Guild of St. Agnes

129 Granite Street
Worcester, MA, 01604
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Phone Number: 
508-756-8371
E-mail: 
kdoe [at] guildofstagnes [dot] org
Open: 
Year round
Hours: 
Monday: 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday: 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday: 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday: 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday: 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Website: 
http://www.guildofstagnes.org
Year Founded: 
1913
Contact: 
Ms. Karen Doe
Director

The mission of the Guild of St. Agnes is to provide families with quality affordable early childhood education programs in a safe, nurturing environment for children 4 weeks to 12 years.

Infant Rates: 
Please call for rates
Infant Openings: 
No
Toddler Rates: 
Please call for rates
Toddler Openings: 
No
Preschool Rates: 
Please call for rates
Preschool Openings: 
No
School Age Rates: 
Please call for rates
School Age Openings: 
Yes
NAEYC Accredidation: 
Yes
Teacher to Child Ratio: 

Infants: 1:3, Toddlers: 1:4, Preschool: 1:10, and School Age: 1:13

Childcare Agency of the Month Questions
What do you want the children in your care to gain while in your program?: 

Confidence in themselves, pro social behavior, learning to live in a diverse world, learning to relate well with others, how to be a good friend and interact positively with peers in group settings.

What sets your Agency apart from the other area Agencies?: 

What sets The Guild of St. Agnes apart from the other area Agencies is:

  1. The longevity of our programs, over 95 years
  2. The culture of seeking and providing education for our children and our teachers
  3. The Guild provides more care for DCF children than any other childcare agency in Massachusetts
  4. The Guild is large. Base on our size we are able provide services in rural and urban settings, we are able to provide more resources for children, families and employees, we are able to provide excellent employee benefits, economy of scale allows us to save dollars.
Do you have the resources to accept special needs children?: 

Yes.

What is your Agency’s educational philosophy?: 

At the Guild of St. Agnes, we provide a safe and loving environment for children ages 4 weeks to 12 years. Our teachers are trained professionals certified through the Department of Early Education and Care, as well as associate and bachelor degreed. We base our philosophy on the theories of Jean Piaget, Howard Gardner and Lev Vygotsky. These theories stated that children learn through play and interaction. We provide learning areas that allow children to interact with peers, adults and the environment.

Children’s learning cycle beginning in awareness, moving to exploring, inquiry and finally utilization. Opportunities are provided for children to explore curriculum topics through hands on activities and play. The curriculum and age appropriate materials allow children to develop though each stage of learning at their own pace.

The teachers are knowledgeable in child development, supportive of children and their families and will plan a curriculum designed to meet the needs of both the individual and the group. The staff will be open to and encourage communications with parents/families. When parents/families and teachers have effective communication, the child will feel safe and secure. Making children feel safe and secure to promote learning is the foundation of the program.

Have you had an “aha” moment with a child and/or a surprising result from the use of a classroom activity?: 

We have a child with Down Syndrome who is also partially non verbal. Teachers have worked with him and other children in the classroom teaching sign language. One particular day a classmate of our “special” child was building a block structure when our “special” child attempted to knock over the structure. The young boy was able to use the sign language for stop and our “special” child did just that.

On another occasion a child told the teacher that his TV needed to be fixed. When the teacher asked him why his TV needed to be fixed he said “because everyone is telling me that the President is black, but on my TV he is brown”.

Is there anything else about your Agency that you would like to be mentioned?: 

Yes, recently we had a consultant review our agency. Comments from his results included:

“More than three quarters of the Guild’s resources are personnel. The approach to and management of these resources is, at this point in the study exemplary.”

“There is a pervasive and remarkably consistent tone that has been reported in twelve interviews of Guild leadership: pride, ownership and a keen sense of membership in the organization.”

“While each staff member said it in their own words, the depth of personal engagement and commitment is remarkable and with little exception resonant throughout.”

 

The Guild of St. Agnes has 2 locations in the Worcester area and several locations outside of Worcester:

155 Green Street, Gardner, taking children ages 4 weeks to 12 years: Director Tina Nylen 978-632-9335

62 Dover Street, Fitchburg, taking preschool and school age children: Director Chris Powell 978-343-3042

Jackson Road, Devens, taking children ages 4 week to 12 years: Director Mary Lou Doherty

88 Masonic Home Road, Charlton, taking children ages 4 week to 12 years: Director Deb Miller 508-434-2345

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