In an effort to raise county immunization rates and have children ready for kindergarten boosters, the Berrien County Health Department (BCHD) has required that preschools and daycare centers in the county submit their immunization reports twice a year.

Out of 59 daycare centers and preschools in Berrien County, 34 were 100 percent complete and 8 were 95 to 99 percent complete.

Complete means each child received four diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine (DTaP); four haemophilus influenza Type B vaccine (HIB); four pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV); three polio; one measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR); one varicella for chicken pox disease; and three Hepatitis B injections and will be ready to receive their kindergarten boosters when they start school. The Berrien County Health Department appreciates the efforts these daycare and preschool centers have put forth in getting their children immunized.

In recognition of their outstanding accomplishment, the Berrien County Health Department has awarded the following daycare centers and preschools a green certificate of excellence for 95 to 99 percent completion rate and a gold certificate of excellence for 100 percent completion rate.

100 percent completion
• Benton Harbor Charter Preschool (Benton Harbor)
• Berrien County Hearing Impaired Preschool (Berrien Springs)
• Berrien Springs Preschool/Day Care (Berrien Springs)
• Blossomland Learning Center (Berrien Springs)
• Bright Beginnings (Niles)
• Buchanan PPI (Buchanan)
• Christ Lutheran Preschool (Stevensville)
• Coloma Special Education Preschool (Coloma)
• Grace Lutheran Preschool (St. Joseph)
• Hickory Creek Learning Center (Baroda)
• Immanuel Lutheran Preschool and Child Care Center (Bridgman)
• Kaleidoscope Child Care Center (New Buffalo)
• Lakeshore Preschool (Stevensville)
• Lighthouse Educational Center (St. Joseph)
• Little Gael’s Preschool (Galien)
• Little Learners Preschool (Coloma)
• Lybrook Elementary Preschool (Eau Claire)
• Mars Preschool (Berrien Springs)
• Northside Child Development Center (Niles)
• Precious in His Sight Child Care (Sawyer)
• Presbyterian Preschool (Niles)
• River Valley Early Childhood Center (Three Oaks)
• Salem Lutheran Preschool (Coloma)
• St. Joseph Catholic Pre-Kindergarten (Watervliet)
• St. Joseph Public Schools – ECDD (St. Joseph)
• St. Matthews Preschool and Daycare (Benton Harbor)
• St. Paul’s Lutheran Preschool (Stevensville)
• Stay and Play Learning Center II (Benton Harbor)
• The Bison Beginners (New Buffalo)
• The Children’s Center (Niles)
• The Learning Tree (Niles)
• Trinity Lutheran Child Development Center (St. Joseph)
• Watervliet Schools Preschool (Watervliet)
• Witheral School Day Care (St. Joseph)

95 to 99 percent completion

• Buchanan Preschool (Buchanan)
• First Church of God Nursery/Preschool (St. Joseph)
• Lake Michigan Catholic Elementary Preschool (St. Joseph)
• New Troy Head Start (New Troy)
• Northshore Head Start (Benton Harbor)
• Spinks Corners Head Start (Benton Harbor)
• Stump Early Childhood Center (Benton Harbor)
• The Crayon Box Children’s Learning Center (Berrien Springs)