Little Friends Early Learning Center Information Guide
We are conveniently located on Route 125 in Freeport, ME (122 Wardtown Road). The center is situated 3.5 miles from I-95 Exit 22, and approximately 4 miles from L.L. Bean.
The learning center’s country setting offers ample opportunities for outdoor play. Children enjoy our large backyard, wooden play system, and four-season outdoor play house.
Our goal is to help every child to experience the joy of learning. We strive to teach the whole child by fostering social, emotional, physical, and cognitive growth. We treat children as individuals and try to help them to reach their full potential. Children learn through play and social interaction with peer and teachers. Age-appropriate, teacher-directed, early-learning activities are supplemental. The program is designed to help each child achieve age-appropriate development by kindergarten entrance.
A curriculum guide is available on the LF website. LF is trained in the Maine Early Learning Development Standards (MELDS).
Our center is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
The center accepts enrollment for children ages 12 months through 5 years.
We provide care for as many as eight children (with two staff members) in the infant/toddler room and as many as 16 children (with two staff members) in the pre-school room.
I have worked as a child-care professional for more than two decades, including two years as an elementary-school teacher and over 29 years as the owner of a day-care center. I also hold a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and have two children of my own. The lead teacher in each classroom has a degree in the field of Education. Our assistant teachers have experience, training, some college courses, and a love for children. The staff is trained yearly in CPR and first aid, a Healthy and Safety course, and mandated reporting training. They also participate in staff meetings, take courses, and keep updated in current research in the field of early childhood education. Staff achieve at least 30 hours of training time yearly.
We feel that children benefit from interaction and active play. Therefore, television is used at the center only for special occasions.
We welcome you to come and visit your child. Parents/Guardians volunteer to be guest readers, guest cooking class instructors, and guest teachers (share an arts and crafts activity or learning game). Many parents/guardians also join the children at snack times on their child’s birthday celebration. Little Friends understands with greater communication and sharing we can improve the child, family, and school connection. We also provide monthly On Call Times, Daily Notes, and have a LF text line for enhanced communication. We encourage and welcome communication and participation in your child’s day!
Parents will receive a daily note about their child. Parents are offered monthly on call times with primary providers. Parents will receive text message updates and information for center activities and reminders. Text messages can also be sent regarding individual students for parent updates. The text line is for brief information, please use on call times for conversations and questions or email the director for conferences.
Please visit the LF website and review the Emergency protocols document. Parents will be notified of any emergency via TEXT ALERT. Should this happen, please do not text back, it is vital for staff to get all the information to all parents. Please do not jam up the text phone. Follow-up details will be sent out as soon as possible. Staying or returning to school will be evaluated by staff and responders. Text alerts will again be sent out regarding returning to school timeline.
All members of the LF staff are mandated reporters as established by Maine State law. Staff are required to report any suspected instances of child abuse or neglect. Staff are required to keep confidentiality other than reporting to the Director. This includes reporting any person responsible for the child, including staff. The procedures in place for reporting child abuse and neglect protect both the rights of the accused and the children in the program.
LF staff schedules ensures there is never a staff left alone at the Center. Staff can always rely on the Director to assist or can call emergency contact as listed in the Emergency Guide if needed.
Maine State rules require at least one hour of rest time for children on the full day schedule.
https://www.maine.gov/doe/about/contact
You may also speak with your child’s pediatrician about any concerns and they can refer you to CDS
Center for Disease Control
https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/
2-1-1 Maine 2-1-1 or 877-463-6207
https://211maine.org/
211 is a free, confidential information and referral service that connects people of all ages across Maine to local services. 211 Maine is based in Maine and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
(Maine State Licensing Rules)
Rights of Children. Children receiving childcare from Child Care Facilities have the following rights:
- Children must be free from emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse, neglect and exploitation.
- Each Child has the right to freedom from harmful actions or practices that are detrimental to the Child’s welfare, and to practices that are potentially harmful to the Child.
- Each Child has a right to an environment that meets the health and safety standards in this rule.
- Each Child must be provided child care services without regard to race, age, national origin, religion, disability, sex or family composition.
- Children must be treated with dignity, consideration and respect in full recognition of their individuality. This includes the use of developmentally appropriate practices by the Child Care Facility.
- Each Child has the right to the implementation of any plan of service that has been developed for that Child in conjunction with community or state agencies by the Child Care Facility.
- Each Child has the right to Developmentally Appropriate activities, materials, and equipment.
- Children with disabilities have the right to reasonable modifications to Child Care Facility policies and practices.
Rights of parents and legal guardians of children receiving child care from Child Care Facilities:
- A Child’s Parent or Legal Guardian must be fully informed of items or services which are included in the rate they pay for childcare services.
- A Child’s Parent or Legal Guardian has the right to be fully informed of findings of the most recent inspection conducted by the Department. The Child Care Facility must inform Children’s Parents or Legal Guardians that the licensing inspection results are public information and inspection results must be posted in a prominent place on the Premises.
- Parents or Legal Guardians must be notified by the Child Care Facility within two business days of any actions taken against the Child Care Facility by the Department, including but not limited to, decisions to issue conditional Licenses, refusal to renew a License, or to impose fines or other sanctions.
- Redirect: We try to involve a child in an appropriate activity, while distracting him or her from behavior that is problematic.
- Ignore and Notice: We generally ignore negative attention-seeking behavior, but always notice and verbally reinforce positive behavior. This technique is used only when the “negative” behavior is not harmful or disruptive to the other children.
- Say "Not Okay": We use the phrase, “That is not okay,” as a gentle reminder that a behavior is not acceptable at the center. We then recommend another activity that is appropriate for the child.
- Offer Choices: We often give the older children a choice of two ways to alter inappropriate behavior. We suggest one option that puts the child in control and another that places the teacher in an authoritative role. Both options will ultimately discontinue the troublesome behavior.
- Cool Down: The teacher may temporarily separate a child from the group for the purpose of mediation, not punishment. Children may also self-remove in order to regain self-control.
Exclusion
Behaviors that result in a need for care that is greater than staff members can provide without compromising the health and safety of other children may require exclusion and/or a specific follow-up management plan.
Illness Policy
Returning to Little Friends after illness- 2024 still marks a very different time in our program. Significant steps must be taken to protect the health and safety of everyone at LF. LF will be following the recommendations from the CDC.
PCR vs Rapid Testing - Please note the updated guidelines from OCFS/DHHS does not distinguish or mandate pcr testing over rapid testing.
Health Screening - LF will be following the Illness policy as stated in the LF Parent Guide (on the website for reference). This is a move away from the State mandated Covid Health Screening. The only significant difference between the screenings/policies are allowable non-persistent, non-producing coughs. (Previously any all coughs were not allowable). Please administer a rapid test prior to attending school for any occurring cold symptoms/illness symptoms for added safety measures.
If your child does not pass the illness policy guidelines, the child may return to LF after the unwell child is symptom free for 24 hours with no fever reducing medication and a negative rapid test administered the morning of scheduled return to school.
DR Visit- Your child may still have symptoms that require a Dr visit, such as ear checks, or sore throat swabs, rash examination, fever, or stomach illness explanation. These scenarios fall under the normal illness exclusion protocol already in place under the LF illness guidelines. In either scenario a child must stay home until well enough to attend school.
A negative rapid test does not override the illness policy. Such as “a child should be kept home if cold symptoms include green/yellow or excessive discharge, severe coughing, or difficulty breathing”.
Individualization of child specific non-contagious chronic symptoms (allergies for example) will be treated on an individual basis.
Household member positive for Covid - The exposed child must agree to rapid testing days 1-7 prior to attending school. Child must be asymptomatic to attend.
Exposed to Covid non household member - A child exposed to Covid can continue to attend LF if the child is asymptomatic.
Positive for Covid - CDC is recommending ending isolation when symptoms are improving and symptom/fever free for 24 hours. LF will still require 3 days of isolation from the day the child tests positive. Day zero is the day the child test positive. A child can return to LF after 3 days and symptom free for 48 hours.
Covid at Little Friends- should a case occur at LF all families will be informed via email.
Rapid Tests - LF is requesting rapid tests for any questionable symptom or when returning to school after illness. Thank you.
Childcare Agreement
Schedule of Payment
The fee is to be paid weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, by Venmo ( preferred) check or cash can be paid monthly only. A late fee of $5.00 will be charged for any late payment. Payment is due on the last day of the week your child attends. Exceptions will be made if your child is absent due to illness or emergency. Please plan to pay promptly upon your child’s return.
Please note that all accounts are paid in advance, toward the following week or month of care.
The fee is still required when a child is absent due to vacation, sickness, school closings, or other personal reasons.
There is a fee of $100.00 to enroll. There is an annual $50.00 fee due in September for re-registration.
The charge for returned checks is $35.00.
Holidays and Vacations
The fee is still required on the following holidays and vacation times when the center is closed: Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day (July Fourth) Break, Columbus Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Break, Christmas Break (determined by the Freeport Public School calendar, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day,) 1 week paid vacation in April (also in accordance with the Freeport School calendar), as well as 2 staff days during the months of March and June.Late Fee
Part-Time Enrollees
Reduction, Change of Enrollment, Withdrawal
Contract Signature and Agreement
Snow Days
Early Release/Delayed Opening
Emergency Closings
Parents are required to conduct a health screening assessment at home prior to the child being dropped of at Little Friends.
Have "Health screening assessment" linked to new form on Forms page called the same. Form is attached.
Transition into LF
Children often reflect the affect and attitude that they see and hear from their parents. If a parent is anxious, worried, or nervous a child will sense this and they too will be anxious, worried, and nervous. LF has found a simple, brief goodbye coupled with positive communication is most successful.
Notification of Child’s Absence
Drop Off, Pick Up
Parents/ guardians assume responsibility of their child at all times when on school property, including indoor and outdoor play areas as well as the driveway.Parents agrees to keep child’s personal items and toys at home.
Parents/guardians will inform the center in advance if a child cannot be brought or picked up at the regular time.
Parents/guardians must call, text, and/or leave written permission to allow a child to be picked up by anyone other than the adults specified on the “emergency contact” form.
Please help us ease your child’s transition to Little Friends each day by communicating your needs at drop-off and pick-up times. The staff is willing to assist as needed on an individual basis. We ask that parents avoid the rest time for pick-up/drop-off, as this tends to disrupt the other children. We also ask that parents strive to arrive at the center by 9:00. If you cannot drop off by 9:00, please wait until 9:30 so as not to disrupt circle time.
Parents/Guardians assume responsibility of a child until a teacher receives your child at drop off at the gate or once contact is made with your child at the gate at pick up. When you pick up a child at the gate your must remain with the child. Children are safest when they do not access to the gate which is why we teach that ONLY parents/guardians and teachers may open and close the gate. Thank you for your help in this regard.
Emergency at School
Cases of Illness
Appropriate Dress
Change of Contact Information
Materials to Be Provided
Birthdays
Written Notification/Withdrawal Policy
Inquire About Our Early Learning Programs
Rate Schedule
- Daily…$78.00
- Full- Time…$325.00
- *Half-Day… $61.00
- Daily…$75.00
- Full-Time…$310.00
- *Half-Day…$59.00
- Daily…$72.00
- Full-Time… $295.00
Application and Registration - $100.00
Yearly Renewal Registration Fee - $100.00
(Due in September)
$10 thank you (additional day plus $10)
Little Friends Early Learning Center
Jane Purdy, Owner/Director
Hours of Operation
Payment Options