Discover the Joy in Learning

Sunrise or sunset graphic with sun and rays in yellow, orange, and pink, featuring a black handprint at the center. Text reads 'Horizon Early Learning Program' with the tagline 'Brightening the Future One Child At a Time'.

Our Mission

At Horizon Early Learning Program, we are H.E.L.Ping to create an equitable, inclusive & nurturing community where diverse children are celebrated, strengthened and encouraged to know that they live in a place of curiosity, wonder and interdependence.

Our Approach to Learning

Find Your Program

A colorful preschool classroom with toys, furniture, and decorations. There is a large window with snow outside, a clock on the wall, and various art projects hanging. The room has a cozy and organized setup for children to play and learn.

Horizon West

60 Austine Dr., Croker Hall Building, Brattleboro, VT, United States, 05301

(Formerly Mulberry Bush)

A colorful preschool classroom with a wooden reading nook, small tables and chairs, bright educational posters, and a vibrant ladybug-themed alphabet rug.

Horizon East

16 Bradley Ave, Brattleboro, VT, United States, 05301

Illustration of a rising sun with yellow rays extending outward.

Welcome to Horizon Early Learning Program! Across our two locations, Horizon East and West, we offer loving, full-day care and joyful early learning for children from infancy through age 5. Our infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms provide safe, nurturing spaces where every child is known, valued, and encouraged to grow.

Our year-round programs offer flexible options, including school-year and summer care, to support your family’s needs. Each day is thoughtfully planned by our dedicated, highly qualified teachers, with low teacher-to-student ratios that spark curiosity, build confidence, and support every stage of development.

Come see what we are all about!

Meet Melanie and Nathan, Our Founders

A smiling woman and man standing on a balcony at sunset, with palm trees in the background. The woman is wearing a floral dress and necklace, and the man is dressed in an orange t-shirt and green shorts.

A couple standing on a balcony at sunset, with palm trees in the background. The woman is wearing a floral dress and the man is in a bright orange T-shirt and shorts.

Melanie and Nathan Zinn founded Horizon Early Learning Program in 2012, beginning with a small six-child registered home childcare program. Just two years later it expanded into a Licensed Home Program, and within another two years it grew into their first center program, now known as Horizon ~ East. Since 2020, they have opened two additional sites and have operated three FIVE STAR Early Education programs serving families throughout Windham County. As of 2026, the program has consolidated three centers into two locations, with The Mulberry Bush relocating and becoming Horizon Early Learning Program ~ West.

Both Melanie and Nathan hold Master’s Degrees in education and Vermont teaching licenses. They began this journey with a shared goal to create accessible, high-quality childcare options for Vermont families, with flexible schedules, strong teacher-to-child ratios, and a nurturing learning environment. The program originally operated from their home in Vernon, Vermont. That space later became the Vernon Village Early Learning Program, which merged with Horizon ~ West in June 2026.

Today, the Zinn family live just outside Raleigh, North Carolina with their two children while continuing to guide and support the program alongside a strong leadership team in Vermont, including their CFO and Head of HR and dedicated Site Directors in Brattleboro. They both love the outdoors, camping, and books, and share a deep commitment to social justice and community care. Their work continues to be grounded in the belief that small acts, especially those centered around children and kindness, can help shape a better world.