Mathews native and former Mathews teacher Taylor Jacobs will be opening a day care center in August for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children, with after-school care for children up to age 12 years. She is currently accepting applications for enrollment.

Little Shepherds Academy will be located at Faith Baptist Church on Route 14 in Mathews, said Jacobs, but it is a private business, not a church ministry. It will be open throughout the school year, offering curriculum-based learning in classes for pre-K 3 and pre-K 4 for an additional fee. The hours will be 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Jacobs said that each preschool class will have a teacher and an aide. She is developing her own curriculum, broadly based on existing pre-school curricula. There will also be outdoor activities and enrichment activities in such areas as music and art, as well as the opportunity for parents to connect with a specialist if a child has speech or language issues.

A Mathews High...