Our Values
Inclusivity - We welcome families of all shapes, sizes, and configurations. We proudly support queer families.
Mindfulness - Our educators exist in the present moment with the children, it’s only by engaging with them in the present moment that we are able to make discoveries alongside them, share excitement, and build mutual respect and trust.
Play Based Learning - Children come pre-programmed with the ability to learn and grow at a rapid pace, this programming is called "play". It’s our duty to allow children to play, play, and play some more and to offer unique and specialized play experiences that work with rather than against this programming.
Community - We strive to connect children to their community and to our environment to build respect for our neighbors and our planet.
Environmental Consciousness - We want children to fall in love with the natural beauty around them. That’s why we treat nature itself as a teacher. Our experiences in the forest will guide the children's questions, our lessons, and hopefully your child’s passions.
Empathy - Young children go through some hard stuff. The trials and tribulations they experience through play are as real to them as our troubles are to us as adults. It’s our job to treat these problems seriously and to authentically empathize and problem solve so that when children face similar problems as adults, they will have developed the neural circuitry necessary to address them.
Respect - We will need to earn children's respect and trust. That trust will only be gained through consistently showing up for them, playing with them, relating to them authentically. When children are shown respect, they learn how to respect others.
Professionalism - Our educators are professionals who are dedicating their lives to the care and of the youngest and most vulnerable humans in society. They deserve to be treated with the same level of care, compassion, and respect that they provide to children every day. That's why our staff receive paid sick days, paid snow days, 4 weeks of paid vacation per year, and a rate of pay that is within the top 15% of early childhood educators nationwide. The best way to ensure that children stay safe and healthy is to ensure that staff are able to take time off when they are sick - the best way to ensure that you and your child have a consistent experience in a pre-kindergarten program is for the program to ensure that employees are well taken care of.
Land Acknowledgement - Fairy Forest is located in the homeland of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The area we know as “Maine” is referred to by indigenous peoples as the “Dawnland”. We acknowledge the property that we operate on as unceded land of the Wabanaki and further acknowledge the concept of property as we understand it to be a colonial construct. Fairy Forest will include age-appropriate books that discuss indigenous stories and wisdom in our classroom.
Our values are critical to the integrity of our program, the safety of families and staff, and to the educational experience of your child. Our program is unique - not everyone will be a great fit and that is okay. The chart below offers a few scenarios that might help you see if your family is a good fit at the Sanctuary. Please feel welcome to reach out to us if you have any questions about fit.
