can be a difficult and daunting experience. It is also one of the most important decisions you will make for your child during his or her early years. To better serve you, the Guild of St. Agnes offers child care in both Center Based and Family Child Care programs. Infant care is provided to children from the age of four weeks to fifteen months, toddler care, from fifteen months to two years, nine months and preschool care from two years nine months to age five. The Guild supports your role as your child's first teacher. Daily communication ensures contintuity of care between your home and our teachers. We provide you with regulr progress reports and plan several activities during the year to bring staff and parents together in a social environment. We are also available for conferences. For more information go the the "Contact Us" tab.
Center-Based Care Curriculum:
Our child care centers offer developmentally appropriate curriculums, all accredited by the National Association for Education of Young Children. The Guild uses the "learning center model" to develop the social-emotional, cognitive, and physical characteristics of our children. Our educators play the critical role of nurturing and interacting with the children to enhance their development.
All centers are licensed by the Department of Early Education and Care and are supervised by the Director and/or Assistant Director. All Lead Preschool Educators have earned a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field. Each classroom is equipped with educational toys and materials which are appropriate for the age group of the children. All centers have an enclosed outdoor play space for each age group.
All of our programs use Teaching Strategies GOLD, an assessment, reporting and planning system. This system helps track what your child is doing and to plan meaningful activities that match his or her strengths, needs, and interests. In some centers, we utilize the online version of this program.
Infant and Toddler Programs:
The children learn and grow by experiencing their surroundings through their senses and social interactions, by physically moving around and being cared for by loving, attentive adults. Teaching and learning through verbal and physical interactions, we focus on language development; cultural and human relations (sharing, taking turns); concepts (up/down, in/out); colors, shapes and sizes; science (water, ice); developing gross motor skills (balls, riding toys, mats); and fine motor skills (manipulating objects, puzzles, crayons, painting).
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Preschool Programs:
Stimulating, engaging learning materials are available so your child can explore and enjoy learning. Since young children learn best through play and by direct interactions with objects they can see and touch, classrooms are designed as learning centers, with objects, and a variety of materials that allow children to make decisions on their own, thus learning through playful interactions. These include blocks and toys, a dramatic play and art center, music, sensory play, a reading/book corner a writing center and a science center.
Our preschool program works on the following key aspects of school readiness:
Forming stable relationships with adults who are emotionally invested in each child
Creating group settings that offer peer interactions and the opportunity to learn social skills
Providing educators who follow predictable, consistent routines daily
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Educators' Qualifications:
The Guild of St. Agnes has a highly credentialed team of educators with long terms of service. Of the 150 professional child care staff at our six centers, 6 hold graduate degrees, 49 have earned a bachelors degree, 26 have an associates degree and 27 staff members are currently enrolled in degree programs. Annually we offer training meetings so that all staff keep up to date on state and federal policies as well as current findings and trends in the early childhood and youth education fields.
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Family Child Care Programs:
In addition to our center-based care, the Guild of St. Agnes offers family child care. This option allows parents to place their children in a smaller, more intimate setting in a family child care educator's home. This program offers care to a small group of children ages 6 weeks to 12 years in individual homes licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. Each Family Child Care educator is sub-contracted by the Guild of St. Agnes.
The mission of the Guild of St. Agnes, is to provide families with quality, affordable, early childhood and school aged education programs in a safe, nurturing environment for children 6 weeks to 12 years. Each provider has been licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, is current in CPR and First Aid, participates in the USDA sponsored Child and Adult Food Care Program (CACFP), and attends 20 hours of training offered by the Guild of St. Agnes and training held throughout the greater Worcester community. Our programs use Teaching Strategies GOLD an assessment, reporting, and planning system. This system helps us to track how your child is doing and plan meaningful activities that match his or her strengths, needs, and interests.
The Guild of St. Agnes has a network of over 100 independent sub-contracted childcare educators located throughout Worcester County serving hundreds of children.
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School Age Programs:
The Guild of St. Agnes offers school age programs for children located in Devens, Fitchburg, Gardner and Worcester. During the school year the Guild operates after school programs at six of the Worcester Public Schools.
Open to children enrolled in kindergarten through grade 6, the programs are designed to meet the full range of each child's developmental, social and emotional needs. Our programs enhance the connection between your child's school day and the Guild's after school curriculum. Homework assistance, enrichment and recreational activities along with health and life skills training make up our daily activities. It is our philosophy that children who are safe and feel nurtured will become responsible and resilient adults in the future.
Worcester Public school programs include: Quinsigamond, Tatnuck, Union Hill, Vernon Hill, Woodland Academy and Worcester Arts Magnet. We are pleased with our partnership with the public schools.
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School Age Curriculum:
Creativity, flexibility and individuality are the qualities that guide our school age curriculum. When planning our program our educators seek a balance of activities which focus on academics (including homework help), enrichment activities centered around thematic units and recreational activities in which children learn cooperation and leadership skills. Through social interaction children work as a team to develop tolerance, acceptance and respect for others.
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Transportation:
The Guild of St Agnes is unique among area childcare centers in that we provide our own transportation, year round, on a daily basis; mornings and afternoons. This service is not only exclusive to our two Worcester Centers but it also extends to our programs in Whitinsville, Spencer, Gardner, Devens and Fitchburg. In addition afternoon transportation is also provided from the Public Schools to our after school programs at our child care centers.
The Guild operates a fleet of school buses and passenger vans. Our drivers are all properly licensed, and drivers and monitors are all CPR and First Aid certified.
The Transportation Department is an integral part of the Guild Centers. By providing safe, reliable transportation, we are able to reach out to large areas, in Worcester County and beyond, assisting working parents in preserving their work schedules.
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Inclement Weather Policy:
Please listen to the following radio stations for school closings or delays and/or transportation cancellations:
