Gretchen's House, Inc.
Gretchen's House, Inc. is a privately held, founder-owned network of approximately 10 licensed early childhood education centers across Michigan, primarily in Ann Arbor, delivering infant care, preschool, after-school care, summer camp, and state-funded GSRP programs under the HighScope curriculum to working families.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersAnn Arbor, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Gretchen's House, Inc. does
Gretchen's House, Inc. is a privately held, founder-owned early childhood education company operating a network of approximately 10 licensed childcare centers across Michigan, with the majority concentrated in Ann Arbor and additional sites in Ypsilanti (via HighScope partnership) and Houghton (the Little Huskies satellite on Michigan Technological University's campus). Founded in 1982 by Gretchen Preston, who remains President and Owner, the company delivers programs spanning infant/toddler care (ages 3 months to 3 years), preschool (ages 3-5), the state-funded Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), after-school care for K-5th graders with bus transportation, an 11-week summer camp, and a Junior Counselor program for teens. All classrooms implement the HighScope research-based curriculum under a partnership with the HighScope Educational Research Foundation dating to 2007, supplemented by Nature Explore certified outdoor classrooms, Music Together, and an anti-bias education framework; child progress is tracked via the COR Advantage assessment and shared with families three times per year through the Kaymbu communication app.
The business model is a direct-to-consumer subscription tuition structure, with monthly fees ranging from approximately $417 for school-age after-school care to $2,920 for full-time infant/toddler care, plus a one-time $100 non-refundable registration fee and one-month tuition deposit. Programs are licensed by the State of Michigan and accredited by NAEYC, and the company participates in Michigan's Great Start to Quality rating system. Distribution is exclusively direct enrollment at center locations and through channel partnerships with the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) and Michigan Technological University; there are no resellers, online marketplaces, or third-party distributors.
The go-to-market is relationship-driven, relying on referrals from enrolled families, community presence, partnerships with local school districts and universities, and a small owned digital footprint (website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn). Gretchen's House also operates a controller function, dedicated HR personnel, a UP Regional Director, and a Facilities Manager, indicating a centralized back-office supporting multi-site operations. The company has no disclosed outside investors, no M&A history, and no funding rounds; growth has been funded organically through accumulated cash flow from tuition.
Gretchen's House, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gretchen's House, Inc.
- Legal name
- Gretchen's House, Inc.
- Website
- https://gretchenshouse.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Gretchen's House, Inc. is a privately held, founder-owned network of approximately 10 licensed early childhood education centers across Michigan, primarily in Ann Arbor, delivering infant care, preschool, after-school care, summer camp, and state-funded GSRP programs under the HighScope curriculum to working families.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gretchen's House, Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Childcare & Early Education Services
- NAICS
- Child Care Services (62441), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Center-Based Infant Care (0–18 months) (EDACAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Employer-Sponsored / On-Site Infant & Toddler Care (EDACAGAF)
Keywords
Where Gretchen's House, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ann Arbor
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices13 records
Markets served
Gretchen's House, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Childcare Tuition: Monthly tuition-based revenue model where families pay set monthly fees based on the number of days their child attends. Tuition reserves the opportunity for the child to attend. If children are absent due to illness or vacation, tuition remains the same.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Full-time Infant/Toddler Care (5 days/week) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Part-time Infant/Toddler Care |
| Subscription | Monthly | Full-time Preschool Care (5 days/week) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Part-time Preschool Care |
| Subscription | Monthly | Half Day Preschool |
| Subscription | Monthly | School Age After School Care |
| Subscription | Monthly | School Transportation |
| Subscription | Monthly | Northside STEAM After School/A2 Open |
| Subscription | Monthly | WISD Employee Rates - Infant/Toddler |
| Subscription | Monthly | WISD Employee Rates - Preschool |
| Subscription | Monthly | WISD All Others - Infant/Toddler |
| Subscription | Monthly | WISD All Others - Preschool |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Daily Rates |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Non-refundable Registration Fee |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Gretchen's House, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gretchen's House, Inc. is a private early childhood education and childcare provider delivering licensed, NAEYC-accredited programs for children from infancy through school age across 10 Michigan centers. The company offers age-tiered services — Infant Toddler Care, Preschool, Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), Before & After School Care, Summer Camp, and a Junior Counselor program — built around the HighScope curriculum with COR Advantage assessments and Kaymbu parent communication.
Product overview
Gretchen's House operates as a network of nine childcare centers across Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Houghton, and Marquette, Michigan, offering early childhood education from infancy through school age. The core program portfolio includes Infant/Toddler Care, Preschool, Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), After School Child Care, Summer Camp (SCamp), and a Junior Counselor Program for teens. All programs implement the HighScope Curriculum as the foundational educational framework, complemented by Nature Explore outdoor classrooms, Music Together music curriculum, and Anti-bias education components. Assessment is conducted through COR Advantage, with family communication via the Kaymbu app. The company is accredited by NAEYC and licensed by Michigan, serving as a HighScope partner since 2007.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Infant Toddler Care Licensed childcare and early education program for infants and toddlers, delivered under NAEYC-accredited standards with HighScope-aligned developmental curriculum for families seeking full-day care for the youngest children.
- Preschool NAEYC-accredited preschool program for pre-kindergarten-age children using the HighScope curriculum with COR Advantage developmental assessment, designed to prepare children for kindergarten.
- Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) State-funded Michigan preschool program for income-eligible 4-year-old children, delivered at Gretchen's House locations as a participating provider under Michigan's Great Start Readiness Program.
- Before & After School Care Licensed before- and after-school care for elementary school-age children, providing supervised programming, homework support, and enrichment during out-of-school hours for working families.
- Summer Camp Seasonal summer camp program for school-age children combining supervised activities, outdoor play, and enrichment during summer break.
- Junior Counselor Program Youth leadership/work-experience program where older students assist in classroom settings, designed to provide early career exposure to early childhood education.
Quantifiable outcome
- Children show improvements in language, social-emotional, and independent living skills within one year of enrollment
Companies that use Gretchen's House, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Gretchen's House, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature6 records
Gretchen's House, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- HighScope Educational Research FoundationcoreGretchen's House has partnered with the HighScope Educational Research Foundation since 2007. The partnership involves implementing the research-based HighScope curriculum across all infant/toddler and preschool classrooms. Gretchen's House is a HighScope certified trainer organization and partners on demonstration preschool at the Ypsilanti campus.
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)coreGretchen's House programs are accredited by NAEYC, a consortium of early childhood professionals whose accreditation program certifies high-quality early childhood programs. Executive Director Heidi McFadden has been a NAEYC validator for accreditation.
- Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD)corePartnership location since 1990 at High Point School. WISD asked Gretchen to open a center at their facility. In 2024, opened a center-based Early Head Start classroom in partnership with WISD.
- Michigan Technological UniversitycoreSatellite center called Little Huskies operates on the Michigan Tech campus in Houghton, Michigan.
- Washtenaw County Health DepartmentminorCollaborate and report on public health and communicable diseases across all centers.
- Dr. Andrew HashikawaminorConsulting pediatrician who trained at Mayo Clinic and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. Serves as Michigan Chapter liaison for American Academy of Pediatrics, working with Gretchen's House on child health and safety training.
- The Lions ClubminorConducts annual vision screening at all Gretchen's House centers.
- Ann Arbor Public LibraryminorEnrichment partnership providing library resources and programming for children.
- T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Michigan Scholarship ProgramminorMichigan Association for the Education of Young Children program providing scholarships to center staff enrolled in early childhood college courses. Gretchen's House reimburses 10% of tuition and books plus bonus upon completion.
- Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP)coreState-funded free preschool program at Oak Valley, Dhu Varren, Manchester Rd., and HighScope locations. GSRP classrooms use same HighScope curriculum with highly qualified teachers.
- Eastern Michigan UniversityminorEarly childhood program partnerships for student observations and potential career pipeline.
- University of MichiganminorEarly childhood program partnerships for student observations and potential career pipeline.
- Washtenaw Community CollegeminorEarly childhood program partnerships for student observations and potential career pipeline.
- Central Michigan UniversityminorEarly childhood program partnerships for student observations and potential career pipeline.
- Washtenaw County Early Childhood Director's AssociationminorProfessional association networking and collaboration with other early childhood directors in the county.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Gretchen's House, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Chesterbrook Academy: NAEYC-accredited private early childhood education provider (part of Nobel Learning Communities) offering infant through pre-K programs. Comparable to Gretchen's House in accreditation standards, age-segment coverage, and curriculum-based positioning.
- The Malvern School: Privately held network of NAEYC-accredited early childhood education schools in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, offering infant, toddler, preschool, and pre-kindergarten programs. Directly comparable to Gretchen's House on private ownership, accreditation, and premium-quality positioning.
- New Horizon Academy: Privately held, family-owned center-based early childhood education provider with NAEYC-accredited programs across multiple states. Closely comparable to Gretchen's House on private/family ownership, accreditation standards, curriculum focus, and multi-site center model.
Broad incumbents
- KinderCare Learning Centers: Large national center-based childcare and early learning operator offering infant, toddler, preschool, and before/after-school programs. Comparable to Gretchen's House in core product offerings and age range served, though KinderCare operates at much greater scale across all 50 states.
- The Learning Experience: National center-based early childhood education franchise with proprietary curriculum and a focus on preschool through pre-K. Comparable in core service offering (center-based infant/preschool) and multi-state scale model.
- Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Global provider of high-quality early education and employer-sponsored childcare, including on-site centers at corporate and university campuses. Directly comparable to Gretchen's House on employer-sponsored arrangements (WISD, Michigan Tech) and premium curriculum positioning, but operates at enterprise scale with public-company reporting.
- La Petite Academy: National center-based provider offering infant care, preschool, pre-K, and before/after-school programs. Operates in similar age segments as Gretchen's House with comparable tuition-based recurring revenue model, though at much larger national scale.
- Children's Courtyard: Operator of accredited early childhood education centers (part of Learning Care Group) providing infant care, preschool, and before/after-school programs. Comparable to Gretchen's House in age-coverage breadth and center-based delivery model.
- Primrose Schools: Accredited private preschool franchise with a proprietary Balanced Learning curriculum, serving infants through after-schoolers. Comparable to Gretchen's House in curriculum-led differentiation, NAEYC-equivalent accreditation focus, and premium pricing model.
Regional players
- AppleTree & Gilden Woods: Michigan-based center-based early childhood education and childcare operator serving infants through school-age children. Directly comparable to Gretchen's House geographically (Michigan market) and by service model, and operates as a direct regional competitor in shared geographies.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Gretchen's House, Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceGretchen's House, Inc. compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Gretchen's House, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gretchen's House, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Gretchen's House, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gretchen's House, Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gretchen's House, Inc.
What does Gretchen's House, Inc. do?
Gretchen's House, Inc. is a private early childhood education and childcare provider delivering licensed, NAEYC-accredited programs for children from infancy through school age across 10 Michigan centers. The company offers age-tiered services — Infant Toddler Care, Preschool, Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), Before & After School Care, Summer Camp, and a Junior Counselor program — built around the HighScope curriculum with COR Advantage assessments and Kaymbu parent communication.
Is Gretchen's House, Inc. a public or private company?
Gretchen's House, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Gretchen's House, Inc. founded?
Gretchen's House, Inc. was founded in 1982. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Gretchen's House, Inc. based?
Gretchen's House, Inc. is headquartered in Ann Arbor, United States, in the North America region.
How does Gretchen's House, Inc. make money?
One revenue line is on record: childcare Tuition.
Who are Gretchen's House, Inc.'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Chesterbrook Academy, The Malvern School and New Horizon Academy. Broad incumbents are KinderCare Learning Centers, The Learning Experience, Bright Horizons Family Solutions, La Petite Academy, Children's Courtyard and Primrose Schools. AppleTree & Gilden Woods is listed as a regional player.
Does Gretchen's House, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gretchen's House, Inc..
What industry is Gretchen's House, Inc. in?
Gretchen's House, Inc.'s product category is Childcare & Early Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACAGAA, Center-Based Infant Care (0–18 months), with a secondary code of EDACAGAF, Employer-Sponsored / On-Site Infant & Toddler Care. Its NAICS code is 62441 and its SIC code is 8351.