Donna’s Early Learning Family Child Care

Our Teachers

My Name is Donna. I am a mother of three children, and I began my adventure into Early Childhood Education when my oldest child was three years old. My adventure began at the local Head Start. I moved for a short period of time to Texas where I taught two-year old children at a private school. When I moved back to Maryland, I returned to Head Start where I worked until I began my own Family Childcare Program.

Now with 20 years of professional Childcare experience, I have my B.A. in Early Childhood Education and Child Psychology as well as my teacher certification for Preschool thru 3rd grade.

I have taken 100’s of hours of professional development trainings, of which include CPR/First Aide, SIDS, Basic Health and Safety as well Covid-19 safety.

​

Philosophy

In my program, no child is ever turned away based on physical or developmental abilities/disability. I provide activities and lessons that are appropriate for various age groups as well as developmental ability. If something isn’t working for a particular child, I will make accommodations to ensure that every child is included in such a way that their time in my program is beneficial and enriching to them.

 I do my best to provide the best beginning for every child that comes to my program.  It is my goal to ensure that each child learns skills that will not only be beneficial to them as they attend my program but also at home, school and in the community.  They are the future of our country, and I wish to set them up for a successful future. One in which they are confident and willing to try new things, while knowing that it is okay to make mistakes. 
 Each child is as different as a snowflake and therefore, do not all learn in the same manner.  Observations and assessments are completed continuously to ensure that I am allowing each child to learn in a way that is beneficial to them.  It is my responsibility and passion to provide an environment that will make them confident and capable when they enter their public-school journey.
 I do not allow my own personal beliefs about things to hinder my ability to teach and care for children.  I have children from various religious and cultural backgrounds, and I encourage the children as well as the families to share their beliefs.  Being educated in the beliefs and values of others is a great way to understand and appreciate each other and those in our communities. 
When it comes to ensuring that I am providing an enriching environment for every child, in my program I create lessons and activities that will benefit most of the group, modifications are added to lessons for those that may need them.  I then plan activities that can be used with smaller groups or individuals to ensure that they are being included and challenged within their own Zone of Proximal Development (developmental range).

I opened my program to provide affordable yet quality care and education to the children of families in my community. I understand the importance of educating and preparing children for their public-school journey. Much is expected of them when they start school, and I would like to ensure that each of them is as prepared as they can be. I also understand the importance of early detection and prevention of delays. If I can help a parent pick up on a delay early, I can provide them with information and point them in the direction of the appropriate next steps. When families and providers work together the child’s best interest is at heart. Together we can provide your children with the very best start to the rest of their lives.

Location

Located within minutes of interstates 81 and 70. Conveniently close Hagerstown, Maugansville and Leitersburg.

About our program

We are an inclusive play based preschool program that is accredited through that National Association of Family Child Care. We teach the concepts of math, science, engineering, art, social sciences and early literacy through our play-based, child-led curriculum. We use the interests and ideas of the children to plan lessons and studies. This provides opportunities to learn new skills and concepts in ways that keep them engaged and intrigued. The materials are open-ended and invite discovery. Children make their own investigations and draw their own conclusions whenever possible. Acceptance, independence and integrity are a highly important part of each and every day in our classroom. We strive to provide a fun learning environment that fosters a love of learning in each child.

Admissions

Join the Donna’s Early Learning Family Child Care community in three easy steps:

1. Explore our website We’ve provided information about our philosophies and offerings to help you decide if our program may be right for your family.
2. Tour our program Come see what makes Donna’s Early Learning Family Child Care unique. If we are currently hosting tours, you can request or schedule a tour at the top of this page. If we are not currently hosting tours, you’ll see a “Request Info” button at the top of this page; if you submit your information using this button, we will notify you when we start host tours again in the future.
3. Submit an Enrollment Application If you’re interested in enrolling, submit an application by selecting Apply to enroll. If this option if not available, you can message the program director. Please do not apply to enroll until you have set up a tour and visited the program.