Educare Newsletter

Behind every great school readiness story is someone who chose to show up, again and again, for children they may never meet. That's the spirit behind our Legacy of Learning recognition program, honoring donors whose cumulative giving has reached $10,000 or more with engraved wooden leaves on the stunning tree mural in The Commons at Educare Central Maine.

We're proud to share that our first group of leaves has been installed — a beautiful, lasting tribute to the supporters who believe, deeply and consistently, that every child deserves a strong start.

We invite you to come see the tree for yourself — and perhaps imagine your own leaf among its branches.

If you'd like to learn more about this opportunity or how your support can grow into a lasting legacy at Educare Central Maine, we'd love to connect. Contact Shelley Swett to explore the many ways you can be part of this living, growing tribute to our community's youngest learners.

Shelley K. Swett, CFRE

(207) 680-7219 | [email protected]

This years’s Data Night was a powerful reflection of the care, intentionality, and dedication our teams bring to collecting, analyzing, and sharing data at every level of our program. Through thoughtfully designed charts, interactive displays, and classroom “data doors,” our school highlighted how information is gathered across teams and used to tell the story of children’s growth, learning, and development.

At our core, data is more than numbers—it is a critical tool that guides reflection and informs decision-making. By consistently reviewing and discussing data, we are able to make responsive, informed choices that strengthen our practices and better support children, families, and our broader community. Our approach reflects a strong commitment to being both data-informed and relationship-centered.

We extend our sincere gratitude to our valued community partners who helped make the evening so meaningful—from our local children’s museum to area colleges and generous donors. Your partnership is essential to this work, and we are deeply appreciative of your continued support.

Two examples of data doors can be seen at right. One tallies the number of hours spent outside and shows different nature activities. The other shows the number of snacks and meals the Educare kitchen serves in a six month period and the dishes washed daily.

Joe Bumps was on the original crew that built Educare Central Maine more than 16 years ago. He recently visited and was delighted to see how the hard work of everyone involved in bringing Educare to reality was benefitting children and families.

An added bonus for Joe...his daughter, Jasmine Bumps, is the Educare Central Maine Nutrition Services Supervisor, a position she moved into recently after serving as a Cook/Team Lead for four years.

Classroom Happenings

In Maine, the arrival of warmer days and freezing nights signals maple sugaring season. In anticipation of Maine Maple Sunday, one of our infant-toddler classrooms explored the process of tapping maple trees. With guidance from their teachers, children identified maple trees, helped tap them, and collected sap over the course of a week.

Through daily observations and hands-on participation, the children experienced the transformation of sap into syrup, safely watching as it boiled and changed. They also learned that it takes approximately 40 gallons of sap to produce just one gallon of maple syrup. Their efforts resulted in 8 ounces of syrup made from sap they collected themselves.

The experience culminated in a shared cooking activity, where children prepared and enjoyed ployes—a traditional Acadian flatbread—topped with their homemade syrup.

Throughout the process, children practiced gross motor, measuring and cooking skills and learned about the science behind turning sap into syrup. This meaningful experience reminds us that learning is richest when it's hands-on, seasonal and shared!