About Us

Safety and Weather Policies

Weather Policy:

We make every effort to continue service for Briarwood preschool families keeping in mind our first priority is for the safety and well being of all travelers on the road to and from the childcare center. We make our own independent and conservative decision regarding changing the operation schedule during severe and extreme weather conditions. A closing in the MSAD 57 school district does not automatically mean we are closed as well Sometimes the weather makes it necessary to close the preschool, and we will close for extreme weather conditions. We trust parents to use their discretion and judgment of road safety in their own particular region. Please do not bring your child to daycare if you feel it might be unsafe to drive in your particular area.

A decision to close will coincide with the timing of the expected inclement weather. A verbal warning will be given to parents during pick up time if the expected storm is predicted for the next day. A weather warning will be posted on the parent pick up clipboard in the front office as well. A warning is intended to alert parents to the possibility of school closing. The closing decision will come as soon as it becomes evident the extreme weather conditions are present at the school.

Closing and Alerts:

If we choose to close Briarwood Children’s House due to severe weather and traveling conditions, the closing will be posted on:

  • A banner on our website at the top of the page
  • On our Briarwood Facebook page
  • Text alert will be sent out to those who are signed up

Please be sure we have your current work, day time and cell phone numbers on file so that you can be reached by the school if there is an unexpected early dismissal due to storms during the school day.

During the approach of a storm or deteriorating weather circumstances and we make the decision to remain open for the remainder of the school day, the teaching staff would appreciate any arrangements you may be able to make to come earlier than normal so daycare teachers may travel home safely, keeping in mind there are some preschool staff members who are here providing services for children and families until 5:00 PM.

Sign Up for Text Alerts

Make up days:

Children attending part time may only attend on their non-scheduled day following a storm closing if we have a preschool classroom opening the next operating day. Please keep in mind that part time families share a slot with other part time families. Please do not automatically assume you will send your child(ren) the next day. You must call ahead to find out if attendance is possible. We will make every effort to accommodate your needs if possible, keeping in mind we will not compromise our commitment to always operate within the guidelines mandated by the state.

Safety Policies:

The safety of every child is of primary importance to us, therefore the following policies have been developed to encourage and provide the safest environment possible.

Our love of children prompts us to help provide the best possible life experiences for them. We have been trained to recognize the signs of abuse and neglect, and are required by law to report to DHS any suspected abuse or neglect of any child we care for. Substitute and/or additional caregivers have also been trained to recognize signs of abuse and neglect is renewed at least every two years.

Every staff member has been certified in infant, child and adult CPR (cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and First Aid, and renew our certification regularly to keep it current. Substitutes and additional caregivers have received CPR training.

In the event that an emergency requires the Director to leave the center, another on staff director qualified staff will take over supervision of the school.

We make every effort to maintain an environment that is childproofed and safe for your child according to Maine licensing regulations.

In case of an emergency that requires evacuation, we will assist the children to exit through the designated exits. Our emergency shelter is Lyman Town Hall, just a short walk across the street from the South Waterboro Rd. side of our building. Parents will be notified by telephone if we have evacuated.

Being prepared for emergencies helps the children to feel less frightened if one were to occur. We conduct fire drills monthly and tornado drills routinely during tornado season. Each drill is recorded in a safety log.