Beyond Babysitting: Innovative Childcare Solutions in the Nashville Region

provided by SRM Concrete

Child care is a lifeline for many families, allowing them to work and contribute to the economy. But beyond individual families, access to affordable, high-quality child care is a key factor in driving economic development for communities. 

Several projects in the Nashville region are making child care more accessible, ensuring that more parents can stay in the workforce and meet the talent needs of area employers. 

Supporting Work-Life Balance

Concrete Christian Academy (CCA), which opened in SRM Concrete’s home office in Smyrna, provides safe, affordable and convenient child care for children ages 6 weeks to kindergarten. It has a team of 16 teachers and support staff and seven classrooms. 

“As a family-centric company, SRM Concrete recognizes the need to support work-life balance for parents within our industry,” says SRM Concrete’s CEO, Jeff Hollingshead. “By offering top-notch child care on campus, we provide our team members convenience, flexibility and ease of mind throughout their workday.” 

provided by SRM Concrete

SRM Concrete is the largest privately owned ready-mix concrete manufacturer in the country. Established in 1999 by Mike and Melissa Hollingshead in Smyrna, the family-owned company owns and operates an expansive network of ready-mix concrete plants, quarries, cement terminals and other ancillary services. 

Hollingshead says SRM’s employees benefit from the project. 

“Whether working in the field or based at our home office, many of our team members with small children have taken advantage of this rare opportunity,” he says. “CCA parents value the ability to participate in activities, share lunchtime and engage in programs with their children. It is a privilege to provide this resource for our SRM families.” 

In the Heart of the City

Southwest Value Partners, developer of the Nashville Yards mixed-use project, is doing its part. The developer agreed with The Goddard School, an early childhood education provider, to establish a child care program in the development. 

Opening in spring 2025, the school will serve approximately 250 children from 6 weeks to 6 years old. The 20,000-square-foot facility will be in the new Pinnacle Tower, featuring 15 classrooms and flexible indoor and outdoor play areas. 

“From the beginning, this project felt different and exciting for us,” says Leisa Byars, who, along with her husband, Del McSpadden, owns and operates four other Goddard School locations in Middle Tennessee. “I can’t think of a better place to be than in Nashville Yards, close to so many major employers and residences and serving the urban core.” 

The Goddard School’s engaging curriculum blends current research on early childhood development with playful activities. Through play, children can explore creativity in music and art, develop communication abilities and learn problem-solving techniques. 

Nashville Yards is an 18-acre project in the heart of downtown Nashville that includes hotels, retail and restaurant options, and office space anchored by Amazon Nashville. The childcare project prioritizes the residents and employees within Nashville Yards. 

“This is certainly important from an economic development standpoint, but it is equally important for families,” Byars says. “Parents who live and work downtown will have access to quality child care that offers proven curriculum, degreed teachers, and safety and security in the heart of the city.” 

provided by SRM Concrete

Recruitment and Retention Tool

An initiative by the Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Development Board (IDB) to provide Industrial Park employees with affordable child care led to the creation of the Youth Academy, which opened in August 2024. 

The new facility is the third Youth Academy location in the community, and it provides approximately 800 full-time child care slots and an estimated 400 full-time reduced-rate child care slots for Industrial Park partners. Plans for the facility include extended care, school transportation and a swimming pool. 

Josh Ward, IDB executive director, says the idea began when the former executive director moved to the community and had some difficulty finding child care. That brainstorming led to establishing a facility within the industrial park to create affordable child care with extended hours to accommodate first- and second-shift employees. 

“This is a great retention and recruitment tool for us,” Ward says. “Plus, this is high-quality child care in an excellent facility.” 

Ward says the partnership with IDB and Youth Academy removes some hurdles to establishing child care. 

“Everyone wants to offer child care because there’s a major demand, but the risk is high due to insurance, property acquisition and staffing,” Ward says. 

“In our model, local government and IDB worked together to lower the risk and investment for the operator, and the result is access to these services for our businesses and their employees.”