Hempfield Family Child Development Center

I took ownership of the center in 2004 from the previous owner who had operated it at its current location for about 9 years. I had learned about the unique multi-age emphasis through my profession as an Early Childhood Education Instructor and was intrigued with the homelike qualities of the program and the exceptional dedication of the staff. As the HFCDC community has grown and developed over the years, our vision has remained unchanged: to provide a “home away from home” for children to grow and develop with nurturing adults who care for, guide and challenge them using best 'practices' from the field of early childhood care and education.I know this is happening when:I see the 5 year old sitting next to his 2 year old friend at lunch showing her how to use the tongs to serve herself.I watch the toddlers experimenting with the tennis balls and the ball run as the teacher asks questions to guide their understanding of cause and effect.I observe the preschool children and teachers using their imaginations to create, play and problem solve in our tree stump circle.I observe a child with developmental delays being guided with a gentle hand by her friend.

I began working at HFCDC in 2024 after a career teaching preschool, kindergarten, childhood community health, and developing curriculum for a large organization. I had known Deb for several years and always kept an eye on the curiosity that was being sparked through the HFCDC philosophy. After having two small children, I decided to join the curiosity, bringing my children to experience the awe and wonder of the outdoor classroom and Reggio philosophy. Since joining the HFCDC family, we have very quickly fallen in love with the natural, home-like environment and the daily home cooked meals that are served each day. I personally enjoy the small ratios of teacher to children because it allows relationships to grow. Each child is so unique in their own way. My days are never dull and I thoroughly enjoy my daily interactions with the children, families, and staff that are a part of our HFCDC family!

Trusting a stranger with your child is terrifying. Like a lot of families, we need two incomes to make ends meet. After removing our infant from one child care center because there was no follow through on promises made and the cleanliness was less then desirable, we decided to place her with a private sitter. We were happy with the care and personal attention she was receiving with the sitter. After a few months our sitter’s situation changed and we found ourselves looking yet again for someone to care for our child like we would, if I could be a stay-at-home mom.I was worried, hesitant, and reluctant to call another daycare center after the experience we had with the first location. With doubts, I met with a staff member to tour your facility. I was able to bring my daughter along for the visit. She immediately started to play and make herself at home in the toddler area. Seeing how happy she was helped ease my initial fears. As I spoke with Deb, the owner, more of my doubts were eased. She told me about the daily structure, personal care, and home-cooked food my daughter would receive. We decided to enroll our daughter right away.Over the past few months, every morning and evening when I arrive, I am greeted with a friendly welcome from the staff, a clean atmosphere, and a smiling child. I have no worries that my helpless, trusting, innocent baby is safe and loved. Thank you so much for giving me the peace of mind that my hard- earned money is well spent with your center.

Some things about your center we really appreciate: That we were able to get RJ enrolled very efficiently...we didn't have to 'shop around'... Deb and everyone made the transition of our son staying with family to a daycare center very easy and peaceful!Varied activities and experiences... making applesauce in the fall.... celebrating holidays... time to play outdoors in a safe environment... interacting with the 'older' kids, too...Drop off time can be early AM....That RJ has good relationships with all of his teachers, and he has lots of fun while he's there! Everything he has learned.... basic manners in which he has started doing at home... putting trash in the trash can, saying 'bless you' if someone sneezes... etc...

My five year old has been at HFCDC since she was three and I would send her no other place. I appreciate that my daughter is in good hands. I like that HFCDC is not big on worksheets or a “canned” curriculum. This is not to say my daughter is not learning because she is learning all the time – just not through a worksheet. She learned about the solar system while she and her classmates rotated around each other, she learned about composting by doing it, she learned about metamorphosis, and the parts of a flower….all while still learning how each letter sounds for pre-reading.She enjoys all the unique qualities of her teachers and tells stories about each one of them that help me know that they take special time to get to know her and her interests. She loves school there and although excited for kindergarten will fondly hold her memories at HFCDC.

Our daughter, who was 3 at the time, had always been taken care of by family. Circumstances changed and we needed to find care. We had enrolled our daughter in a larger well known child care center and we were not happy at all and neither was our daughter. Not having been in such a setting before it was a huge transition for her and subsequently very short lived--she never wanted to go. We found HFCDC by paging through the phonebook in complete frustration with child care options. When we came to visit HFCDC, Deb listened to our concerns. She reassured us that the staff would work with us and our daughter to make the transition, and they did. They also have worked with us on some other issues that we have had with our daughter. They have been very flexible and understanding. Our daughter loves 'school' and can't wait to go to see her teachers and friends everyday.What we love about the center is the home-like environment and inviting atmosphere. I absolutely LOVE the fact that they provide breakfast and lunch that is home-made right there (the kitchen is adjacent to the child care area so it smells good and makes it seem like home) and I do not have to pack one! The staff is so friendly and they genuinely care for my child. The center is well organized and clean. I love that for my child's age because it is a multi-age center, there is still a 5:1 child to teacher ratio instead of 10:1, which enables her to have more one-on-one attention. In the summer months there is a wonderful outdoor area for the kids to explore. I think the teachers at the center do a wonderful job teaching the kids through nature and exploration. My daughter comes home and has learned things that I don't even know!!We feel very blessed to have HFCDC in our lives and we truly don't know what we would do without the center! It gives me peace of mind to know that my child is happy and well taken care of when I am at work.

Our three year old son Joshua has been attending the Hempfield Family Child Development Center (HFCDC) for about a year or so. Over time we have gotten the impression that Joshua really loves going to school there.We really think so very highly of the whole staff at HFCDC who, time after time, go above and beyond for the kids and we hope they know how much we appreciate the caring and nurturing learning environment they foster there.We appreciate all the times they had to search for Josh's eye glasses when he threw them into the bushes on a hot summer day, or the times they kept track of his favorite train (Gorden) to play with when he arrived in the morning, or the times they simply reminded us to bring his favorite stuffed animal (Elmo) for nap time. We know the staff at HFCDC really cares.The family approach they use in particular works very well for Joshy and we have seen him truly blossom over the past year with all of the learning activities they have each day. We have a whole collection of his most recent art work proudly displayed on our refrigerator. We look forward to Joshua spending his preschool years at HFCDC and we highly recommend HFCDC to anyone considering a daycare center for their child.