Nurturing Love & Security
As Your Partner In Making Your Child’s School Memories Bright
Nurturing Love & Security
As Your Partner In Making Your Child’s School Memories Bright
Honoring Children Is Our Everyday Practice
We respect each child and know that all children come to us with unique gifts. We embrace these gifts in a multicultural educational environment full of love, nurturing, and security.
Free Exploration Builds Confidence & Independence
All children make choices as they grow and discover the world around them. Your child develops pride in their achievements and accomplishments and confidence to go along with their growing independence.
Social-Emotional Learning Fosters Character & Respect
During their time at Bright Start, your child thrives socially, emotionally, cognitively, and creatively. They develop social character and good citizenship through learning kindness, manners, and respect for themselves and others.
Teacher-Guided Lessons Pique Intellectual Curiosity
Teachers use individually planned, developmentally appropriate learning and play experiences to jumpstart your child’s intellectual curiosity. Personalized lesson plans feed their individual interests for a truly unique educational experience.
From Modest Beginnings To Innovative Futures
Bright Start began as a home-based daycare business in 2002, which has flourished into an inclusive and diverse bilingual early care and learning center. We are your child's home away from home. Our early care program serves children from ages 6 weeks to 35 months, and our preschool is a STEAM-integrated (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) program serving children ages 3 to 5 years old.
Our Preschool Program is FREE for District of Columbia residents who are 3 years old before September 30, or 5 years after September 30 of the school year. Enrichments boost our academic curriculum and include:
- Harambee drumming with Baba Ras D.
- A partnership with The Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts™, which provides children birth to age 5 with early exposure to drama, music, and movement.
- Yoga, Soccer, and Zumbini.
- City Blossoms’ Early Growers program, which runs an onsite school gardening program that lets your little one tend to herb and veggie gardens.
- 9-week STEAM-based summer camp for ages 3-8.
Setting A High Bar For Parent Engagement
As partners in your child’s early care and learning, we communicate through the Preschool2me© app. Teachers share your child’s activities, pictures, videos, and milestones daily and developmental progress quarterly. Parent workshops and social gatherings are also part of our playbook.
In our Preschool Program, we communicate through TeachingStrategies® and parents receive a weekly summary of their child’s work and activities. We share developmental progress every quarter and hold conferences to discuss any questions, achievements, and areas of concern.
We are also:
- Nationally accredited through the NAC (National Accreditation Commission)
- Capital Quality DC Childcare Quality-rated
- Recipients of a 2021 grant from LISC DC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation)
the founder
MARCIA ST. HILAIRE FINN
Managing Owner
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Nursing/Director Certificate
Work Experience:
Registered Nurse for 25+ years
Managing Owner of Bright Start Bilingual Center for 17+ years
Motto: “Embrace every child and foster their uniqueness“
Mission statement:
The mission of Bright Start Early Care and Preschool is:
- To lovingly inspire your child to reach their full potential
- To respect, honor, and nurture your child
- To embrace your child’s uniqueness.
Bright Start, together with your commitment to your child’s care and education, will do everything within our means to ensure your child is safe, loved, and educated.
Vision statement:
Bright Start Early Care and Preschool is an active, caring community that nurtures friendships and creates a supportive network of parents and teachers. As partners in your child’s education and care, we are committed to ensuring their love of learning will flourish in our vibrant, multicultural environment. Our passionate and dedicated teachers’ primary concern is that your child’s intellectual, creative, social, and physical self receives the utmost loving and nurturing care. Your child develops the skills and confidence needed for school and lifelong learning.
Give Your Child The Best Possible Start On Their Journey To Academic Excellence
our programs
Infant
Pooh Nursery
0 - 12 Months
Younger Toddler
Wobbler
13 - 18 months
older Toddler
Discovery
2-3 year olds – 19-24 months
Young Preschool
Innovators
2-3 year olds
24-36 months
preschool
Explorers
3-5 years
Before & After School
3-8 years
Summer Camp
3-12 years
