About Us & Our Playgroups
Information about the Milford Family & Community Network CFCE
About Us:
The Milford Family & Community Network (MFCN) is a Coordinated Family Community Engagement (CFCE) grant that serves families with children from birth to 6 years of age who live in Milford, Hopedale, Bellingham and surrounding towns. We are a free and universal program providing comprehensive early childhood programs and services of high quality in an environment that promotes the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of young children. It also encourages partnership with parents in supporting their role as their child's most influential teacher.
The MFCN is a Coordinated Family Community Engagement grant funded by the MA Department of Early Education and Care and is awarded to Milford Public Schools. We have been servicing the greater Milford area since 1994.
Our Staff:
- Lisa Mandile, Program Coordinator
- Harmony Bendas, Playgroup Facilitator
- Lacie Beaton, Playgroup Facilitator
- Donna Umlauf, Parent Educator / Bellingham
- Beth Guikema, Administrative Secretary
About Our Playgroups
The Fall Playgroup Registration is now available, please click here.
Playgroups help parents meet other parents with children of similar ages (birth to 5 years). Parents begin to network and share their parenting concerns and celebrations. Parents and children interact with each other in a safe, developmentally appropriate environment in which literacy is supported through story and circle time.
We offer a variety of playgroups:
- Weekday morning and afternoon playgroups in Milford, Hopedale, and Bellingham
- Drop-in Playgroups
- Summer Drop In Playgroups (information is updated on the Upcoming Programs and Events page in May)
The facilitator will open the door at the start of each playgroup.
Each school year we offer two playgroup sessions; Fall and Spring. These groups typically run from September through May and follow the school calendar. Our playgroups are pre-registered each session. Please call the office to see if there are any openings in our groups or to be placed on the waitlist. For parking information, and a description of where our Milford Playcenter entrance is located, please see our Directions page. Please call the office for information about any of our Playgroups.
Drop-In Playgroups
We will not be holding any Drop-In Playgroups for Session I.
Registration is NOT required for drop-in playgroups. However, the group is limited to the first 14 children to arrive each day. An easel is placed outside of the MFCN Entrance Door 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time containing 14 tickets. When you arrive, please take one ticket for each of your children. If the group is full, the facilitator will place a "STOP" sign on the easel, and you will need to try another day.
To allow us to accommodate as many families as possible, please attend no more than one playgroup per week, unless there are still tickets in the folder 10 minutes after group has started.
Inclement Weather Policy:
Cancellations: If Milford Public Schools is canceled due to inclement weather, groups at both the Milford and Hopedale Playcenters will be canceled for the day. If Bellingham Public Schools are canceled, groups at North Community Building in Bellingham will also be canceled.
Delays: If Milford Public Schools is delayed, there will be NO morning groups at Milford or Hopedale Playcenters. Afternoon groups will still be held at these locations, unless you are notified by staff from the MFCN. If Bellingham Public Schools is delayed, afternoon groups will be held at North Community Building in Bellingham, unless notified by group facilitator.
Listen to MYfm101.3 FM for school cancellations or delays.
Network Helpers Amazon Wishlist
Please feel free to CLICK HERE and browse this wishlist. If interested, select and order anything you would like to donate and bring into the office at your convenience!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THIS!
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