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What are the goals of Bright Horizons Educational Programs?

Bright Horizons’ approach to early care and education supports all areas of children’s development, with a heightened emphasis on individualizing their care and learning in the context of their unique families and cultures. Planned, developmentally appropriate learning environments and “school” content elements will be incorporated to emphasize the acquisition of skills across all age groups.

Bright Horizons’ goals include:

• Comprehensive, optimum development of each child: mind, body, social, self, and character
• Preparation for success in life
• Approaching life as an invitation to learn
• Becoming a confident lifelong learner
• Learning skills necessary for school success
• Developing a strong, healthy body and understanding of wellness
• Becoming a competent user of technology
• Developing emotional intelligence: personal power and social skills
• Preparation for academic excellence
• Developing the social and cognitive skills necessary for school success
• Achieving excellence in language and literacy
• Developing an engaged, reflective, inquisitive mind and appreciation of science
• Achieving excellence in logical/mathematical understanding

What resources does Bright Horizons offer to families?

Bright Horizons offers many resources to support families’ efforts to nurture children’s development, be actively involved in their education, and balance work/life demands:

Center Based Resources:

• Family Partnership Group
• Family lending library
• Special family events 
• My Bright Day
• Open-door policy
• Monthly newsletters
• Documentation boards
• Web-Based Resources
• Bright Horizons online community – www.brighthorizons.com/community
• e-family news – www.brighthorizons.com/efamily-news
• Education at Bright Horizons – www.brighthorizons.com/education
• Growing at Bright Horizons – www.brighthorizons.com/growing
• Family Room Blog – https://blogs.brighthorizons.com/familyroom/
• What Happened to My World website – www.brighthorizons.com/talktochildren
• Parent webinar series – www.brighthorizons.com/growing/parent-webinar 

How is breastfeeding managed at the center?

A meaningful benefit of having child care near or at the workplace is the opportunity for a new mother to breast-feed throughout the day. If you are a nursing mother, we are happy to have you visit your infant at any time

How can I be assured my child will be ready for school?

Bright Horizons regularly conducts systematic studies to assess children’s preparedness for entering elementary school as perceived by the children’s parents and elementary school teachers. Through child-directed (emergent) and teacher-guided choices, the emphasis is on reading, writing, math, science, art, social skills, and creative movement. The program helps children approach school and academics with skills, confidence, and the drive for excellence. Key findings from the recent study include:

Enrichments provided at our center:

• Music lessons with Golden Acorn Music, LLC
• KidiYoga lessons with Ms. Parul 
• Soccer with Soccer Shots
• Kidance lessons with Alice
• Art and Science Lab
• Outdoor Classroom focus

Is food included in the tuition?

Two nutritious snacks per day are included in the tuition. Families can bring in a nut-free lunch, or opt to order from My Green Lunch, our catering service. For more information on My Green Lunch, feel free to contact our center. 

Are you allowing prospective parents to visit centers?

Yes! Prospective parents can schedule a center visit by completing our Tuitions and Openings form from our center website. 

How is Bright Horizons ensuring the health and safety of families and staff at our centers?

At all of our centers, rigorous health and safety practices are a foundation of the way we care for children. These include:

• An illness and daily health check policy that strives to mitigate the spread of illnesses
• Frequent cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces and toys; frequent laundering of soft items 
• Regular maintenance of the center, equipment, and supplies, updating and replacing items as needed 
• Secure entrances to all centers 
• Strict handwashing and sanitary policies to prevent the spread of illnesses 
• Curriculum that emphasizes healthy practices for children 

Strict safety and security procedures are designed to keep our families and staff protected. 

What are the educational goals of Bright Horizons?

During your search for the perfect child care partner, this is among the most important questions you can ask.  For over 30 years, we’ve been a company that is guided by our HEART Principles and an unerring belief in putting children first. 

At Bright Horizons, we know that childhood is a treasured time. We believe it is our responsibility to provide environments and experiences that capture the joys of childhood, nurture each child’s individual growth and development, and pave the way for success in school and life. We promise to:

• Nurture and care for the whole child
• Craft and integrated curriculum based on expert research
• Support and develop each teacher
• Implement an emergent, inquiry-based approach to learning
• Cultivate curiosity and creativity through projects, exploration, and play
• Encourage children to be confident experimenters and problem solvers
• Build an inclusive and respectful community
• Create joyful places for childhood

Can children with special needs enroll in a Bright Horizons center?

Yes! Bright Horizons strives to and has successfully accommodated a wide range of special needs and individual differences in our group programs.  We believe in inclusive programs that attempt to meet the needs of a wide range of children and which focus on each child’s strengths. We support a collaborative team approach – the teacher, director, specialists, and parents. The team will work closely together to try to maximize each child’s opportunities for learning, growth, and development, and to attempt to eliminate any barriers or safety issues which a group program may present.

Does Bright Horizons perform background checks on its employees?

The safety of the children in our care is our highest concern.  Bright Horizons maintains stringent hiring practices and conducts criminal background checks on all teachers and caregivers in our centers. This check includes a criminal record search and a cross-reference check to determine prior convictions or other records of criminal activity that would call into question an employee’s’ suitability to care for children. Additional elements of our required background checks include verification through the Office of Foreign Asset Control and Sexual Offender Database Search. The frequency for updating criminal background checks for employees depends on state or other center-specific requirements.

What is The World At Their Fingertips?

Our research-based World at Their Fingertips® curriculum meets children where they are developmentally, with Signature Practices that build confidence and excitement about learning at every age and stage. In every classroom, our goal is to help children do more than learn; it’s to cultivate the joy of learning. And our emergent approach — teaching skills by leveraging a child’s own interests — enables teachers to tailor activities and projects for the specific talents and needs of each child in the class. Learn more about our specialized programs for babies, toddlers and preschool children, and how we prepare children for school and life beyond. 

Are all staff trained in CPR and First Aid?

All Bright Horizons center staff are trained in CPR and first aid.  Once an employee is hired, they are required to fulfill 16 hours of training through our new employee orientation. This training takes place over a two-day period, where the employee spends time observing each age group in the center. Teachers must successfully complete first aid and CPR training, in addition to local licensing and/or Department of Health requirements (e.g., food handler safety card.)

I'm interested in applying for a job at this center. Is there someone I can contact?

Absolutely!  Named one of Fortune Magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For  20 times, we are proud of the environment we create for our educators.  We are always looking for great teachers, and offer competitive benefits and innovative programs. like our Horizons Teacher Degree program.  For job listings and to complete the application process, please visit the Bright Horizons jobs and careers page at www.brighthorizons.com/careers . 

Where can I learn more about other Bright Horizons locations?

We have many centers across the US, and each center reflects the unique personality of its leadership and community.  To find the best fit for you and your family find a child care center near you.

I'm not quite ready to enroll in the center but I am interested in continuing to hear about what is happening at the center. How can I get information more regularly?

We encourage any family interested in center information, regular updates, and invitations to the many events we are planning, to contact us.

What is NAEYC accreditation?

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has developed standards to define and recognize quality child care programs. In order to be accredited, a child care program must meet a variety of strict criteria, including having a well-trained faculty, good staff-child ratios and group sizes, and a comprehensive curriculum, as well as meet stringent health and safety standards. The program must also provide meaningful opportunities for family involvement.

What if I’d like to enroll but the center doesn’t have space available?

Finding the right daycare and early education solution can be a lengthy process. Our best recommendation is to start early! Even if your preferred Bright Horizons center doesn’t currently have space available, we still recommend registration for your first choice center.  At Bright Horizons, you can register at up to three locations. Once registered, we will add you to our wait list and you will be offered a space as soon as one is available. For many families on a wait list, Bright Horizons offers the ability to enroll at a nearby center on a temporary basis, or until your first choice center becomes available. If you’d like further advice on how to find the best preschool for your family, take a listen to our webinar on finding a quality preschool program.