Skip Nav

James MacDonald

Kindergarten, School Age

Weekdays - 7:00am to morning school bell and afternoon school bell to 6:00pm

(905) 975-1908
200 Chester Ave, Hamilton, ON L9C 2X1
Request Care
exterior of umbrella james macdonald

Umbrella child care programs are located within James MacDonald Elementary School

Offering families affordable, inclusive, and nurturing environments where children explore, learn, and grow, realizing their full potential.

Clock Icon

Before & After School Care

Snack Icon

Nutritious Snacks Provided

Car Icon

Drop off as early as 7am, Pick-up as late as 6 pm

Money Bag Icon

City Subsidy Accepted

Program Photos

Our before and after school programs at Umbrella James MacDonald provide a variety of experiences for children based on their interests, inquiries, and developing skills.

Educators use the Ministry of Education document “How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years” as a guide in supporting developmentally appropriate practice. Programs are centred around four foundations for optimal learning and healthy development: Belonging, Well-Being, Engagement, and Expression.

kinder children cheering together outside
school age girl smiling in school yard
Quote Icon

We have been enrolled with Umbrella for 5+ years. It has been a great experience for my kids and for us as parents. We are very fortunate to have such quality programming right in our own school, close to home.

Umbrella Parent

We use Storypark to involve you in your child’s learning journey.

The Storypark app allows educators to communicate with individual families, send messages to groups and share information about children’s daily routines. Most importantly, they can share stories highlighting the incredible play-based learning experiences that children engage in throughout the day.

Learn more
StoryPark Device Mockup
little girls making wands

Creative wands

The children were engaged in using their skills and creativity to create and decorate wands. There was a lot of joy and laughter as they were working together as a team. They noticed that the wands all looked different and unique! They all enjoyed this activity and are planning to come up with new ways to decorate them.

How can I enroll my child?

The first step is to visit our online portal and enter your care request. The portal will show you the locations that are closest to your address for the program/age you need for your child.

Once your request is received, staff will get back to you regarding availability and next steps. (This process also is how you are added to our waitlist.)
Request Care

Subsidy accepted here :)

Families can apply for Child Care Fee Subsidy through the City of Hamilton, which helps with the cost of licensed child care. Families may continue to be responsible for a daily fee, but the amount is based on the individual circumstances of the family.

Learn More

FAQ

two kinder girls waving
What is the process for registration?

The first step is to visit our online portal and enter your care request (program, start date, etc.)

Once your request is received, staff will get back to you regarding availability and next steps. (This process also is how you are added to our waitlist.)

When a child care space in our programs is offered and accepted, families must complete the full registration package (provided by the centre) and pay a non-refundable administrative fee, of $50.00 per child.

A date will be set up for a play visit. During the visit, educators will have an opportunity to observe your child interacting with others and provide you with information to determine the level of support the child may require in adjusting to the program.

After the child has been attending for six weeks, an opportunity will be provided for the Supervisor, staff member(s) and parents/guardians to discuss the child’s adjustment to the program. This provides both parties with an opportunity to ask questions, share information and ideas, and determine whether the centre is able to meet the child and his/her family’s needs.

When all spaces in Umbrella Family and Child Centres (UFCC) are full, UFCC is committed to maintaining a wait list that ensures respect for each family and maintains their confidentiality. This is done in a fair, equitable and transparent manner. Parents may request information as to their child’s position on the wait list at any time from the site’s Supervisor.

In accordance with the Collective Agreement between UFCC and CUPE Local 3491, priority is given to employees’ children on the wait list. Whenever possible, priority is also given to siblings of children already registered in a UFCC program or to children transferring from one UFCC program to another.

UFCC does not request or require a fee or deposit from families for placement on the wait list.

Do I have to pay for vacation and statutory holidays?

Please refer to our fee policies. If you have any further questions on these policies, please speak to your centre Supervisor regarding our policy on payment during these periods.

Do I get a tax receipt and when it is issued?

Yes. Tax receipts for child care fees are issued yearly by February 28th and are available in your Kindertales account. If you require another copy of your tax receipt, please contact accounting@umbrellafamily.com

How do I get subsidy for child care?

The City of Hamilton (Public Health and Social Services Department) provides child care subsidies to eligible families, depending on a number of variables. In order to obtain child care subsidy, parents must schedule an appointment with the Child Care Subsidy department, where they will be asked a number of questions to determine their eligibility. Parents may continue to be responsible for a daily fee, but it is based on the individual circumstances of the family. For more information, please click here.

Join our mailing list!

Sign-up to be notified of important information and updates from Umbrella.

Umbrella Family and Child Centres of Hamilton - Serving Hamlton for over 30 years

310 Limeridge Road West, Unit #9
Hamilton, Ontario L9C 2V2

(905) 312-9836

info@umbrellafamily.com

Follow Us

Child Care Programs

  • Infant Child Care
  • Toddler Child Care
  • Preschool Child Care
  • Kindergarten Child Care
  • School Age Child Care
© Copyright 2024 — Umbrella Family and Child Centres of Hamilton. All rights reserved.
Privacy