In 1970 a group of Middlebury residents decided that the community needed a safe supportive program for the children of families who needed to work outside of the home. They wanted to ensure that children, particularly the children of struggling single mothers, were being well cared for. Today that program, Mary Johnson Children's Center, is a leader in early childhood education both in the county and in the state.
The Center is home to several programs which support children and families. Reflecting the goals of its founders, the Center strives to meet the needs of working families who use the Center and who represent the economic and cultural diversity of our community.
The Center is home to several programs which support children and families. Reflecting the goals of its founders, the Center strives to meet the needs of working families who use the Center and who represent the economic and cultural diversity of our community.
Services
The Early Childhood Program is housed in a renovated and expanded 19th century farmhouse that reflects the Center's belief in the importance of beauty, light, the environment and natural materials in the lives of young children. The Center's early childhood program serves children from 7 months to 5 years.
Mary Johnson Children's Center operates several licensed school age programs around Addison County, hosted at elementary schools. These provide safe environments, nurturing relationships and enriching experiences for children and youth ages 5-12 on a daily basis. There are also summer full-day camps and a variety of special-interest enrichments offered annually by the Center's School Age Care Programs.
Mary Johnson Children's Center participates in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) through the USDA. This program allows for partial reimbursement for the cost of meals and snacks provided in child care programs. We offer children at Mary Johnson two meals and one snack each day, breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack.
Selecting childcare is one of the most important decisions you will ever make for your child and your family. Finding childcare can sometimes be frustrating and frightening. Ginny Sinclair, the Referral Specialist at Mary Johnson Childcare Services can help families, at no cost, learn about the childcare options that are available in the Addison County community.
We know that paying for childcare can be a challenge. Fortunately, help for qualifying families is available through a variety of confidential, state funded programs. 1. Working families or parents attending school and training programs, including Reach-Up, high school students and college undergraduates.
