School Calendar
Our school calendar is updated regularly. Please check back for live updates.
MSDE
Mt. Hebron Nursery School has earned an accreditation by the Maryland State Department of Education. This accreditation certifies that our program meets the Standards for Quality Early Childhood Programs and to recognize the dedication to maintaining education excellence in the early learning years.
Accreditation
Programs that have demonstrated quality standards and achieved accreditation by an agency recognized by the Maryland State Department of Education are eligible for the Accredited Program Achievement.
Maryland Excels
Maryland EXCELS is a voluntary Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). A QRIS is a program that awards ratings to family providers, center-based and public school child care programs, and school age before and after school programs that meet increasingly higher standards of quality in key areas. Mt. Hebron Nursery School has continued to be awarded a Rating 5 from Maryland Excels, the highest rating given.
Additional Achievements
Maryland EXCELS recognizes child care and public prekindergarten programs that provide services above and beyond those outlined in the Maryland EXCELS Standards. Programs that attain these additional achievements will be acknowledged in the Find a Program directory on the Maryland EXCELS website.
ASTHMA & ALLERGY FRIENDLY
The Asthma, Allergy and Anaphylaxis Prevention and Management Training, sponsored by MSDE, helps participants acquire relevant knowledge and skills to ensure an asthma- and allergy-safe childcare environment and identify and manage asthma and allergy emergencies.
Programs earn the Asthma and Allergy Friendly Achievement upon successful completion of the training.
CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC COMPETENCY
Culture influences all aspects of a child’s development and frames his or her experiences of early learning. When an early childhood or school-age program accepts “the legitimacy of children’s home language, respects the home culture, and promotes and encourages the active involvement and support of all families including extended and nontraditional family units,” it is exhibiting cultural and linguistic competence. (NAEYC, 1995)
Programs earn this achievement by completing the Cultural and Linguistic Competency Application and the Pathways to Cultural Competency Checklist. Email MarylandExcels.msde@maryland.gov for more information.
ECO-FRIENDLY PROGRAM
Early education and school-age programs become greater community partners when children and staff protect the environment with their practices.
Programs achieve the Eco-Friendly Program Achievement by participating in at least one of these initiatives:
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Children’s Environmental Health Network: Eco-Healthy Child Care®
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Maryland Green Schools Additional requirements for Center-based and School-Age Only programs housed in a Maryland Green School is a signed letter from a school administrator or Green Leader certifying that their program upholds the Maryland Green Schools standards within their program.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
The early years set the stage for healthy life-long habits. Committing to serving healthy foods and promoting physical activity have positive impacts on child development.
Programs earn the Health and Wellness Achievement by successfully completing the Let’s Move! Child Care: Healthy Kids, Healthy Future program.
QUALITY BUSINESS PRACTICES
Successful programs have sound business practices and strong organizational structure in addition to providing quality child care and early education.
Following the completion of Strengthening Business Practices training, programs will use the Maryland EXCELS Quality Business Practices Additional Achievement Application to assess their practices and plan improvements.
Email MarylandExcels.msde@maryland.gov for more information.
ChooseMyPlate.gov provides practical information to individuals, health professionals, nutrition educators, and the food industry to help consumers build healthier diets with resources and tools for dietary assessment, nutrition education, and other user-friendly nutrition information. As Americans are experiencing epidemic rates of overweight and obesity, the online resources and tools can empower people to make healthier food choices for themselves, their families, and their children.
The Maryland State Department of Education highly recommends all licensed child care providers conduct screening on children prior to kindergarten entry.
Screening with a valid, reliable tool like ASQ®-3 helps you check that children’s development is on track, identify strengths and needs, and plan activities that help kids reach key milestones. The information on this page will give you a great introduction to ASQ-3—and help you start using ASQ-3 with the kids in your program.
The Healthy Childcare Program is a voluntary program that encourages licensed childcare and early childhood education programs in Howard County to take steps to improve the health and wellness of the children they look after. MHNS is a participating school.
Parents and caregivers play a key role in not only making healthy choices for children and teaching children to make healthy choices for themselves. But in today’s busy world, this isn’t always easy. So Let’s Move! offers parents and caregivers the tools, support and information they need to make healthier choices while instilling healthy eating habits in children that will last a lifetime.
We are now a Preferred Provider for the Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood program and can receive payments for any military family eligible. Military Child Care In Your Neighborhood (MCCYN) is a reduced fee assistance program for active duty or deployed Service Members that are unable to attain child care on a Military installation.
A Preferred Provider is a child care provider who meets all requirements and standards as defined in the MCCYN program. MHNS is now listed on Child Care Aware of America’s Online Registry, Click below to apply for assistance!
Everyone has a role to play in reducing childhood obesity: schools, faith-based and community-based organizations, parents, and officials from all levels of government. Most young children spend time during the day in child care and early education programs, family child care settings or in preschool. Providers have a great opportunity to help children by incorporating five healthy goals in their programs.
MHNS Links
Helpful Links For Families
mhnsparentgroup.com/
The parent group is a voluntary group of parents/caregivers who contribute to the mission of the nursery school. We utilize the many wonderful skills and talents of our parents to create memorable events for our entire school community of students, parents, and staff.
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/mthebronnurseryschool
New Online Shopping Experience! Open online from Nov. 28 – Dec. 11. You now have access to shop The Scholastic Store and earn rewards for your school with every purchase.
https://clubs.scholastic.com/home
Order through this link and MHNS will earn credits for new books!
Mt. Hebron Presbyterian Church
MHPC is a small, family-oriented church located in the heart of the Mount Hebron community. Our 150-member congregation is very active, and we welcome you to join us any Sunday. Worship, tradition, service, mission, and fellowship: it's what we're all about!
Community and Family Resources
https://www.hcpss.org/enroll/kindergarten/
Ready for Kindergarten - Video
families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/childdevelopment/i%E2%80%99m-ready-kindergarten-video
For children going to school for the first time, NAEYC, National Association for the Education of Young Children, has created a video to help children visualize what it might look like for them as they start this new chapter in their lives. Parents have an opportunity to watch the video with their children, then talk about what will happen in their own homes and brainstorm any first day anxieties and problem solve any needs for the new routine.
https://www.hcpss.org/enroll/kindergarten/
Maryland State Department of Education
marylandpublicschools.org/Pages/default.aspx
NAEYC promotes high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.
marylandhealthybeginnings.org/
Healthy Beginnings is a resource to help you nurture the tremendous potential for learning and growth that every child has that every child is born with. Specifically designed for caregivers of infants and toddlers from birth through age three, Healthy Beginnings gives you knowledge and support around child care and child development, while our Activity Planner provides you with fun, developmentally appropriate activities that build young children's skills and promote all kinds of learning.
A Parents Guide To Regulated Child Care
Important information for parents of children in child care facilities. A publication of the Maryland State Department of Education Division of Early Childhood Development - Office of Child Care. Pamphlet includes information about the requirements that State-regulated family child care homes and child care centers must meet; Your rights and responsibilities as the parent of a child in regulated care; How and where to file a complaint if you believe your child care provider has violated State child care licensing regulations.
www.howardcountymd.gov/children
The Howard County Parents as Teachers (PAT) program supports a parent's role in promoting school readiness and healthy development. PAT is a voluntary home visiting program for Howard County residents.
Ready At Five is a small organization with a big mission. Founded in 1992 in response to the first National Education Goal: "All children will enter school ready to learn," we are dedicated to elevating school readiness for all Maryland children.
www.hclibrary.org/index.php?page=218
agesandstages.com/md/
Learn more about the ASQ here!
www.howardcountymd.gov/launchintolearning/
An early initiative supported by the Howard County Early Childhood Advisory Council.
https://youtu.be/As8n1DOfnjQ?list=PLUig90QhN10Zt51lnzrAsSaspU0NhA0FJ
Playing is one of the most important activities young children do. When children play they are able to create, explore and begin to develop their imagination. When children play in groups, they begin to develop negotiation skills and learn to resolve conflicts. For children, playtime is work time!
https://www.howardcountymd.gov... (more)
https://www.howardcountymd.gov/ParentPagesNewsletter
https://marylandfamiliesengage.org/
Howard County Early Intervention Programs and Services
https://www.hcpss.org/special-education/early-intervention/
https://www.hcpss.org/launch-into-learning/talk-with-me/
A strategy for whole communities to support vibrant learning and brain development among infants and toddlers.
Let’s Raise a Generation of Children Who Are Thoughtful, Informed, and Brave About Race.
Apps For Engaging Young Children
Let's Play-Zero to Three Years
Let's Play, is a parenting app for on-the-go families. From the daily commute, to bed and bath time, this app proposes learning opportunities for young children to engage in while their families move through their daily routine.
pbskids.org/apps/pbs-parents-play--learn.html
The bilingual (English/Spanish) PBS Parents Play and Learn is a collection of interactive games that are fun and educational for parents to play with their young children when they are at the store, the zoo, or other familiar locations.
