Looking back at 90 Years: Early Childhood Education

This year, we’re celebrating the JCC of Staten Island’s 90th birthday. As the JCC turns 90, we reflect back on the milestones the organization has achieved over the years.

​September signals one thing—back to school time. Many of you have little ones that started school this week, some of whom are attending daycare or preschool at one of our locations. Our Early Childhood Education programs have a long history, dating back nearly 60 years.
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In the late 1950’s, JCC leadership saw a need for early childhood services. They decided to start a nursery school, under the leadership of Alma Harter, in 1960. The first application for nursery school only asked a few basic questions. We’ve come quite a long way with the application process, which is now done through the Department of Education’s website!

The first class only had seven students and ran from 9am-12pm. Early childhood education was such a hit that by the late ‘60s, the program grew to accommodate over 70 students, and there were waiting lists!

The program was so popular that the JCC had to expand to accommodate the nursery school. The original building at 475 Victory Boulevard was renovated in the early 1960’s to add more classrooms. Times began to change, and more women were working, which created an even bigger need for early childhood education. The JCC then purchased 485 Victory Boulevard, now known as the Isador Aberlin/North Shore JCC, to house the expanding preschool, which continues to be one of our current locations.

In the 80’s, we expanded even further. The opening of the South Shore/Nancy & Ron Avis Building created more classroom space, allowing our ECE programs to grow. In 1989, the JCC decided to serve a new population: young children with developmental issues. We created the First Foot Forward program to help children with speech delays, sensory needs, and motor issues. The current program, which remains incredibly popular, includes individualized instruction with different types of therapy for children’s various needs.

In the past 12 years, we’ve seen an even bigger expansion. The opening of the Joan & Alan Bernikow Building included an entire wing devoted to daycare and preschool. Last fall, we opened the Berman Early Childhood Center on Richmond Avenue—an entire building devoted to Early Childhood Education!
Recently, New York City has recognized the importance of providing free preschool programs for families, creating Pre-K for All and 3-K for All. The JCC is a proud provider of these programs at all four of our sites and serves over 275 children per year.
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Over the past 59 years, thousands of children have walked through our doors and begun their educations with us. As we look to the future, one thing is certain; our ECE programs will continue to help mold our students into caring, empathetic young people with the goal of creating thoughtful and intelligent future leaders.