood professionals and community members to visit our center to view our play spaces and learn about the important benefits of outdoor learning environments for young children. To schedule a tour, please contact: info@verneremail.org.
Porches located adjacent to classrooms allow children to spend time outside most days of the year. Our amphitheater and deck provide a space for imaginative and creative play. These structures are seen as an extension of the classroom and provides a space for a class to read books and is the perfect backdrop for an outdoor play sparking a child’s imagination. The possibilities are endless in our outdoor learning environments.
In 2010, we received a grant from Shape NC, a program funded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation to address early childhood obesity. The program is working with early care and education centers to provide technical assistance to help them change policies, practices and environments and increase physical activity and healthy eating in young children. Smart Start of Buncombe County serves as the regional hub site for the initiative and supports Shape NC efforts in the region.
We encourage families, early childhood professionals and community members to visit our center to view our play spaces and learn about the important benefits of outdoor learning environments for young children. To schedule a tour, please contact: info@verneremail.org.
About our Four Centers
Verner East - Riceville
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Our Riceville Center in East Asheville is located on the beautiful campus of Warren Wilson College. The 14,000 square foot building features eight classrooms serving 100 children, observation rooms outside most classrooms, a multi-purpose room, a fully equipped kitchen, and adult classroom space.
The center was designed with the child in mind and is completely accessible to children with special needs. Sinks, tables and play areas are built to the child’s level to encourage independence. An effective air filtration system helps reduce airborne viruses. Porches located adjacent to classrooms allow children to spend time outside most days of the year. Sinks are conveniently located throughout the center to encourage frequent hand washing care. Radiant floor heating provides warm surfaces for infants and toddlers who spend lots of time on the floor. |
The entire building is designed with sensitivity to environmental impact, energy conservation and health promotion. We value our outdoor learning environments as an extension of our classrooms. These outdoor spaces support intentional teaching and present endless opportunities for learning – digging in the dirt, gathering tree bark, running, and cycling around the bike paths support both a child’s physical and mental health development.
Our outdoor space at our Riceville Center has four separate developmentally-appropriate playgrounds that encourage climbing, running, and exploring the native grasses and edible plants. The outdoor amphitheater is an extension of the classroom and provides a space for a class to read books or the perfect backdrop for an outdoor play sparking a child’s imagination and offers a space for dramatic play. The possibilities are endless in our outdoor learning environments. |
Verner Central - Asheville City Preschools/YWCA
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Our newest edition to Early Head Start programming includes classes at Asheville City Schools Preschool and a partnership with the YWCA.
With three classrooms at Asheville City Schools Preschool, children have a perfect space that is at their level to hep them stay active and learning. The three spacious playgrounds feature developmentally-appropriate equipment and a shady, serene natural environment. A well-equipped gymnasium provides a multi-purpose space for rainy days and other activities. |
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Verner West - Montmorenci
Our Montmorenci Center is located at Montmorenci Methodist Church in Candler, NC and came about through the spirit of collaboration born of a church membership that realized the importance of caring for young children. The childcare wing features three Early Head Start classrooms and one pre-school classroom and serves 36 children.
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Success Stories
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At Verner, we want to ensure that all children thrive and families flourish in our community. Our teachers and staff work hard each and every day to make sure that the children and families we serve receive the highest quality of care, education and family support services.
Over the years we have helped thousands of families overcome challenges and barriers by working with them individually to set family goals and goals for their child(ren). Our staff have helped families become more financially independent, find safe and consistent housing, increase their education and reach many more goals. Below you will find stories on families that have touched our hearts and are making great strides in their journey to success. 
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MEET MELISSA, LEVI, AND ANNA
Melissa has had many mountains to climb. When she first heard about our Early Head Start program, she had no job, no income and she didn’t know where to find help for her and her one year old son, Levi. After a local nonprofit connected her to us, she enrolled her son in our Home Based program and began to feel the support from staff at Verner.
Verner supported her son’s education and connected her to community resources to help her keep her home and supported her as she looked for a job. Melissa found a part time job to support her family and successfully earned her GED. Everything seemed to be on track, but her home environment became unstable, her employment hours became inconsistent and she found out she was pregnant with her second child. Our In-Home Educator, Dawn, supported Melissa during her pregnancy by taking her to doctor’s appointments, providing her prenatal education and acting as a support system to Levi and Melissa. “Even when I was at my lowest and I failed, they [Verner] surrounded me and helped me get back on my feet,” said Melissa. “I’m grateful to everyone. It’s not just Dawn, or Home Based, or the Montmorenci Center – it’s the whole program.” Dawn has remained actively involved in Melissa and her children’s lives. The whole family gets excited for the weekly home visits from Dawn. She still works with Melissa and Anna as their In-Home Educator and provides them with information and resources to ensure Anna is ready for school and life. Melissa’s children are thriving and she credits their success to learning in the early years. At two years old, Anna can count to five and she can carry on complete conversations. Melissa’s son Levi is now seven years old and is excelling in school. After all of the obstacles Melissa has overcome she can now reflect on her success over the past year. This past Fall, Melissa was hired as a bus driver with the school system. This stable, full time job has allowed her to move her family from a small, one bedroom mobile home to a three-bedroom house. She has even been able to buy a car. “It is like I have another family. It [Verner] is not an organization,” said Melissa. “I believe their support has made it possible for me to succeed.” We are so proud of what Melissa has been able to accomplish. Her next goal and dream is to one day be an early childhood educator or to work for a preschool. We hope to support her in that goal and we are grateful that we have been able to help her children and family thrive. |