Ep. 218 with Megan Ferring — Stamp Your Center's Footprint in the Community

Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! In this episode, Kris sits down with Megan Ferring, a dynamic regional director at Hamilton Heights Child Development Center, where her 16-year journey began as a preschool teacher. Megan's deep commitment to both operational excellence and playful leadership recently earned her the Director of the Year award.

Kris and Megan talk about how Hamilton Heights approaches leadership structure, branding, and enrollment strategy across its six locations. Megan shares her perspective on centering community connections, building team culture, and developing consistent processes across all sites. She also reflects on her growth from shy teacher to confident presenter, the importance of celebrating wins through initiatives like the Hammy Awards, and how servant leadership, inflatable silly Santa costumes, and "yellow box" muffin runs all play a role in culture-building.

Key Takeaways:

[7:24] Megan shares about her family life, including her 17-year-old and 12-year-old sons and her love of camping with her husband of 18 years.
[8:01] She began working in early childhood during high school and has now been with Hamilton Heights for over 16 years.
[9:12] Her leadership journey has included roles as a preschool teacher, toddler teacher, assistant director, director of special projects, and now regional director.
[13:06] Megan emphasizes the importance of building brand recognition and making your center a household name in the community.
[14:17] Community outreach strategies and partnerships with early childhood networks.

[17:43] She encourages leaders to recenter on their program's unique strengths to maintain and grow enrollment.
[19:52] In her new company-wide compliance role, Megan oversees SOP alignment, staff file audits, and training expiration alerts using BambooHR.
[24:05] She finds value in the Academy's team program for helping leaders feel less alone and more connected.

[27:05] Megan uses playful leadership tactics like inflatable costumes, scavenger hunts, and holiday games to boost team morale.
[30:27] She prioritizes understanding how each team member feels appreciated using workplace love languages.
[33:59] Megan shares how her leadership team supports one another through challenges with trust and shared commitment.
[34:24] She defines a childcare rockstar as someone who shows up every day to serve children and families with heart.
[36:28] Hamilton Heights recognizes excellence through company-wide shoutouts and the annual "Hammy Awards" celebration.

Quotes:

"The thing that I've recognized about myself is that I'm a lifelong learner. That fuels me. So being able to do that and put it into my toolkit is just great." — Megan [12:31]

"I think the big thing to learn in all of this is that it's important that you put your footprint in the community that you're serving." — Megan [14:09]

"I think that in that team room, something special happens. In the main room, too. You don't feel alone; you're hearing that people are struggling with the same issue you are, and it makes you feel better. And that you're not in it alone." — Megan [24:02]

"Not everybody has the same heart and drive that I do, and that's okay. It's what sets me apart." — Megan [37:44]

Sponsored By:

ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI)

Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Kris Murray

@iamkrismurray

The Child Care Success Company

The Child Care Success Academy

The Child Care Success Summit

Grow Your Center

Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal

Ep 202 with Adrianne Agulla

Hamilton Heights Child Development Center