“Play is the work of the child.”—Maria Montessori
Westchester Jewish. Community Services (WJCS) is thrilled to announce the expansion of early childhood programming to Tarrytown and Yonkers. Both initiatives are mode possible through generous support for the Westchester Community Foundation.
The WJCS Tarrytown Parent Child Center will be a free early learning program for parents and their young children (newborn–4 years old). The program serves families in need, many of them Spanish speaking recent immigrants, and is focused on giving parents the confidence and competence to support their children’s early learning and literacy through joyful play, singing, reading, as well as referrals to community resources and information.
WJCS has also expanded its ParentChild+ home visiting service to Yonkers . This free national early childhood evidence-informed program, previously known as the Parent-Child Home Program, arms parents of children ranging in age from 16 months to 4 years old, with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to ensure their children start school ready to succeed. The Yonkers program offers two options for families. They can receive two visits each week with an Early Learning Specialist in their home, or they can choose to have one visit at home, and one visit at WJCS’s Infant Toddler Learning Center (ITLC).
The Early Learning Specialists and ITLC staff encourage and model reading, language, and play activities to stimulate parent-child interaction and promote the development of verbal, cognitive, and social-emotional skills critical for children’s long-term success. Sessions are conducted with cultural humility, respecting the family’s culture and values.
“Many of our Early Learning Specialists are graduates of WJCS Early Childhood programs, speak the home language and live in the same community as the families they serve,” said Jessica Piecyk, Director of WJCS Early Childhood Programs. “Books and toys are given to families as gifts to enjoy. They are chosen through a racial equity lens, reflecting the diversity of the communities we serve. All books are either bilingual, or have Spanish labels added.”
The Tarrytown Parent Child Center will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 12 pm and is located at 105 Wildey Street. The New Rochelle Parent Child Center, housed at the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle, Mascaro Club House at 79 Seventh Street, is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 am to12 pm. Both centers are open October through May.
The WJCS Parent Child+ program has served the Westchester County community for over 50 years. Home visits are now available for eligible families in Greenburgh, Mamaroneck, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Port Chester, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, White Plains, and Yonkers.
If you are interested in participating in the program or working as an Early Learning Specialist, please contact Jessica Piecyk at [email protected]; (914) 949-7699 x2407.
