HORSEHEADS, N.Y. (WENY) -- Amy's Sunshine Center is one step closer to opening its doors in Horseheads, where Chemung Valley Early Learning Center recently closed. Amy Cehr, the owner of Amy's Sunshine Center in Painted Post, is gearing up to expand her business.  

“We are ready to go,” she said. “We have called all of our parents on the wait-list and I believe all of our classrooms are pretty full. We might have room for some more kids, especially in the school age...we still need to fill up more, but we're ready.” 

Cehr said all of the licensing that is required to expand her business has been approved. Now, her team is waiting for the green light. 

“It's all based on the state and when the background checks come back and how fast it can get through Albany,” she said. “It's the staff...every staff member has to be cleared through several different steps and it does take a little bit of time.” 

Cehr said 25 staff members have to go through criminal background checks for the safety of the children. More than half of Chemung Valley Early Learning Center's staff will be working at Amy's Sunshine Center. Cehr added, all the children that attended the Chemung Valley Early Learning Center will be accommodated for once the center re-opens. 

“About 157...and 79 of those will be school age positions,” she said. 

Since the Chemung Valley Early Learning Center closed, parents have been scrambling to find their kids care. Cehr said, after school kids can be watched for a couple of hours, but that is not helping parents with infants and toddlers.  

Jessica Burdick has been relying on her mother to watch her two toddlers, since the beginning of December. Burdick is ready for the new childcare center to open. 

“I'm really excited to see my little guys have a real Pre-K four room in there...that will be super exciting and it will be so great to get them back to some actual structure and learning and development, throughout the day,” she said. 

Cehr said Amy's Sunshine Center is ready to open any day now. 

WENY News will continue to follow any developments with this story.