There’s a tangible feeling of people relating to people when you walk through the classrooms at Dream Station, the early childhood learning center located on Pleasant Street near the Ashland train station.
“It’s a family atmosphere,” Michelle McGrath, center director, stated. “It’s important to us to focus on relationships. We like having a connection with our families, and we invest in our teachers, personally and professionally. Everybody matters.”
Preschool teacher Kelly Marshall experienced this kind of personal investment firsthand as she encountered family difficulties. “I don’t know what I’d do without my Dream Station family,” Marshall stated. “I love them.”
The Dream Station opened in 2005. McGrath has served as the center’s director since 2013.
Twenty-year-old Courtney Brown, a Holliston resident and college student, started at the Dream Station as a seasonal teacher for the December holidays. “Michelle’s a great boss,” Brown quipped with a smile, although McGrath readily added, “I’m more of a supporter.” Brown’s experience was so meaningful she switched her major to early childhood education. She just joined the Dream Station team, and will fit college classes around her work schedule.
Another teacher is taking a month’s leave to travel, and McGrath is happy to accommodate. “The core team is pretty stable, because they appreciate being part of a family community,” McGrath added.
Awakening Potential in Each Child
Dream Station teachers focus on helping youngsters learn self-help and social-emotional skills through individual and group play. They provide a safe and engaging environment for young teens, too.
“We’re helping to formulate the foundation of every child’s life by teaching them the life-long basics of communication, respect and confidence,” McGrath added. “As we instill these qualities in children, they will grow into productive, self-aware adults.”
A One-Stop Shop
The learning center houses a variety of educational interactions for children as young as 6 weeks through 13 years of age.
The Group Care Program caters to infants, toddlers and preschoolers, each with a specific, structured track. Children experience a nurturing environment that enables learning and creativity through play. A curriculum is designed specifically so each child learns at his pace.
Summer School Program
June 27th launched the Dream Station’s popular Summer School program, which runs through August 26th and offers students entering first through seventh grade an amazing variety of hands-on learning experiences.
Families from Holliston take advantage of a week-by-week enrollment or sign up for the full nine-week summer program. A one-time $50 fee is assessed for any new enrollee. Weekly rates are $225 and shorter stays are available.
Themes for the five-day programs include arts or science-based activities and off-campus trips to local state parks for hiking, swimming, and organized sports.
On-campus treats include a bounce house, petting zoo, and visits from a magician and storyteller. The summer culminates in a circus-type event to which all students’ families are invited.
Before and After
School Care
During the academic year, parents of youth ages 5 through 13 take advantage of the Before and After School Child Care program. Children are dropped at the center at 7 a.m., Monday through Friday, in order to catch a bus to their elementary or middle school. “With morning care,” McGrath added, “we help set the tone for the child’s day. We send each child off with a smile on their face. It can turn around their whole day.”
After school care begins at 3:30 p.m. and involves time for youngsters to eat a snack, do homework, and enjoy the state-of-the-art playgrounds. The center closes at 6 p.m.
A Successful Team
McGrath, Sarah Vallee and Casey Bishop complete the Dream Station administrative team. They work closely with 26 teachers and five seasonal helpers who nurture, educate and care for upwards of 200 youngsters. All employees are CPR-trained and First Aid-certi
Issue Date:
July, 2016
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