Mansfield Discovery Depot

We were fortunate to gather together Friday night to see comedian Mr. Williams as part of the CTCAEYC. We enjoyed some hearty laughter. Several staff attended the 3-day conference, excited to bring their newfound knowledge back to the classroom.

If you missed our Rally on Tuesday , here is MDD’s Assistant Director speaking on the importance of better wages for staff and affordable child care for families.

Brenda has worked at the Mansfield Discovery Depot for 32 years. Her story says it all. Educators deserve a living wage. Brenda Rivers Pearce, Assistant Director speaking at the Mansfield #morningwithoutchildcare rally April 2. #FixChildCare Do you think early care educators deserve a living wage?

Peter and Brenda enjoyed connecting with many wonderful UConn students today at the Spring Career Expo on campus! We love talking about our amazing profession and encouraging people to join our staff! 😊

Empower EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS & FAMILIES to make a positive change today!

MANSFIELD DISCOVERY DEPOT is now hiring for a toddler teacher!!!

Early Childhood -Toddler Teacher Mansfield CT Looking for someone in the Education-Training industry for the position of Early Childhood - Teacher in Mansfield, CT

We celebrated a legend today….27 years at MDD. Thank-you, Ferdous!!

So often the beginning of a New Year gives us the opportunity to reflect on the year past. Mansfield Discovery Depot is looking back with both great sadness and gratitude for a life passed ... one that greatly influenced not only MDD on a whole, but also countless teachers, families, children, and members of the Board of Directors who were (or still are) part of the MDD Community.

I remember clearly a day shortly after Mary Jane Newman learned of her cancer diagnosis. Mary Jane and I shared a quiet moment alone in her office at MDD. Always so positive and upbeat, in a rare moment of sadness she stated to me, "I guess God wants me to be one of his Angels."

As many of you may already know, Mary Jane is now one of God's Angels. It is with great sadness that we are sharing with you, our followers of the MDD page, that Mary Jane Newman, Director of Mansfield Discovery Depot for 18 years, passed away surrounded by her loving family on December 10, 2023. Truthfully, admittedly, it has taken me some time to personally process the depth of this loss and put my humble gratitude into words here on Facebook. Nothing I write here will do justice to this beautiful person whom I was blessed to work with.

Mary Jane brought countless amazing characteristics to Mansfield Discovery Depot when she was hired as our Director. She worked to have a smooth transition for families and staff upon her hire and to carry on the philosophies and passions of our wonderful prior Director, Robyn Kermes, with whom I was also honored to work with since my hire at MDD in 1992. Mary Jane frequently reminded us that "Mansfield Discovery Depot is the Center of Choice." She always strove to have MDD at the forefront of the field. She worked tirelessly to mentor the staff and stress to us the importance professionalism, of being a team and treating each other with kindness, of relationship building with the children, families, and each other, of fostering trust with families through communication and building a positive rapport, and above all, to strive to reach and uphold the highest standards in the field of Early Childhood Education. She taught us that MDD is not a "day care center" -- it is an Early Learning Center. She taught us that we must never ever let anything compromise our goal of creating and maintaining the highest quality of care, with our focus always on what is best for each and every child. She taught us that working with young children and their families is simply not a job... it is a Privilege.... It is a Passion.... It is a humble Honor to be given the opportunity to be trusted by families to help nurture and educate their precious young children. And, in typical Mary Jane style, to do all this while having "Mandatory Fun!"

“We are the eyes and the ears for each other because we care for each other.”
— Wisdom from Mary Jane to staff

Many of you who were involved with MDD during her years may remember that every Friday afternoon she would get on the center-wide intercom and sing the "Friday Dance." Every staff member and child in the center would stop, listen, sing along, and dance! Mary Jane, we are all doing the Friday Dance in our hearts in your honor now.

As a member of the Administration of MDD I was extremely fortunate to work so closely with her as part of her Admin Team and to learn so much from her in my years at MDD. She was there for me both professionally and personally, both as a colleague, role model, and a friend. I was always in awe at her ability to support me, the whole staff, and families alike, making everyone feel included, valued, and loved. She never ceased to amaze me with her ability to always look on the bright side of any situation, however challenging, and face it calmly with a smile and a positive outlook. I would often tell her she was the "Eternal Optimist."

At our December 2023 Staff Meeting, our current Director Debbie Plourde so beautifully took the time to have us not only pause for a meaningful moment of silence in her honor, but followed it by inviting many teary staff members who worked with Mary Jane to describe her in one word or phrase.

Mary Jane, from the voices and hearts of the staff members of Mansfield Discovery Depot who worked with you that are still within MDD’s walls, working tirelessly to carry on your mission and dedication to high quality of child and family focused care, here are our words that we feel best describe you:

Encouraging
Love
Kind
Motherly
Happy
Made us feel included
Stylish
Optimistic
Beautiful, kind heart
Awesome
Created the "Center of Choice"
Made us feel appreciated

I invite you, MDD's Facebook Followers, to comment on this post., and if you were blessed as I was to know Mary Jane, please feel free to share with us your One Word or phrase that best describes her.

To Mary Jane's husband and family, on my behalf and on the behalf of the entire Mansfield Discovery Depot community both past and present, we express our deepest heartfelt condolences to each of you. I can only hope to try to continue carrying on the upbeat positive passion for the field of Early Childhood Education that she exemplified. Mary Jane, thank you for being such a beautiful, strong, and wonderfully influential person for me and for so, so many. This world will undoubtedly miss you, your smile, your positivity and your laughter. I suspect that every Friday Afternoon, you are teaching little angels 😇 to do the Friday Dance!

With sadness and gratitude,
Brenda

Former Infant/Toddler Teacher
Former Infant/Toddler Team Coordinator
Former Interim Director
Current Assistant Director,
Mansfield Discovery Depot

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/hartfordcourant/name/mary-newman-obituary?pid=205909216&utm_source=webshareapi&utm_medium=share_button&utm_campaign=wsapimobile_beta

Mary Newman Obituary (2023) - Hartford, CT - Hartford Courant View Mary Jane Newman's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.