SOUTH RIVER–Providing year-round education to children for more than 35 years, the non-profit Calico Cat Preschool/daycare center will celebrate its 40th anniversary this month.
“We are a smaller sized friendly neighborhood center, welcoming children for the past 40 years,” Director and Classroom Lead Teacher Ilona Spatola said. “Our trained and certified staff strives to nurture the intellectual, creative, social, emotional, physical and spiritual development of every child and to inspire a lifelong commitment to learning in every child.”
“Holy Trinity Episcopal Church had built an education building, which was not being used outside of Sundays for church school instruction,” Spatola said. “Beverly Budd and other parish leaders discerned an opportunity to create a nursery school, which was to be staffed by teachers and aides recruited from the membership of the congregation.”
Spatola said the school was created to offer part-time nursery programs for both church members and families in the wider community.
“At this time there were fewer options for preschool education and childcare in the South River area,” Spatola said. “Traditionally, religious congregations have created schools as a ministry integral to their mission of nurturing children and caring for families.”
Spatola said the center offers a 12-month program. The preschool/daycare center is closed only on major national holidays and the last week of August in preparation for the new school year. During July and August, the preschool enrolls students for a summer camp program.