“Eagle’s Nest had a waitlist before we even opened,” said Maria Cargnelli, Manager of Early Years & Family Supports at Archway.
The Eagle’s Nest Infant & Toddler Early Learning Centre opened in September 2022 at the new Irene Kelleher Totí:ltawtxw Elementary School on Eagle Mountain. It offers childcare for children up to five as well as out-of-school care.
After the first school year, the daycare has made changes to meet the growing demand for childcare spots.
With the support of the Abbotsford School District, the daycare was able to open a second out-of-school care room which significantly reduced waitlists and helped more families.
The program has also closed its preschool to open more 3-5 year-old full-day childcare spots.
“With more parents working these days, preschool and its limited hours doesn’t work for a lot of families, so we pivoted to meet the need,” said Maria.
The daycare offers childcare at a reduced cost thanks to funding from the Province of British Columbia through the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative. The funding goes to childcare providers to reduce daycare costs to offer affordable, quality, and inclusive childcare for BC families.
“We’ve been able to offer significant financial relief for families where childcare used to be anywhere between $1000 to $1500 a month, to now where parents are paying between $280 to $570 a month,” said Maria.
“I have nothing but the best things to say about everyone at Eagles Nest! The teachers are amazing and I always feel good about leaving my son with them every day, he loves them.”
Children playing at Eagle’s Nest Day Care.
A Joint Collaboration
Eagle’s Nest daycare was a joint collaboration between Archway and the Abbotsford School District. This partnership has been instrumental in providing funding and resources for the daycare to be built.
Archway provided input into the daycare’s equipment such as toys and furniture. The philosophy guiding the decisions was to provide an environment that has natural elements such as a wooden play structure.
“Active play is a really big part of what children need to be doing. Our philosophy around equipment is that it’s natural and calming. The idea was to provide children a space that was warming, welcoming and felt like an extension of their homes,” said Maria.
The Philosophy Behind the Childcare
Eagle’s Nest continues to experience high waitlist volumes for infant/toddler childcare and 3-5 year old childcare. Maria attributes part of this to Archway’s reputation for excellence and its integration with the elementary school.
“The exciting thing about Eagle’s Nest is the collaboration with the school district. A child can start in the daycare as an infant and stay in that school until they finish at grade 5. It’s a seamless connection between childcare and school that eases the transition for the child and their family.”
“The child already knows the kindergarten teachers because they’re just down the hallway.”
Furthermore, the daycare aligns its curriculum with BC’s Early Learning Framework – the same framework that is followed until grade 3.
“It creates continuity between childcare and the school system so that when a child is in our program and moving into the kindergarten to grade 3, the language that the teachers and the early childhood educators use is the same. This creates a continuous flow of educational philosophy between the school district and childcare which can really benefit children,” said Maria.
This alignment fosters a harmonious transition for children moving from daycare to kindergarten and beyond, ensuring they encounter a seamless and supportive educational journey. As Eagle’s Nest enters its second year, it continues to provide a nurturing and enriching environment for children to thrive.
