Merryhill Child Care Center Has Reached Its Fifteen-Year Milestone

Merryhill Child Care Center recently held a party inviting the children and their parents to join in the 15th year anniversary celebration of the facility.

Merryhill Child Care Center opened its doors as a joint venture of the Fairfield Hills Hospital Management and New England Health Care Union District 1199 in the fall of 1990. Its mission was to provide affordable, quality child care and developmentally appropriate education to the children of state employees. Under the guidance of Therese Hychko, who served as founding director for 12 years, Merryhill flourished as a homelike child care facility. The nurturing philosophies and qualities of the center instilled by Ms Hychko are still prevalent today.

When Fairfield Hills Hospital closed its facility in 1995, Merryhill was no longer affiliated with the State of Connecticut and began operating independently. Merryhill is still governed by a Board of Directors who purchased its centrally located building from the State of Connecticut. The center continues to operate as a private, nonprofit organization licensed by the State of Connecticut, Department of Health Services.

In 2001, Ms Hychko died from cancer. In her honor a special garden was created at Merryhill and was dedicated as “The Therese Hychko Garden.” At the dedication ceremony, an announcement was made that this garden was selected as a National Wildlife Federation School Yard Habitat. The legacy of Ms Hychko lives on as the scenic backyard garden and gazebo area continue to serve as an outdoor classroom where children can play and learn and begin to understand the importance of taking care of their environment.

Merryhill is proud to be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the largest organization of early childhood educators. This hard-earned distinction demonstrates the center’s dedication to providing a high quality early childhood program that provides a safe and nurturing environment while promoting the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of young children.

Merryhill offers developmentally appropriate activities for children from 6 weeks to 6 years of age, and its curriculum is based on the Connecticut Preschool Framework established by the State Department of Education.