Frequently Asked Questions


Evergreen is a child development center, not a day care center. Traditional day care centers may or may not have a formal curriculum. Traditional day care centers may or may not have lead teachers who are degreed and certified. At Evergreen, we have a formal curriculum in place, which focuses on age appropriate developmental goals based on standards established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). This curriculum is implemented in each and every classroom by a lead teacher who has been awarded a Bachelor or Associate degree in education or has received the professional designation of Child Development Associate from the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition. We have established benchmarks to help guide our teachers in lesson planning and instructional practices to ensure growth and development academically, socially and emotionally. Click here to visit our curriculum page.



This is an excellent question, because no matter how attractive a building, or how numerous the equipment, the single most important factor in a childcare program is a staff properly trained in the area of early childhood development. Many centers will advise that they have a "certified staff" or "certified teachers". But what does that mean? In New Jersey, you can be certified as a Director without any formal training in early childhood development, you simply need a college degree (in any field) and one year supervisory experience. Our Director has a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education and 13 years directoral experience. There are no formal qualifications for the position of Assistant Director. Our Assistant Director has a Bachelor's Degree in education and 10 years experience in Early Childhood Education. You can be certified as a lead teacher by the state of N.J. with as little as six credits in Early Childhood Education. Our lead teachers all hold college degrees and/or Child Development Associate designations. We are justifiably proud of our staff, which is why we feature them on our website's staff page. Please click here to view our staff profiles.



We believe that children feel most comfortable in a small intimate setting where they are familiar with all the staff members. Unlike the mega centers of the chains and franchises, which are designed to hold 150 to 200 children, Evergreen was designed to be smaller and more intimate and our enrollment is limited to 85 students at any given time. Our full time Director is fully involved in the development goals of each child and our full time Assistant Director is responsible for many of the administrative tasks. Our small size relieves our administrators of daily classroom responsibility and allows them to concentrate on providing the children with a quality educational experience in a warm friendly environment.



In order to accurately assess a child’s progress and development throughout the year, Evergreen utilizes the Preschool Observation Checklist and Evaluation Tool, (POCET). This tool allows us to chart and document a child’s progress in the eight branches of learning (Language, Literacy, Mathematics, Social and Emotional, Creative Arts, Approaches to Learning, Science and Physical Health and Safety). This program is in place in all our classrooms, even the infant room, and parents receive a report of their child’s progress three times per year. Click here to see a sample report.



At Evergreen your child’s health and safety is our primary concern. Our building is secure. Our main entrance is locked and can only be accessed by a staff member or parent who has an electronic key. All classrooms are protected by a state of the art fire suppression system and all exit doors are alarmed and may not be accessed from the outside. Our playground is equipped with commercial grade equipment and the entire playground is covered by an artificial surface with fall zone protection. A six-foot high security fence surrounds the playground and the exit gates are locked on the outside Additionally, all staff members are required to attend training and become certified in CPR and First Aid. To allow you to periodically check in on your child, we offer a webcam system that can be accessed via the internet.



Parent's Magazine has stated that "the gold standard of approval is accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children" (NAEYC). In the state of New Jersey, less than five percent of all childcare centers have obtained NAEYC accreditation. NAEYC accreditation requires a commitment to excellence that few centers are willing to undertake. As a relatively new center, we have not been opened long enough to have obtained accreditation. However, we designed our center and programs with NAEYC in mind and we are currently undergoing the NAEYC review process. We expect to receive our accreditation in 2010.



At Evergreen we believe that enrichment programs are a vital part of a child’s development and should be taught by someone who is professionally trained in the field. Because of this, Evergreen uses outside vendors for our computer, physical fitness and music programs. Our computer program is taught by Computer Tots. Instructors from the YMCA work with our student in the area of physical fitness and gymnastics and our music program is implemented by a college degreed music instructor.. While other centers may offer similar programs, they usually are optional and cost $30 or more per program per month. At Evergreen we believe these are important areas of a child’s development and should not be an option. We do not charge an additional fee for these programs.



We offer an optional program that may be purchased on a monthly or daily basis depending on your child’s likes or dislikes. Click here to see a sample menu. Local Flemington vendors provide all meals.



We believe that we have the most flexible program in the Flemington area. We can arrange a program to fit most anyone’s schedule. We offer two, three, four and five day programs that can be either half-day (ending at 1PM) or full day (ending at 6PM). We can combine these programs to allow you to pick up your child at different times during the week. We also offer an extended hours program to 6:30 PM for an additional fee.



Despite the quality of our program, our rates are usually less than those charged by comparable facilities in the area. Our guarantee to you is this..... If we cannot beat the published rate of any local center with equivalent programs and facilities, we will meet it and give you a 50% discount on the first month's tuition.



When two or more children from the same family are enrolled we offer a 7% discount on the total tuition. Most other centers limit their discount to the lower priced sibling.



There is an annual registration fee of $100 charged in September. Children who enroll in months, other than September, are charged a pro-rated fee. Once or twice per year we may take a field trip and a fee is charged based upon the cost of the event and the cost of the bus. Occasionally, you may be asked to bring in a dish for a special holiday luncheon for the children. If your child is attending our Summer Program there is an activity fee for events such as swimming lessons at the YMCA, field trips, and special events and visitors. There is a $10 per month fee for web cam service.



Evergreen closes the week between Christmas and New Years and for approximately seven holidays throughout the year. Click here to see our holiday schedule.


Privacy Policy
Web Design by J2