Partner Highlight - Buds and Blossoms Preschool

Jump Start Finance would like to welcome our new partner, Buds and Blossoms Preschool! Buds & Blossoms has recently opened their doors to care for children in Fallbrook, CA. They have a beautiful location staffed with a team that has a true passion for child care.  We spent some time asking owner, Nikki Boles, about her center and what she feels passionate about.  See below for our interview:

How many years have you been in the field of early childhood education?

• 30 years

What is your education background?

• I hold a BA in Early Childhood Education and a Director's Permit

What are you most proud of with your center?

• The staff and their passion for wanting to teach children and their love for learning.

​

---

When did you know you wanted to work in early childhood education? What drew you to childcare?

• When I was 8 years old I had one of the most amazing teachers in my life and she made sure I didn’t fall through the cracks. I have always had a love for teaching and education. My passion for early childhood education is always sparked by the children and watching them become excited and proud when they learn something new.

What is the biggest challenge you've faced while working in child-care? How did you handle it?

• Parents - and I always let parents know that we as early childhood educators appreciate them as their child’s first teacher. We are learning from them on what works well for their children. We are all working toward the same goal of having their children be successful life long members of a community of learners.

What is the most important thing a classroom needs to run smoothly?

• Amazing teachers with the skills to use classroom management and knowing their children .

What do you consider key elements in a high-quality daycare operation?

• Doing what is right for the children and making sure that their needs are being met. It's all about the children.

How can parents help keep the pick-up and drop-off of kids running smoothly?

• Establishing a routine. Let children know what is coming next and being consistent. When parents let children know what the expectation is, children will meet them.

What do you like most about working with children?

• The diversity of the families and being able to learn from them. Incorporating the families into your program allows everyone to take ownership of their child’s education.

​

What makes your center different from the rest?

• We are a big community of learners that support each other. Our preschool is built on the premise of staying small, maybe that means we have more centers but staying small allows us to focus on the families and children.

What has been the most formative experience you've had in your work with young children and families?

• Seeing the children as they have grown and them coming back to visit as adults. Knowing that we have made an impact in their lives and they want to come back to let us know how much we meant to them.

What is your next big project for the center?

• We are working on providing our community with a beautiful place for children to learn and hopefully opening another center.

COVID has impacted all of us in ways we never expected.  With the current environment as it is, the following questions are geared toward understanding the steps you are taking to ensure safety for your staff, children and their families:
How often do you clean?

• We clean daily and deep clean nightly

Are mask worn at all times?

• Yes

Daily temperature checks?

• Every morning and afternoon

Are parents allowed in the center for drop-off or pick-up?

• No, we use contactless sign-in and out in order to keep families safe, we only allow children inside.

For more information on Buds and Blossoms Preschool, contact them at ​(760) 645-3044. Address location: 2809 S Mission Rd, Fallbrook, CA 92028