West Side YMCA
Our Early Childhood Center builds strong kids, families, and communities through our comprehensive program. Our robust curriculum and flexible schedules are structured to meet your family’s needs and provide a safe space for your family to grow and play together.
We have spots still available in our UPK Class as well as our Three's Class! Interested families should fill out this Prospective Family Form and return to Bridget Sieling at bsieling@ymcanyc.org.
Fall 2022 Early Childhood enrollment for children 6 months to 3 years old will begin in February 2022. Please contact Bridget Sieling for more information!
Tour our program with the below videos!
Universal Pre-K
About the Program
The West Side YMCA presents NYC’s free Universal Pre-Kindergarten, a quality program five days a week! Children will be in contact with highly qualified, certified teachers and personnel. Our curriculum places a high priority on creating an environment in the classroom that encourages children to experiment, explore, and pursue their own interests.
How to Apply
We have spots still available in our UPK Class as well as our Three's Class! Interested families should fill out this Prospective Family Form and return to Bridget Sieling at bsieling@ymcanyc.org.
Fall 2022 Early Childhood enrollment for children 6 months to 3 years old will begin in February 2022. Please contact Bridget Sieling for more information!
Early Childhood Center
About our Early Childhood Center
Our Early Childhood Center is a comprehensive child care program for children 1 year to 4 years of age. For children ages 1-3, our school is offered through a fee-based program. For children 4 years of age, our school will be offered through UPK. Designed to provide a flexible schedule for working parents, our Early Childhood Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30AM to 5:30PM.
Philosophy, Curriculum, and Schedules
Our Early Childhood Center is committed to providing a safe, supportive learning environment for young children. Teachers create a warm and loving atmosphere while offering a developmentally based, engaging curriculum, where children can play, discover and learn. The development of independence, trust and initiative is fostered through a balanced program of free play and structure, quiet and active play, and group and individual time. Learning centers in each room include science, dramatic play, block building, library, art, music and manipulative materials. Our age-based program incorporates science, music, movement, and art in its foundation.
Our Schedule
- Fee-Based (Ages 1-3 years): 8:30am-5:30pm
- UPK (Age 4 years): 8:30am-3:00pm
- Optional Extended Day: Monday through Friday from 3:00pm to 5:30pm
Faculty and Staff
Our school is located within the West Side YMCA—an architectural treasure and landmark building. The school has well-equipped classrooms, with child-sized toilets and sinks in the classrooms. Our Early Childhood Center wing includes a library, indoor play spaces and a full-sized gymnasium. Children and parents enjoy recreational and educational opportunities throughout the YMCA. Each class is staffed with at least two teachers, and many of the faculty members hold advanced degrees in Early Childhood Education or in a related field.
Meet our Teachers
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Elizabeth Eleutice
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Katarina Nieves "While working with young children, my priority is to ensure that no child is left behind. I understand that each and every child is unique in their own way and my role is to support their development in every way possible. I look at the whole child; from social and emotional development to physical and cognitive development, and make assessments on how to provide the best guidance in a developmentally appropriate and encouraging environment." |
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Starr Gonzalez "During their early years, children learn through exploration and guidance. It is important to provide children with the tools they need to develop their social and emotional skills. I believe it is my role to ensure the safety of children and assist them as they learn to navigate the world around them. I fulfill this role by providing them with a clean, stimulating environment that encourages their growth and autonomy. Establishing trust is crucial to my goal as an educator because learning and celebrating each child’s talents is best achieved in a comfortable, welcoming educational setting." |
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Erin Gilmore "In early education, learning opportunities are everywhere! From reading a book to playing outside, kids learn how to problem solve and tackle challenges in their ever expanding world. I have learned from my current work in graduate school how important these first few years of development are. When children are given a safe and dynamic environment to grow and gain confidence, it will ultimately help them succeed in their continuing years both inside and out of school. My goal each day is to promote this type of environment and to always celebrate even the smallest of victories. As an educator, I truly believe I learn as much from my students as they learn from me. I am so excited to join this team and further my knowledge and experience which such a special group of young learners." |
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Jeri Olavarria "As an educator it is important to provide a safe, caring, and nurturing environment for children to thrive in. I’ve been a teacher for over 25 years and there is nothing more rewarding that hearing a child say, “I did it!” when they master a new skill. In the preschool classroom, children learn through play. We help children develop the social skills they need as they grow and change. I take pride in knowing that I’m an integral part of a child’s development, that I am providing the support they need to be successful in the future. "
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Raseem Caines "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou |
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Maria Elena Blair |
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Angel Toliver |
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Dylan Margolis
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Sandy Gonzalez "I believe cultivating nurturing environments for young children to learn, play, and grow is more important now than ever. Since completing my master's in teaching, I have worked to foster safe, engaging communities for young learners. A supportive learning environment is necessary for every child to thrive. I consistently strive to provide a warm and loving atmosphere for children to develop individual strengths and interests while also learning how to play in a shared space with others." |
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Jenniffer Gonzalez |
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Tamara Stitt UPK2’s Class Teacher "This quote by Albert Einstein rings true for me: 'It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.' One of my main goals as an educator is to provide even the youngest of students with tools to enthusiastically seek, acquire and apply knowledge! I believe children are most excited about learning when their unique talents, gifts and interests are celebrated. My hope is that every child’s educational journey is full of curiosity, fun and adventure!" |
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Tinysia Lawrence-Clarence "Children are the blueprint for the future. As a new educator, I am learning how each child brings their own set of unique skills and abilities to the classroom. It is our duty as teachers to support the children in exploring the world while keeping them safe. I hope that I can inspire every child to live in their true authentic selves. While also demonstrating to them that their possibilities in life are endless." |
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Jamie Thaler UPK Afterschool’s Class Teacher"As an educator, I believe there is nothing more important than being able to watch children grow, learn, and thrive in a loving, safe and nurturing environment. I feel lucky to be a part of children’s early educational years, as these years are the foundation to their school experience. It is my goal to bring fun and creativity to the classroom to foster learning and help facilitate their success in a school setting." |
Meet our Staff
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Misha Paskar When children see their lives reflected in the classroom, they are intrinsically motivated to learn because they feel connected to the curriculum. In today’s social climate, we know there is much work that needs to be done to create a just and equitable society where our children can thrive. Here at the West Side YMCA, we aim to ensure that social justice is always at the center of our learning – so that children, families, teachers, and the entire school community can be unified towards one goal; to be kind and to care for each other as we navigate the world."
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Bridget Sieling
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Early Childhood Admissions and Tuition
2022-2023 Early Childhood INFANT Monthly Rates
Program Based on Age |
Tuesday/Thursday |
Monday/Wednesday/Friday |
5 Days a Week |
Infant School Day |
$1120 |
$1680 |
$2800 |
2022-2023 Early Childhood Monthly Rates
Program Based on Age |
5 Days a Week |
Toddlers (12-24 months) |
$2670 |
Two’s and Three’s School Day |
$2500 |
Financial assistance is available.
Fall 2022 Early Childhood enrollment for children 6 months to 3 years old will begin in February 2022. Please contact Bridget Sieling for more information!
Registration & Tours
Registration
Interested families should fill out this Prospective Family Form and return to Bridget Sieling at bsieling@ymcanyc.org.
Tours
Fall 2022 Early Childhood enrollment for children 6 months to 3 years old will begin in February 2022. Interested families should contact Bridget Sieling at bsieling@ymcanyc.org for information regarding enrollment or program inquiries and to schedule a tour of our school.
COVID Protocols & Best Practices
WEST SIDE YMCA EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER COVID-19 GUIDELINES & BEST PRACTICES
Due to the nature of COVID-19, we are taking considerable steps to ensure the health and safety of all children and families in our care. All guidelines, best practices, and steps put into place stem from mandates and recommendations by New York State, New York City, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, and the YMCA of Greater New York. As of August 16, 2021, YMCA of Greater New York will be complying with New York City’s mandate that requires all individuals 12 years and older to be vaccinated to enter the YMCA. This includes all employees of the West Side YMCA to be vaccinated and provide proof of their vaccination as well anyone 12 years and older. Please provide proof of vaccination for all emergency contacts and approved adults to pick up your children. Anyone that we have not received proof of their vaccination will not be granted access into the building.
PPE
Students are required to wear masks within our school. We ask for children two years and over to have a mask in a sealed bag that will remain in school in the event the child displays symptoms of COVID-19.
Health Check
Teachers will conduct a very brief health check of students daily upon arrival. This health check consists of observing if the child is alert and symptom free of any illness.
Arrival
Arrival will take place at the 64th Street entrance from 8:30am-9:00am. We ask all families to line up along the side of the building. Please be mindful of social distancing. For any late arrivals, please utilize the 63rd Street entrance. Once inside the facility, you may escort your child through the Early Childhood wing, to the classroom door. Parents/guardians, please do not enter the room. Kindly stop at the door and allow the staff to check your child in on the sign-in sheet. You will provide your name, child’s name, and confirm that your child has their snacks, lunch, and water/milk/juice for the day.
Near the entrance of the classroom you will find a shoe hanger. Please locate your child’s designated shoe spot, assist your child with taking off their shoes and help them enter the room. Staff will receive the child at the doorway and help your child into their indoor shoes.
Dismissal
Dismissal will take place at the 64th Street entrance from 5:00pm-5:25pm. We ask all families to line up along the side of the building. Please be mindful of social distancing. For any early pick-ups, utilize the 63rd Street entrance. Once inside the facility, you may proceed to your child’s classroom and stop at the door. Staff will assist your child with gathering their belongings and taking off their indoor shoes. The staff will also check the child out with you on the sign-out sheet. You may then assist your child into their outdoor shoes at this time.
Indoor Shoes
In order to prevent exposure to outside germs, we ask for you to provide a brand-new pair of sneakers for your child to keep at school as their indoor shoes. If brand-new shoes are not available, please thoroughly clean and sanitize a pair of sneakers to the best of your ability.
Staff will also adhere to the indoor/outdoor shoe policy.
Visiting Policy
To decrease exposure and contain our classroom pods, we are limiting visitation to the hallway of the classroom. Parents/guardians will not be able to enter the classrooms at this time. All children and staff in the classroom must remain static.
Classroom Setup
Rooms have been setup to allow for increased distancing. Tables are distanced from other tables. Nap time will also be distanced. Selected toys and materials in the room are easy to sanitize. Staff will clean toys on a daily basis using a water and bleach solution. Staff will also clean the room throughout the day with an extra focus on high touch areas. Our facility cleaning staff will do more extensive cleaning every night.
Outdoor Play
We often utilize Central Park as an outdoor location for our Early Childhood program activities. Local trips and other outdoor locations are also planned. In addition, to increase time for movement, we are creating schedules that allows each group to maximize on the time they have in the indoor play space, gymnasium and any other large areas of the facility where they can move, stretch and have fun!!
Enrichment Activities
To ensure groups remain static, the use of enrichment specialists, whether contracted or YMCA staff, is temporarily postponed. As a result, our full-time teachers will incorporate enrichments into the schedule and will facilitate these themselves. Such enrichments include art, STEM, dance, and more.
Sick Policy
Pertaining to COVID-19 Staff will conduct health checks of each participant upon arrival. If a child shows symptoms of illness, in relation to symptoms of COVID-19, the child will not be able to check-in for the day. If the child becomes ill during the school day and begins to display symptoms, the child will be asked to put on their mask (if two-four years of age), and will be escorted to a designated isolation room where they will remain under supervision of a staff member. We will contact parents/guardians and/or additional emergency contacts to schedule for your child to be picked up. In this event, your child must self-quarantine and follow guidelines by the CDC and DOH. Your child may not return to the program until symptom free, with physician documentation confirming negative test results. All staff must adhere to this same policy and will not be allowed to return to work until symptom free, with documentation from a physician confirming a negative test result.
If a child or staff contracts COVID-19, parents/guardians and staff must notify the school administration immediately. If someone in the child or staff’s household contracts COVID-19, we must also be notified immediately. The YMCA will follow the guidance of DOHMH and NYC Testing and Tracing regarding notifications, quarantining, and classroom or program closures.
If ever a case of COVID-19 should arise causing a classroom or school closure, we will continue to engage all children remotely. We will also work with all affected families on tuition adjustments.
Please note that these guidelines and best practices are subject to change at any time. We are closely monitoring all updates from the aforementioned entities and will update all families accordingly as things change. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
2021-2022 School Calendar
Tuesday, August 31st |
ZOOM Parent Orientation: 9:30am-11:00am |
Thursday, September 2nd |
ZOOM Parent Orientation: 5:30pm-7:00pm |
Monday, September 13th |
First Day for All Students |
Week of September 27th |
ZOOM Parent Teacher Conferences |
Monday, October 11th |
PROGRAM CLOSED – Indigenous Peoples Day/Columbus Day |
Week of October 25th |
Written Progress Reports Delivered Via Email to Families |
Tuesday, November 9th |
Picture Day |
Thursday, November 11th |
PROGRAM CLOSED – Veteran’s Day - Professional Development |
Wednesday, November 24th |
Early Dismissal-3:00p.m. for all children - Thanksgiving Holiday |
Thursday, November 25th – Friday, November 26th |
PROGRAM CLOSED – Thanksgiving Holiday |
Week of December 13th |
ZOOM Parent Teacher Conferences |
Friday, December 24th-Friday, December 31st |
PROGRAM CLOSED – Winter Recess |
Monday, January 3rd |
Program Resumes |
Monday, January 17th |
PROGRAM CLOSED – Martin Luther King’s Jr. Birthday |
Tuesday, January 18th |
PROGRAM CLOSED – Professional Development |
Monday, February 21st |
PROGRAM CLOSED – Presidents’ Day |
Week of February 21st |
Written Progress Reports Delivered Via Email to Families |
Friday, March 18th |
PROGRAM CLOSED – Professional Development |
Week of April 11th |
ZOOM Parent Teacher Conferences |
Monday, April 18th- Friday, April 22nd |
PROGRAM CLOSED – Spring Recess |
Friday, May 27th |
PROGRAM CLOSED – Professional Development |
Monday, May 30th |
PROGRAM CLOSED – Memorial Day |
Week of June 6th |
Written Progress Reports Delivered Via Email to Families |
Monday, June 20th |
PROGRAM CLOSED – In Observance of Juneteenth |
Friday, June 24th |
Last day for UPK with camp option July and August EC Fee-Based resumes as regularly scheduled |
Monday, July 4th |
PROGRAM CLOSED – In Observance of Independence Day |
Week of July 25th |
ZOOM Parent Teacher Conferences (fee-based students only) |
Week of August 15th |
Stepping Up Ceremony/Graduation Ceremony |
Friday, August 26th |
LAST DAY OF PROGRAM - Early Dismissal-3PM for all children |
Monday, August 29th– Friday, September 9th |
PROGRAM CLOSED – Staff Professional Development & Clean-Up |
Community News
The West side Y Early Childhood Center presents
Black Excellence Exhibit
February 28-March 4, 2022
Please join us for our very special exhibit celebrating Black Excellence featuring artwork by the children in our Early Childhood program. The exhibit is open to members and participants during normal business hours.
ECH Families are invited to the Exhibit Opening on Monday, February 28th at 8:30 AM-- stop by for some coffee and grab ‘n’ go snack.
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- Twitter: @WestsideYNYC
- Facebook: @westsideynyc
- Instagram: @westsidenyc
Questions?
We're here for you. Contact our Early Childhood Center team today!