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NEWPORT TWP. — Twins Brianne and Brittany Dougherty did almost everything together while growing up. That hasn’t changed in 27 years.

The Nanticoke natives recently took over ownership of Magic World Child Care Center, 14 W. Kirmar Parkway, a business they had managed for the past five years.

Ironically, the twins changed their college majors to elementary and special education around the same time, within their second semester of college. Brianne went to Bloomsburg University and Brittany went to Wilkes University.

“I can’t recall who was first (changing their major),” Brittany said.

After graduation, the girls took jobs substituting within the Greater Nanticoke Area School District. Brittany was looking for a summer job and heard about the day care opening through a fellow teacher. She started working there as a director in 2011. Within a few weeks, she was looking for a partner — enter Brianne.

“If you’ve ever done a good job at something and said ‘I wish I could clone myself,’” Brianne said, talking about what it’s like to work with her sister.

Over the years, the two have grown the business from two to four rooms and have gradually accumulated 4,000 square feet of property — inside and out. They’ve been lucky with their landlord, who didn’t hesitate to “turn one apartment into a room,” as their business expanded.

When Brittany first started, the center had a total of eight children. Now, their clientele totals 48 children from 6 months old up to the first day of sixth grade, during school months. During the summer months, they are filled to capacity at 57.

The twins held the titles of “director/teacher” until June 2015 when they were financially stable enough to purchase the business, adding “owner” to their resumes.

Families from Newport Township and Nanticoke as well as from as far away as Benton — 24 miles — have their children enrolled with Magic World.

“It’s amazing the progress you see in children,” Brianne said of a child who has been with them since day one and is now going to graduate from the program.

They attribute their success to being family-run and family-oriented.

“Love is in the walls,” Brianne said.

Inside the business

Magic World has a staff of nine people, including the twins, all of whom are credentialed to work in a daycare. Two staff members have bachelor’s degrees in education and three more are going to school for elementary education. The state does regular yearly checkups at the facility.

Brittany recalled the state coming in the day before the opening.

“We had to pass,” she said. “We told people we’d have care for the kids.”

During state inspections, credentials and paperwork are checked.

“When you run the businesses the right way, it’s like second nature,” Brianne said.

The twins are currently redoing their preschool curriculum to fall in line with the Keystone Stars — a Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning program that improves, supports and recognizes improvement efforts of early learning programs. They are also looking into a new state toddlers curriculum that starts at age 2.

Students in their preschool programs range from 3 to 5 years of age, split into two groups: 3- and 4-year-olds in preschool with 4- and 5-year-olds in pre-kindergarten.

Shying away from challenges doesn’t scare the duo as they take the children, age 3 and up, on field trips, the most recent to see Disney on Ice at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

In the wintertime, they have Scranton-based TUMBLEBUS — a full-sized school bus transformed into a gymnasium — visit the center.

Doughtery twins Brianne, left, and Brittany run Magic World Child Care Center in Newport Township.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_twins02-1.jpg.optimal.jpgDoughtery twins Brianne, left, and Brittany run Magic World Child Care Center in Newport Township. Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader

Brianne Doughtery interacts with youngsters Alexis Duda (wearing hat), Kacie Stork and Caiden Schuckers at Magic World Child Care Center in Newport Township.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_twins03-1.jpg.optimal.jpgBrianne Doughtery interacts with youngsters Alexis Duda (wearing hat), Kacie Stork and Caiden Schuckers at Magic World Child Care Center in Newport Township. Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader

Brittany Doughtery has her hands full looking after Hayden Coombs, left, Molly Novak and Ava Bohinski during an afternoon activity with building blocks at Magic World Child Care Center in Newport Township.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_twins01-1.jpg.optimal.jpgBrittany Doughtery has her hands full looking after Hayden Coombs, left, Molly Novak and Ava Bohinski during an afternoon activity with building blocks at Magic World Child Care Center in Newport Township. Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader

By Melanie Mizenko

[email protected]

LEARN MORE

For more information, including enrollment procedures at Magic World Childcare Center, call 570-735-7075.

Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko.