We are open for care from 7am to 6pm Monday - Friday.
Note: Our hours are temporarily reduced to 8am-5pm Monday - Friday due to Covid-19
We offer full day care 2, 3, 4 or 5 days a week.
We believe in the support of local farmers and commit to providing local, seasonal and, when possible, organic fruits and vegetables. We provide AM and PM snacks that consist of two food groups (ex. fruit and grain, cheese and crackers, yogurt and berries, hardboiled egg and fruit, fresh-baked good which includes both food groups). We provide lunch that includes a fruit, vegetable, grain, protein, and dairy item. We provide organic whole cow's milk to children over one year. If your child is not eating table food, you must provide all puréed food and infant cereal in a clean serving-size bowl labeled with your child's name very clearly marked in permanent black ink for each feeding. If your child is not eating table food, bring formula and breast milk in a clean, sanitized bottle with your child's name very clearly marked in permanent black ink for each feeding. Formula will be reconstituted and ready for feeding. The bottles will be individually warmed in a warming pot and fed on demand. All children under 12 months are held while bottle fed. A lunch menu is posted on our kitchen blog It is our hope that through positive encouragement and peer socializing, children will eat all of the foods provided. As part of our commitment, the owner of Growing Seeds Learning Community has created a farm in Corbett, OR to help provide food for the community: natural, pasture-raised animals and fresh, organic fruits and vegetables.
No. If your child has an allergy to any of the food provided by the Center, you must bring alternative food. It is your responsibility to read the menu, ask questions about what we offer, and communicate with your child's teacher about alternative foods.
A large component of our program is learning about life cycles by giving children hands-on experiences with living things.
We also grow many plants. We start seedlings inside during spring and transplant them to exterior beds where we tend to our gardens: watering, weeding and harvesting the fruits and vegetables.
We allow children daily opportunities to engage in the scientific method: hypothesizing, experimenting, observing and drawing conclusions. Some examples are: "What happens when we leave a piece of cheese or an orange slice in a bowl to sit for a week?" "What happens when you mix vinegar with baking soda or flour or oatmeal?" "What do those mixtures taste like?" "What happens when you add red water to blue water?" "What sinks or floats in a bucket of water?" "What is ice, steam, evaporation & absorption?"
There is a 60-day withdrawal notice required for all enrolled students. We will attempt to fill all spots as soon as notice is given if possible
See our rates section for more details.
No. When a space becomes available, you will be contacted based on the following: the order in which we received the waitlist forms, the age range of the specific classroom with space, and the number of days available.
We offer part-time spaces based on the current availability
Yes. Please visit PDX Waitlist to sign up. Available tours can also be found on the PDX Waitlist site. Prospective Family Tours will be offered regularly during the busy enrollment season so you can see the school and learn more about our program before making your final decision. Please keep in mind we have a 1-2 year waitlist for enrollment.
Note: We are not conducting in person tours due to Covid-19. Please contact the Site Director of the school you are interested in to receive a photo tour.
We ask teachers to make a one-year commitment. We offer competitive wages, benefits, health insurance, continuing education stipends, and provide ongoing professional development.
No. We accept checks.
Every September the children who will enter Kindergarten graduate from the program. These openings allow for transition-age children to move up to preschool and each younger age group to move to the next appropriate room. As children develop relationships with their peers, we believe it is important to maintain these friendships at least until they move to the next level the following September. We prefer that groups of children stay together in cohorts, but occasionally classrooms need to be divided in order to accommodate scheduling changes. When an opening occurs mid-year, we generally offer space to a family off the waiting list.
Yes. Siblings of currently enrolled children have priority over anyone on the waiting list.
Please check your PDX Waitlist account for information regarding the waiting list.
We strongly encourage a gradual entry plan for each student. Ideally, families will have opportunities to meet and interact with the child’s teachers prior to the first full day. This helps the child feel at ease with the transition. It also helps for them to get to know each teacher and their teaching style. When transitioning your child into any classroom, we request at least a 3 day warm up period to help your child adjust. It works best if these days can be within the same week. If your child has not previously been in care away from you, a longer transitional period will most likely be necessary. Based on your preferences (your family’s schedule and availability, your child’s previous experiences in care, and the process of the actual transition), you and your child’s teacher will work together to create an individualized plan for the transition.
The school provides cotton cloth diapers for all children requiring diapers. We are committed to this practice to help reduce the waste of disposable diapers and minimize our impact on the environment. We also believe that children who wear cloth diapers (versus disposables) have fewer issues with diaper rash and chaffing because cotton is naturally breathable. Parents provide "go home diapers", wipes and diaper creams for use at the school. These items must be clearly labeled with your child's name.
Our program budget (including staff pay, materials, bills, and so on) is based on receiving full tuition from all children enrolled. Therefore, we offer no refunds for illness, scheduled school closures, closures due to inclement weather or power outages, holidays, vacations, or staff illness. We do not refund any prepaid tuition. We have annually-scheduled closures that are based on State and Federal holidays as well as the operational needs of the Center. Refer to the annual list of closure days posted within the building for the most accurate information.