Alta Sierra Child Care is a new and innovative child care center in Grass Valley, California. Its mission is to provide Nevada County with exceptional quality child care for parents that are looking for something a little different for their little ones. Alta Sierra Child Care has combined the best features of two different worlds. We can provide the low child to adult ratio and loving atmosphere of a home-based child care center with the safety, security and amenities of a commercial center.

Sonya Killian, co-owner of Alta Sierra Child Care, had been caring for children for over 10 years in the bay area. Sonya and her husband Steve decided it was time to leave the crowded city and move their family back to Nevada County where they both spent much of their childhood. Steve, a graduate of Nevada Union High School and Chico State University, and Sonya, a graduate of Bear River High School, wanted to raise their own children in Grass Valley. They also wanted to take the opportunity to do something really different and new with Sonya’s child care center.

They started by designing and building their new home in Alta Sierra around the concept of having the child care center incorporated into the home. Unlike most child care centers in the area, an enormous amount of planning has gone into the development of this truly unique center. A large portion of the home has been specifically designed and built for the sole purpose of educating kids and keeping them safe. Ample room is made for children to play, learn and make many great memories that will stay with them the rest of their lives.

A high priority has been placed on safety, security and structured learning. “We want the transition into kindergarten effortless for the kids.” says Steve Killian, co-owner of Alta Sierra Child Care. “Kindergarten classes are learning more advanced material earlier than they were 10 or 20 years ago. A child that enters kindergarten without already having a firm grasp of the alphabet, letter sounds, numbers and many other skills will rapidly get behind. A child can quickly get lost in the fast paced learning atmosphere of today’s classrooms. Frustration can then lead to a lack of confidence which can take years to overcome. Our goal is to provide the children with the tools and skills needed to excel in their first years of school.”

Whether the children are preparing to enter school for the first time, are currently enrolled in school, or are several years away from starting school, Alta Sierra Child Care provides an age appropriate structured schedule where kids know exactly what they will be doing during their day. They’ll know when it’s time to play and have fun, when it’s time to learn, when it’s time to eat and when it’s time to wind down and relax. The children’s daily activities vary and fit with the child’s age and/or grade level. Learning activities were developed and organized for each child’s educational level to be sure that they are challenged to learn, yet they have fun while doing so.

In designing the child care center, Steve and Sonya wanted to combine the professional quality of a commercial child care center with the more personal home environment of an in-home family daycare center. “We maintain a very low child to adult ratio, unlike the larger preschools in the area.” says Sonya. “This gives each child much more personal attention. We also have some really great features that just aren’t offered in this area. We have a new website that allows parents to enter a secure password from their home or work computer and view several different web cameras placed in the learning and play areas so they can see what their kids are doing throughout the day. We’ve had nothing but positive responses from parents that have learned of the possibility of being able to look in on their children during their workday. It really gives the parents peace of mind and reduces the anxiety of leaving their children in someone else’s care.”

Another unique feature of the center is that it is operated by a husband and wife team. “We work well together and I think it’s great for the children to get both a male and female perspective on things.” says Sonya. “We sometimes have different ways of teaching or playing but we both have similar reasons for wanting to provide care to children. I love being with the kids. I can teach them, watch them grow and develop, and the rewards are far greater than if I was in any other field of work. Children need structure, love and attention. If I can provide these things, then hopefully they will grow up to be better adults and parents because of it. I also love that kids will allow me to be goofy, sing and dance, and just be an important part of their lives. Kids are amazingly full of love and to work and play with them is such a great reward for me.” Steve began helping Sonya with the kids when she first started doing child care in the bay area. “When we lived in the bay area, I used to work a four day shift as a public health microbiologist with the county of Alameda. I had one weekday off each week and would spend it with the kids playing with them, reading to them and doing all kinds of fun science experiments. I think I enjoyed reading to the kids most of all. Winnie the Pooh stories are my favorite because I get to imitate all of the character’s voices.  I really love being able to teach and share with kids my love for science and nature. I also really enjoy being a part of the kids’ lives. They are so energetic, full of life and happiness. I love surrounding myself with their positive energy and thirst for learning. Each and every child has his or her own unique talents and qualities that make them a pleasure to be around. Being able to teach and play with them is for me a dream come true.”



Steve just finished the new backyard playground which he designed and built with safety and fun as his primary concerns. The play structure itself is built of oversized materials that are comparable to any well built city park playground structure. “I also decided to use a composite decking material which has the look of real wood but will last much longer and we don’t have the issues of splinters or sharp edges. I think my favorite part is the rock climbing wall.” says Steve. “I made sure that all of the materials put into the playground are capable of supporting the weight of adults as well as the kids. I want to be able to play too! And I wanted parents to be able to enjoy it along with their kids.”



There’s a cozy reading area with bean bag chairs and hundreds of books for the children to choose from, no matter what their current reading level is. A computer area has been designed into the child care center as well. Children can use the computers for completing homework assignments and also as a useful tool for learning such things as alphabet sounds. Although the center has plenty of the latest technology, the primary learning area is designed much like a traditional classroom. A four by six foot dry erase board is where most of the teaching takes place. “We’ve tried to mimic a typical classroom as much as possible, so that those children who are getting ready to start kindergarten will be able to easily shift into the school environment without a lot of anxiety. Although a great amount of time is spent learning, we spend even more time playing and having fun. We try to take the kids on various field trips to give the kids an opportunity to experience and appreciate the community they live in. This summer, we’ll be taking many hiking trips to places such as the Independence Trail, the Empire Mine and also Alta Sierra’s own trail system. We think it’s important for the kids to gain an appreciation of nature and how fun it can be to experience it by being in the middle of it and not just reading about it in a book or seeing it on TV. We want them to understand the need for the “ugly” bugs as well as the “cute” ones, and be able to catch a glimpse of the many animals and other living things that are right in their own backyard.” Steve and Sonya’s love for animals is apparent in everything associated with Alta Sierra Child Care, right down to the cute lovable dog that is part of their logo.

Alta Sierra Child Care has much to offer the children of Nevada County. The attention to detail in the development of this new child care center is remarkable. After years of planning and building, the hard work has finally resulted in an extraordinary, quality child care center that the community can utilize with trust and confidence.