About Us
VISION
Our vision at OPFS is to be a Village to all families that walk through our doors by:
- Caring for children in a nurturing way that honors their individual gifts
- Providing incredible opportunities for children to learn and express themselves
- Creating a culture of learning for both children and our staff
- Building a community through our students, families, and staff
MISSION
To cultivate a family environment that is mindful of the needs of each child, each family, and our community as a whole. To provide a warm, nurturing, play-based environment and an experience-rich foundation for children. To provide support, friendship, and resources to our children, families, and staff, and become “the village” so many of us need.
Our core values align with the Quaker principles of SPICES – Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship.
Simplicity – by focusing on the children and our vision, we keep it simple. It is about the children and the families
Peace - working on how we speak with our friends and solve problems in a peaceful way
Integrity - honoring who we are and all of our individual gifts
Community - recognizing that we are a part of something larger
Equality - each voice is honored, look at problems and experiences from all perspectives
Stewardship - our role in serving others, giving back
GOALS
- To provide thematic, play-based learning that is developed through emergent curriculum and developmentally appropriate practice.
- To provide our staff with continued professional development and growth opportunities every month, and incentivize their continued pursuit of higher education.
- To provide a safe, nurturing, enriched environment for your child to grow and learn.
- To encourage the voices of each child, family, and staff member to be heard and acted upon, and cultivate an environment of respect and kindness.
- To provide opportunities for community gatherings each season, so that student and family friendships may grow and extend beyond our walls.
OUR HISTORY
Talley Hann began in-home daycare in 2007 with her own three young sons and a few families. As more families joined and word spread, Marisol Peña, Chloe Cunningham, and Lauren Dunnell joined forces with Talley to help grow the daycare and to develop the after-school and preschool programs.
By 2015, we had outgrown our houses and were given the amazing opportunity to move right down the street into our current building. With the blessing of our families and the help of many, we were able to formally open our doors at 1192 S Cuyler in June 2015. Quaker Roots: Talley was the third generation to attend the Wilmington Friends School in Delaware, a preschool to 12th-grade school founded on the Quaker principles and faith. The values of OPFS reflect the Quaker beliefs of stewardship and service.