Island Falls woman opens new daycare center

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    ISLAND FALLS — Families with small children often struggle to find a trustworthy individual to watch their youngster.
    Kristen Fitzhebert, owner of Rising Stars Child Care, hopes to be that person for families in the Island Falls area. She opened a daycare business in her Ronald Martin Road home last August after working for four years at Stepping Stones in Houlton as a direct care staff member and community integration manager.
    A desire to spend more time with her family prompted Fitzhebert to walk away from her job with Stepping Stones. She has two children, Rylee, age 3, and Ethan, age 6.
    “Working with families at Stepping Stones gave me the confidence to open my own business,” she said. “I was hoping to spend more time with my own children. So I figured why not start my own business. It was killing me to drop my kids off at daycare every day so that I could go to work.”
Contributed photo
NEW BUSINESS — Kristen Fitzhebert of Island Falls has opened Rising Stars Child Care in her community. As a state-licensed childcare facility, Fitzhebert offers a variety of programs for children between the ages of six weeks to 12 years.
    As a state-licensed childcare facility, Fitzhebert offers a variety of programs for children between the ages of six weeks to 12 years. Enrollment fluctuates at the day care depending on the time of year, she said.
    In order to get licensed by the state, Fitzhebert had to undergo extensive training, including child CPR, participate in fire drills and pass an inspection by the State Fire Marshal’s office.
    “I participate in the Child and Adult Food Care program, and provide healthy meals and snacks by following the USDA food guidelines,” Fitzhebert said. “I offer parents very reasonable rates depending on individual needs and as I am licensed; parents are able to claim child care expenses when filing taxes.”
    Her childcare program is semi-structured with individual activities, group activities, supervised free time, and supervised outdoor play. Other activities offered are circle time, arts/crafts, learning time, story time, musical movement, fun with science and local field trips.
    “Thursday is our library day,” she said. “The children really look forward to choosing and checking out books and story time with the librarian.”
    Fitzhebert also recently registered to participate in the “Let’s Go! 5210” program, with the purpose being to increase physical activity and healthy eating in the childcare setting.   
    “I really want parents to know that I’m not just a babysitting service,” she said. “We do really great things with the children here.”
    Rising Stars Child Care is open from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, call Fitzhebert at 380-5698 or e-mail krisfitz76@live.com.