I co-founded my non-profit, Sustainable Wenatchee, when my daughter was about 18 months old. I had been looking for work for a while, on an "extended maternity leave," not really wanting to go back full-time but also finding that being a stay-at-home mom wasn't for me. I had heard great things about TEAMS, and so I nervously dropped off my daughter to go meet with my would-be co-founder, Tandi, for the first time. We hit it off and decided to go for it, and founded Sustainable Wenatchee which would become my part-time job.
That was nearly 2 years ago. Since then I've worked an average of 15 hours per week, which is the perfect amount for me and for the position. It's not an exaggeration to say that Sustainable Wenatchee would not exist without TEAMS. While I don't need full-time childcare, I do have to have a few hours alone each day to get my work done and meet with community partners. I would never be able to do this work at home with a toddler. But as far as I know, there are no other part-time options like TEAMS, especially one where I can pick and choose the days that I need. My daughter goes 4 to 5 mornings a week and I am SO grateful for the flexibility that TEAMs offers. On top of that, I love the teachers and the hands-on, learn-through-play style that TEAMs has and know that my daughter is loved and completely safe. I highly recommend TEAMs to any parents who need part-time, flexible childcare, whether that is so they can get some work done or just get some alone time!
Jana Fischback
Executive Director
Sustainable Wenatchee
My name is Elsy Hernandez and I am a parent volunteer and now a Teacher at TEAMS Learning Center. I am also an employee of our local Juvenile Detention Center in Wenatchee. It has been a year that I have continuously brought my four year old son Gabriel.
Early last year my husband and I started looking into enrolling our son for preschool. Unfortunately, unaware of time limits on enrollment we let too much time pass and we were unable to find any preschools that would take our son. We did it all. We searched for a spot in privately owned preschool setting daycares so he could attend a couple times a week but prices were through the roof aside from not having any openings available. We filled out multiple applications to get him into our Wenatchee Headstart program and didnt qualify due to exceeding their low income limits. We were about to throw in the towel when a co-worker of mine mentioned TEAMS. We talked about prices, open slots for enrollment, and the hours of operation. The program fit our family needs like a glove!
I immeadiately enrolled Gabe at TEAMS and signed him up for a "Stay & Play" session. We quickly fell in love with TEAMS. My son was getting the socialization he very much needed due to being an only child at the time. Gabe also had a bit of a hard time expressing himself verbally but was not medically considered to be delayed or have any speech impediment of any sort.
Gabriel being an only child did not understand about making friends and developing relationships with children outside the family. It was not until we began our journey at TEAMS that he learned how to seek new friends....
TEAMS Learning Center is one that brings joy, positive educational experiences, and passion to early childhood education. Personally, my daughter has made tremendous growth socially, emotionally, and academically from attending TEAMS Learning Center. The fun-loving, educated, all-accepting teachers at Teams have brought her happiness as they teach her lifelong, foundational skills to enhance her learning as she grows.
As an educator for Wenatchee Valley College in the Early Childhood Education Program, I see high quality, developmentally appropriate teaching and learning happening at TEAMS Learning Center, which is fundamental to a child’s future. My daughter is learning everything from the alphabet and letter sounds, to numbers, counting and adding, to the days of the week, but she is also learning critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills while nurturing her social and emotional development. I feel all the teachers at TEAMS work on developing the whole child, their cognitive skills, fine and large motor skills, social and emotional development, and speech and language development; which are imperative because they lay the groundwork for the K-12 school years and beyond.
I value the addition to early childhood TEAMS Learning Center has brought to the Wenatchee area and am so thankful my daughter, and all young children, have the opportunity to attend.
Heather Flatness
Instructor, Wenatchee Valley College Early Childhood Education
Instructor, University of Phoenix College of Educations & General Studies
Tobias' Mom
I highly recommend TEAMS to any parent. My son has attended teams since he was 2 months old. At TEAMS he's learning developmentally appropriate social and emotional skills. They have activities everyday that help him learn not just academics like ABCs but how to be creative and kind. Every child should get to learn in an environment like TEAMS. It is an invaluable resource in the Wenatchee Valley and I cannot say enough good things about our experience there.
I take care of my 4 year old grandson 4 days per week while his parents work. I discovered TEAMS. preschool several months ago. My grandson loves going to TEAMS' Stay and Play. I do too! I learn different ways to communicate with my grandson from observing the teachers interacting with the children. It has helped me communicate in a more positive and effective way. I have a chance to see how my grandson gets along with the other children. It gives him a chance to learn how to be a positive member of a class, before he starts kindergarten. Stay and Play gives me many new ideas for free or inexpensive learning activities that are fun for my grandson and I to do together at home. I really like the flexibility to book or schedule the days and times we attend, this works wonderfully for our schedule. TEAMS is such a positive and welcoming place! The teachers are amazing. I am very thankful I discovered TEAMS. I highly recommend TEAMS for everyone.
Dorothy Ferguson
First off, I just want to say how THANKFUL I am for the presence of TEAMS in our community. If it wasn’t for TEAMS, I would not have my job at Seeds (which is my dream job), and Gracen would not have been ready to attend Seeds next school year. TEAMS taught me and Gracen so much. Before TEAMS Gracen had little to no autonomy. He pretty much did what he wanted, it didn’t matter to him what was expected. Which was why, last year, when I tried to enroll him at Seeds, they regretfully sent him home saying he’s not ready and to try again next year. I was so sad. His older brother (7) goes there, but Gracen could not. Seeds suggested we look into TEAMS to prep Gracen for next year. So, I did. Not just for Gracen, but for me too. Right around that time I decided I wanted a career change out of good service and into the school with kids. Gracen and I totally immersed ourselves into what TEAMS offered. I began volunteering weekly with Gracen and learned and practiced so many new skills. It changed my parenting style completely. I started to see every opportunity as a learning/teaching appoint unity and Gracen and I both began to grow. It was very exciting! I became a better mother and Gracen started following directions and expectations. I then got enrolled in Joy’s five week parenting course and learning a lot there too! One of the biggest accomplishments I made was I went from sleeping in the same room as both my kids every night to being able to sleep in my own room and bed. Not to mention, no more bottle either! He’s three and a half, too old for bottles!
Because of all my volunteer work at TEAMS, my love for children, and all I’ve learning through TEAMS...
Have you ever just known. And sometimes knowing too much is not a great thing either. But have you ever "known something isn't quite right here…" but have no idea where to start, simply because you don't know the question.
My name is Lori. And when I was 38 I survived a horrific medical injury that left me dead and has taken close to 8 years to recover. I'm grateful now for the changes it created in me, but I certainly didn't ask for my life to end that way. I'm telling you this because through the process of healing, we were shocked when I realized I had become pregnant at age 42! I have 2 older boys, ages 27 and 25 and a grandson who's 1. I know. I hear it…all the time!
Our beautiful, gorgeous lil girl is named Victoria for a clear and real reason. She has helped bring me back to life and has given me a life again. Victory! At age 2 she suffered severe temperatures of 107.9. No. Not a typo. We were horrified. Her temp then plummeted to below 96 and she was having a hard time with all her systems. She had 2 febrile seizures and my husband believes she was looking at the angels. She and I were air lifted to Seattle Children's. She lived. She had E-coli punishing her kidneys. She lay so so motionless…all of this to say, 6-12 months later we were noticing things "not right"…not wrong, just not quite right…
So in my desperate search for help and answers to questions I didn't know I had, I "accidentally" found TEAMS from a woman I saw post a fb comment… on another sight. HEY WAIT… I KNOW HER!!!! So I quickly texted her. It was about 9:30 pm. ...
First off, I just want to say how THANKFUL I am for the presence of TEAMS in our community. If it wasn’t for TEAMS, I would not have my job at Seeds (which is my dream job), and Gracen would not have been ready to attend Seeds next school year. TEAMS taught me and Gracen so much. Before TEAMS Gracen had little to no autonomy. He pretty much did what he wanted, it didn’t matter to him what was expected. Which was why, last year, when I tried to enroll him at Seeds, they regretfully sent him home saying he’s not ready and to try again next year. I was so sad. His older brother (7) goes there, but Gracen could not. Seeds suggested we look into TEAMS to prep Gracen for next year. So, I did. Not just for Gracen, but for me too. Right around that time I decided I wanted a career change out of good service and into the school with kids. Gracen and I totally immersed ourselves into what TEAMS offered. I began volunteering weekly with Gracen and learned and practiced so many new skills. It changed my parenting style completely. I started to see every opportunity as a learning/teaching appoint unity and Gracen and I both began to grow. It was very exciting! I became a better mother and Gracen started following directions and expectations. I then got enrolled in Joy’s five week parenting course and learning a lot there too! One of the biggest accomplishments I made was I went from sleeping in the same room as both my kids every night to being able to sleep in my own room and bed. Not to mention, no more bottle either! He’s three and a half, too old for bottles!
Because of all my volunteer work at TEAMS, my love for children, and all I’ve learning through TEAMS...