A Brief History

The Yorktown Community Nursery School (YCNS) started as a vision in September 1947, when a group of parents met to discuss the possibility of creating a cooperative community nursery school in Yorktown Heights. A month later, a public meeting was held at which time parents actively began to form a new school.

In March 1948, YCNS, thanks to the involvement of the area parents, officially opened. With the continued involvement and support of the families in the Yorktown area (including Somers, Ossining, Peekskill, Cortlandt, etc.), it has grown from a one- group, one-teacher school housed in temporary quarters to its present status as a cooperative school with 5 groups, 74 students, 5 staff and its own building.

In the fall of 1950, YCNS was chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York, under the provisions of the Education Law of the State of New York. In 1988, YCNS became accredited school by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

The building which houses YCNS was completed in April 1952, and was named as a memorial to Dr. Nathan B. Bluestone, one of the founding members of YCNS. Dr. Bluestone embraced the mission that YCNS still strives to maintain -- providing a constructive program to enrich the lives of all children in the community.

The building is the result of years of work by the parents of YCNS students and scores of local businesses, some still in the area, who contributed to the original building fund through donations, time, energy and various services required to transform the original dream of 1947 into a functioning center and reality. This tradition of hard work, parental participation and service continues today with twice-yearly work weekends and involvement by parents in the various programs and committees required to keep the school functioning.

For 60 years, YCNS has provided area children with their first educational experience outside the home. Over the years, many people have given themselves to keep the original dream going - so that the next generation of children and families can participate in the original concept of a cooperative nursery school.