The Children’s Center was founded in 1978 by a group of students and faculty at Westbrook College, and the preschool grew into a lab school for the college’s education-degree program. When the University of New England took over and ended that program, a group of dedicated parents, rather than give up such high-quality child care, worked with the university to preserve it as a private school. Today, that commitment to quality and community thrives. Parents serve on The Children’s Center Board and UNE continues to provide many benefits, including indoor gym space for rainy days and other facilities for meetings, school-wide sing-a-longs, and potluck picnics. The Children’s Center remains a model education center for young children, and works with programs at the University of Southern Maine and Southern Maine Community College to showcase best practices for teachers in training.