Enrollment FAQs

We curate two waitlists; one for Bowdoin employees and one for Community families. The age of your child may determine which program you will enroll your child in. Often, we use October 15 as a general cut off rule to match with the public school system. However, depending on demand and our individualized curriculum planning, we can have older or younger children in each program. We are unable to guarantee a spot in a program until we are in our enrollment period or a space has opened.

We survey Brunswick/Portland area childcare programs, both accredited programs like ours and non-accredited programs, to determine a market rate.  For the current year, rate increases at other centers range from 5% to 17% as childcare worker shortages across Maine continue to drive costs upward. The 2023/24 year increase of 5% will keep our rates at or near the bottom of the range of accredited centers.

What is the Contract Information sheet?

This sheet allows you the opportunity to indicate your intentions for next year so that we can draw up a contract for you to sign.  Until we receive the signed contract, we will not act on the information you indicated. Please return this form to the office by March 1 so that we can draw up contracts for distribution on March 18. 

When do I sign the new contract for the next year?

• The deadline for signed contracts is March 31, 2023.
• The Full Year/12-month contracts are August 14, 2023 – June 14, 2024
• The Academic/10-month contracts are August 14, 2023– August 16, 2024.

There is no deposit required for returning families. 

When does the new year begin for children?

Our first day of the new year with children is August 21.  We use the week of August 14 for our professional development.  This is factored into your contract, so you aren’t “paying extra”.  You will see your child’s tuition is withdrawn from employee pay prior to the month of care. 

Who can sign the 10-month contract?

Any parent is offered the option to sign a 10-month contract.  This means that they will choose not to attend during the summer months (June 17, 2024 – August 16, 2024).  Families who chose this option will pay 25% of their monthly tuition for the program they are enrolled in during those two months.

May I change my mind about the amount of time I need for my child for this summer?

You are welcome to make those decisions until March 31, 2023 when signed contracts are returned. If you have a 12-month or 10-month contract that you want adjusted to include or exclude the summer of 2023 (June 19– August 11, 2023) you must sign that revised contract by March 31, 2023. After March 31, we will plan for summer staffing and create schedules for the children whose contracts we have received.  For this reason, changes to add in the summer after March 31are not available.    

Please refer to our website for more Bowdoin College Children's Center Information.