Thanks for the question. We are open year ’round. Some families do not need care during the summer so they make arrangements for that during the enrollment process. Families pay tuition for the weeks they contract care for, distributed evenly over the months you need care.

Employees of the Washtenaw Intermediate School District who enroll at our W.I.S.D. location pay a reduced rate. We don’t have a sibling discount for tuition but there is only one registration fee per family.

Hope Vestergaard
Web Editor

Another question is,”is sibling discount or discount for certain employers available?”

Thank you!

If you are interested in having summers off, you can sign a contract for the school year and another following the summer, based on availability. We usually can’t “hold a spot” open during the summer for a fall return, but often it works out that another spot will open up close to the time needed. Discussing this need/option with the director well in advance is a good plan.

Please contact us at the general line (734.761.2576) if you would like to arrange a tour and don’t know which location is ideal for you, or you may contact the director at any center that you know you would like to view.

- Hope Vestergaard
web editor

Thanks for asking. We currently have half-day programs for preschoolers at Mt. Vernon, Traver, and Oak Valley. If you would like more info about any of our centers or other programs, please contact our Family Services Coordinator at info@gretchenshouse.com.

Thanks!

Thanks for your interest. Based on our experiences, we ask that children attend Gretchen’s House a minimum of two days/week. If a child attends less often, the transition process can be more difficult because the days are too far apart for young children to be able to establish it as “routine.” Our minimum of two days not only allows more time for the child to become comfortable with their new surroundings and form new friendships in the classroom, but also allows adequate time for teachers to get to know him/her. The cost of toddler care for two days/week is currently $709/month, which includes breakfast, lunch, two snacks per day and diapers.

Michele Davis
Human Resources Director

When people speak of diversity, they often mean race or ethnicity – the attributes that are easily visible. You are correct, however, that there are many aspects to the topic of diversity that need to be recognized in order to provide an environment where similarities and differences are appreciated and celebrated.

The most important thing any adult can do to promote diversity is to maintain an attitude of respect and openness with all people. Our curriculum approach and program philosophy are based on mutual respect between children, parents and teachers.

We are fortunate to be located in communities where the population itself offers diversity. We have many families who have moved to our area from other countries, and they bring with them the traditions, foods, clothing, and habits of daily family living that enrich our smaller Gretchen’s House community. Of the hundreds of families we serve, some include mom, dad and a couple of children. Others are made up of grandparents raising children, or families with two moms or two dads. We value the partnership we have with all parents, and we promote open communication with families.

We address the issue of diversity on a very practical, concrete level because that is how children process ideas in the early years. We avoid the “tourist” approach to diversity, because that view often relies on stereotypes and gives children a false, often inaccurate view of another culture. In other words, you won’t see us doing “Mexico week” in our programs. As with any curriculum topic, children only learn from meaningful experiences that allow them to explore their interests at their own developmental level.

So instead, we invite families to share their traditions with us. This could mean a simple cooking project for a holiday, but it could also be as simple as bringing in empty food boxes to be used in the house area. We decorate our rooms with artwork families bring from other countries, and we make sure that our books, toys and other materials represent people of many races, genders or capabilities in a variety of roles. Our parent manual has been translated into several different languages, including Japanese, Mandarin, and Hindi. Our assessment tool is also available in a Spanish translation.

Our Teacher Support Coordinator provides resources to parents and teachers, as well as materials or adaptive equipment for children with special needs who are enrolled in our program. We participate with Champions for Children and Child Care Network to provide care for children who are receiving state or private scholarships to attend our programs.

Thanks so much for addressing this topic – it’s important for parents to know the many ways they can promote diversity with their children.

Heidi McFadden
Executive Director

Gretchen’s House is very committed to diversity of all sorts…so much so that it occurs to me now that we haven’t taken time to highlight it in our materials. It’s very much a matter of business as usual for us, but your question makes me realize that we can do a better job of showing the community what we do to encourage diversity. Our executive editor will do a better job than I can explaining the specifics so you can expect a follow-up from her in this space soon.

Hope Vestergaard
web editor