 General Information
Enrollment
Programming
Curriculum & Accreditation
Tuition
More Information
General Information
Where is the center located?
The center address is: 107 Maine Avenue in Bangor, Maine. Conveniently located in the Maine Business Enterprise Park, between Hammond St. extension and the Union St. business corridor. Take exit 183, Hammond St./Airport from Interstate-95, turn toward the Airport and continue to the end of Hammond St., turn right, the center is located approx. 1/8 mile on the right.
When will the center open?
The center is expected to open in January, 2007
What will the center be called?
Parkside Children’s Learning Center.
What types of programming will be offered?
The center will offer full and part-time care for children ages 6 weeks through Kindergarten. We will also offer after school care for school age children during the afternoon hours, and on-site extracurricular activities such as dance, gymnastics and music. Summer camps are planned beginning in June 2007.
Who will operate the center ?
The center will be owned and operated by Liz and Paul Leonard. Liz holds a B.S. in Early Childhood Development & Family Relations from the University of Maine at Orono. A full-time team including a program director, lead teachers, teachers and assistants will oversee classroom activities. We have partnered with Childrens’ Creative Learning Centers, a national leader in early childhood education. CCLC will provide valuable resources in the areas of recruitment, staff retention, operations, accreditation & curriculum.
Why did Parkside CLC partner with Childrens’ Creative Learning Centers (CCLC)?
We investigated the operations of several local and national childcare companies. We considered franchising, but concluded the best results would be from investing in our employees, the facility and programs rather than paying annual franchise fees. We chose to work with CCLC because of their proven track record in the industry, their experience developing corporate childcare programs and commitment to NAEYC accreditation. To learn more about CCLC, click here.
Why is NAEYC Accreditation so important?
The National Association for the Education of Young Children establishes high quality standards for childcare centers throughout the United States. Each center is monitored for one full year before achieving accreditation. Parkside CLC has been designed with NAEYC guidelines as a priority, dictating teacher/child ratios, classroom size, curriculum, quality programs, professional staff and much more. As a parent, this means your child will always be in an age appropriate environment, have adequate personal space and be exposed to growing and learning opportunities that can only be found in the highest quality centers. Click here to see Additional information on NAEYC.
Will the center be open to the entire community, in addition to the Maine Business Enterprise Park?
Yes, this is a privately owned childcare center, and open to all area residents seeking high quality care for their children. Priority enrollment* will be given to employee’s of companies located in the Maine Business Enterprise Park, however, the center is large enough to accommodate approximately 125 full time children. Everyone is welcome to apply.
Is the employer program open to businesses outside the MBE Park?
Yes. If you are interested in finding out if your company may benefit from participation in our program, please contact Michelle Burgess at 207-941-2122. We will work with your Human Resource Department to help design a program that meets the specific needs of your employees. By insuring an employee's family needs are met with a work/life program, the employer also benefits with staff longevity, reduced turnover and a positive work environment. Employer resources can be found here.
 Enrollment
What is priority enrollment?
Priority enrollment means if there is an open space and there is a MBE Park family on the waitlist, the space will be offered to the MBE family first. Currently, eligible priority enrollment employers include: Northeast Cardiology, Sunbury Medical, Bangor Savings Bank, and the City of Bangor.
How do I enroll?
There are four easy steps to enroll in our program.
- Go to the yellow bar on the home page and sign up on our waiting list.
- Parkside will contact you with enrollment information and coordinate time to schedule a tour.
- If space is available for your child's age group please submit Parkside application with the $50 registration fee.
- Complete all required paperwork.
* If space is not available for your child's age group your name will placed on the waiting list.
When can I enroll?
Parkside Children’s Learning Center will begin accepting enrollment applications immediately. See above question to learn how to enroll.
Do I have to pay a registration fee?
Yes. There is non-refundable $50 registration fee for your child.
When will I be notified if I have received a space?
Families who have submitted enrollment applications will be contacted immediately and kept informed on the status of their submission.
Programming
What are the teacher-to-child ratios in each classroom?
The center will offer programming designed to meet NAEYC Accreditation standards. The teacher-to-child ratios will be as follows:
- Infants - 1:4
- Toddlers - 1:4
- Two's - 1:5 and 1:7
- Preschool – 1:10
- Pre-K – 1:10
- School Age – 1:13
How do the center's teacher-to-child ratios compare with those required by the State of Maine?
Our program will adhere to NAEYC Accreditation Standards and the teacher-to-child ratios are generally lower than those required by the State. As of September 2006 the State revised their ratios to match the NAEYC guidelines. Be sure to ask your current childcare provider if they are in compliance with these new changes.
What are the center hours and holidays?
The center will be open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Please go to our Online Calendar for an updated list of holidays.
Curriculum & Accreditation
What kind of curriculum will be offered?
Parkside’s curriculum facilitates learning in a developmental-based, thematic approach that incorporates Montessori, High Scope, Reggio Emilia and Rye philosophies. We view learning as a process that requires a balance between child-initiated and staff-initiated activities. These developed activities incorporate and understand the developmental levels of each group, while ensuring children are properly prepared for Kindergarten.
Parkside will utilize Children’s Creative Learning Centers exclusive Guided Discovery Curriculum™ in its center, incorporating physical, social, language, cognitive and emotional development. Guided Discovery is rooted in educational philosophy and theory as well as practice. It relies heavily on Erik Erikson's stages of socio-emotional development, Jean Piaget's theories of how children think and learn, and on principles of physical development. The curriculum is reflective of the criteria set by NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) Accreditation process.
What is NAEYC accreditation?
NAEYC accreditation means that an early childhood program voluntarily applied for accreditation by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs. The program will then engage in an extensive self-study based on the Academy's Criteria for High Quality Early Childhood Program. The accuracy of the program's self-study is verified during a site visit to the program by a team of trained volunteer validators. A three member national commission composed of recognized experts in childcare will review the validated self-study, including the program director’s responses to the validation visit and early childhood education. If all are judged to be in substantial compliance with the Academy's Criteria, the center will be granted accreditation for a three-year period. The early childhood program will agree to act upon any suggestions by the commission regarding areas needing improvement and to submit annual written reports documenting improvements and continued compliance. Less than 8% of all childcare centers nationally have received NAEYC Accreditation.
Are meals and snacks offered and included?
Parkside will offer snacks, and a choice of either a regular or vegetarian/special diet lunch option. Snacks are included, and the cost of the lunch option will vary according to the plan selected.
Tuition
Will MBE Park families receive discounted tuition?
No. There will be uniform tuition rates for all families and the community. Your employer may elect to have systems put in place to provide assistance with tuition or priority access. Many employers currently offer pre-tax contributions for dependent childcare.
What are the tuition rates?
We offer competitive rates. Tuition may vary based on age group and payment method. To get the latest Parkside Tuition rates on the Forms page, click here.
More Information
When will the center be available for tours?
The center is currently being remodeled and tours will be offered in late December or January. Please watch the Online Calendar for more details.
Where can I receive program updates?
The Website www.parksideclc.com will be updated frequently with information about the new center.
I’d like to stay involved with the center. Is there a way for me to participate?
Yes. Parkside CLC will convene and meet quarterly with a parent group made up of parents of children enrolled at the center. If you are interested in joining the parent group, please contact us directly.
Who do I contact with additional questions?
For programming questions, please contact Michelle Burgess directly at 207-941-2122 or via email. |
