Christ Church Nursery School
30 East Lane Short Hills, NJ 07078
973-379-6549
"Helping children embrace learning with curiosity, enthusiasm and confidence!"
ABOUT US
OUR SCHOOL
"Helping children embrace learning with curiosity, enthusiasm and confidence!"
Christ Church Nursery School was established in 1962; since then we have played an active role in the education of young children. The school is sponsored by Christ Church in Short Hills and welcomes children of parishioners as well as children of Short Hills and neighboring communities.
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We believe that children are eager to learn and they learn best through exploration and appropriate hands-on learning experiences. We offer a wide variety of activities that contribute to the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and communicative development of the child. Our days are busy as we learn about ourselves and the world around us.
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State licensed, the school serves over 200 children, offering spacious classrooms and four fenced-in outdoor play areas.
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Our challenging curriculum follows the Preschool Teaching and Learning Standards set by the New Jersey State Department of Education. Our goal is to meet, and when possible, exceed those standards.
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RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION
Christ Church Nursery School and Drop In Center is an outreach program of Christ Church in Short Hills. Although Christ Church is an Episcopal Church, we welcome children of all faiths. Christian touches can be found in our monthly Chapel lessons, story time and annual Christmas Services. We also say a simple prayer before eating.
In true Christian spirit, religious and cultural diversity is encouraged, welcomed and embraced. Families of the Nursery School are considered to be families of the Church, and as a courtesy, information from the Church will occasionally be emailed or sent home with the children.
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OUR CCNS STAFF
The staff is led by the Director and includes an Assistant Director, Finance Manager, Office Assistant, twelve certified Teachers and sixteen Teacher Assistants. We are also fortunate to have a fulltime custodian. We employ special teachers, who visit weekly, for Music, Physical Education and Gardening. Our staff attends monthly meetings and training workshops throughout the school year. This continued training helps to maintain the professional environment we strive for each day.
In line with state requirements, all employees of the Nursery School have been electronically fingerprinted and cleared by the FBI. The State Department also runs a background check on all employees. This is done through the Division of Youth and Family Services. Every three years, employees must resubmit a CARI (Child Abuse Record Information) form through the Division of Youth and Family Services for a re-check. Many of our staff also maintains their CPR and First Aid Certificates with renewals scheduled as necessary.
CCNS GOVERNING BOARD
The Nursery School is governed by a group of dedicated volunteers made up of Parish and community members that include the Rector, Warden of the Vestry, teachers from the community and parents from the Nursery School. The Governing Board meets five times a year and assists in setting policy and procedures. The Director, the Finance Manager and the Parent Association (PACCNS) President prepare reports that are presented to the group.