Hawthorne Area - Preschool/Daycare Recs?

Hi - we are moving to the Hawthorne area and are looking for recommendations on daycare/pre-school for our 3 year old. Would love to find a place that offers Spanish if possible, but most important of course is to find quality care for our child. A place that is creative, stimulating, supportive...teaches social and environmental responsibility...any hidden gems in the area? Any info on the following:

Wild Lilac Preschool
New Day School
Child Roots
Others?

Thanks!!

A Beautiful Day Montessori Announces Openings for Fall 2009

My son’s fabulous preschool, A Beautiful Day Montessori Preschool in NE Portland, has some openings for Fall 2009 for children ages 2 ½ - 6, and I want to help get the word out!

 Mariah Stewart-Hencke, the AMI-trained guide & director, is superb with small people and has created a calm, appealing classroom that houses a wonderful mix of dynamic, intriguing things to do and peaceful, contemplative space. There’s a complete set of Montessori materials & creative supplies, a big outdoor greenspace (they trek outside in just about all weather), organic snacks, and a neat combo of independent and group exploration & discovery. We have been so very happy with and impressed by the high caliber of the guidance, instruction, care, and environment.

 What we love most is how our child (now age 4) has blossomed the past year. After a short stint at another preschool that was an okay-but-not-incredible fit for him, he has really found his place at this in-home preschool with a teacher who is guiding him through amazing leaps in social/emotional, academic/intellectual, and personal growth. We're so glad we transferred him—phew! What a joy to find a preschool that is a great match.

 Currently, the school offers a four-day program: Monday through Thursday, 9am-12:30pm. The website has lots of info and will give you a good feel for the place: http://www.abeautifuldaymontessori.com Or call Mariah directly at 503-358-7335, or email her at info [at] abeautifuldaymontessori [dot] com . Hope this info helps parents looking for that “amazing fit” for their child!  --Caitlyn H., happy parent

Experience with Growing Seeds Childcare/Preschool

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about Growing Seeds Childcare/Preschool in N/NE PDX?  We're considering sending our 2 year old twins there in a few months and would love to hear what people know about the care.  This will be our first experience with out-of-home childcare, so we're feeling a little anxious about finding the right place!

Thanks, Dena

Feedback about Apple Blossom, Blossom House, or Mother Earth Preschools?

Hello fellow Portland Parents!

I am looking for some feedback from parents (or even former teachers) who have had their children attend one of the following three preschools:

• Apple Blossom Nursery School
• Blossom House Preschool 
• Mother Earth Childcare  

I am considering all three schools for my son and will be visiting them in the next week to form my own opinions, but I would LOVE to hear any firsthand accounts of people who've had their children in one of these schools.  Please email me at hcullom@aol.com with any feedback that you might have, whether positive or negative.

(My son was abused at a daycare about a year ago [despite my valiant efforts to do everything "right" in screening the daycare, questioning parents, showing up unannounced, etc], so I am even more nervous about finding childcare than your average parent.  We've had a wonderful nanny for the past year, but she is leaving us because she needs to spend more time with her three pre-teen and teenage boys.)

I would be EVER grateful for any advice or feedback anyone can give me!

If you'd like to suggest another option, that's great too, but I am a single mama so I need full-time preschool (full days, 4-5 days per week) and can't do co-ops or other schools that only offer half day programs.  If you have any other great ideas, please pass them along too!   

Child Care Improvement Project: Looking for family-based child care?

The Child Care Improvement Project, started in 2000 is part of the non-profit agency Neighborhood House. The goals of our project are to improve the quality of family child care, help strengthen small child care businesses and provide child care referrals to parents. Over 110 family child care providers throughout Multnomah County participate in our program through monthly child development trainings, resource sharing meetings, and home visits with our coordinators. Providers also recieve assistance with professional development and environmental improvements. We work with family child care providers to support them in helping children learn and thrive in safe and nurturing settings.

For more information about our program please visit www.childcareimprovement.org or contact the program manager at (503) 524-3245 or mgoodman@nhweb.org

Fantastic Nanny Available Now--East County/Eastside

Our son has started preschool, and our extraordinary nanny is now looking for her next family! Our experience has been so positive that I wanted to post a "position wanted" ad to help her find the next right fit. Here's what she asked me to include:
--She's looking for a full-time, 40-hr-week position, is flexible on days (compressed schedules (4 long days) and/or Saturdays OK). She would, conceivably, take two part-time positions.
--Because she lives in Sandy, she would vastly prefer a family who lived in East County (Troutdale, Gresham, Sandy, etc); although, for the right family, she'd be willing to commute farther.
--She's comfortable with infants as well as children of all ages; and is comfortable looking after 1-3 kids
--She has tons of experience: cared for our son for three years (ages 4 months to 3 yrs 4 months), reared her own two kids (now in their early 20s), and has babysat and cared for many infants and older children.
Here's what I want to add:
--She nurtured, taught, guided, and played with our son in ways I could scarcely imagine would have been possible back in Aug. '05, when I was a worried, insecure post-partum mom semi-reluctantly headed back to work. My husband & I remain stunned at our extraordinary luck in not only finding someone to whom we could entrust the care of our baby boy, but also someone with whom we have very happily shared the joy of rearing our son.
--She was very responsive to how we wanted to parent, as well as happy to share her expertise/opinion.
--She's energetic, extremely creative (in many ways--creative play, creative art, creative guidance, creative problem-solving), unbelievably patient, very snuggly and warm, trustworthy & reliable, upbeat, easy to communicate with--and, to boot, a great person!
If you're interested, pls. email me for her info at caitlyn [dot] howell [at] yahoo [dot] com.

Help Finding a nanny

Our family will be looking for a nanny in a few months and I am new to this adventure.  I wanted to know if anyone has had any experience with Rose City Nannies?  A friend of mine recommended them but I wanted a bit more feedback before I decided which agency to go with.  If you have any recommendations please help!

Anyone experienced Village Child Care, LLC near Legacy Emanuel?

Hi--I'm a mama to 3 boys, ages 4 months, 2years, and 5 years.  I recently toured Village Child Care, LLC across the park/street from Legacy Hospital.  Does anyone have any comments on the quality of the care or any experiences to share?  I'm very nervous about care anywhere for my infant---have never done center-based care for a baby before.

Thanks!

Looking for a preschool recommendation for 2 year old girl

Hi,

My husband and I originally planned to start our daughter in preschool at three, but we recently found out that we're pregnant (happy surprise) and now want to start her in the fall.  She'll be 2 years and three months in September and she's not yet potty trained.   Does anyone know of a good preschool that might work for our situation?  Preferably in the NE?

Thanks!

Opinions about Alameda Montessori?

We recently toured the Alameda Montessori program and it seemed good.  We are on the waitlist at Fruit and Flower in the NW area as well for our twin 20month old boys.  Would anyone have any opinions about the Alameda Montessori program? I am leaning towards that one because it allows half days, versus Fruit and Flower, which is full time only.

Thanks in advance for any feedback (sorry I posted this in the wrong spot initially)

Seeking feedback on Purple Moon childcare

After many rounds of open houses & preschool tours, we may have found a good fit at Purple Moon on NE Broadway.  Our little one had a good time at the open house and it seemed like a fun and caring environment.  I think that we will be offered the opportunity to enroll there, and before we commit I'd like to see if anyone has any first hand experience with Purple Moon that they can share.  Positives?  Negatives?  Anything?