Philosophy & History

The Wellesley Community Children's Center(WCCC) was founded in 1971 by a small group of Wellesley residents who wanted to provide quality child care for families working or living in Wellesley and surrounding communities. This group set a tone for commitment, involvement, and concern for children that continues today.
    From a handful of preschool-aged children in 1971, the center has grown dramatically and continues to respond to changing needs for child care. We added an After School Program in 1979 and an Infant Toddler Program in 1980. We are now committed to serving families with children from the age of three months through fifth grade.
    We emphasize meeting the individual needs of each child in our care and responding to these needs as children grow. We hire teachers who are warm and caring, understand child development, and are committed to children and families.
    We want all of the children in our care to gain confidence in themselves, and to be happy, competent individuals. In order to do this they need to have the freedom to make choices in how they spend their days, and the security that caring adults will respond to their needs. Above all, they need to have fun being children. Visitors to WCCC’s program find places full of warmth, excitement, and joy in which children flourish.
    The WCCC is a private, nonprofit corporation, operated by a Board of Directors, administrative staff, and professional child care staff. The Board is made up of parents with children enrolled in the program and interested community members.

The Early Childhood Program

In March of 1988, through the efforts of Wellesley College, Babson College, and WCCC, the Early Childhood Program moved onto a new building on the campus of Wellesley College. We enroll children from both colleges and the community.
    We provide a safe, secure, and nurturing environment for infants, toddles, and preschoolers, and a curriculum that addresses all areas of a child’s development–physical, social, emotional, and cognitive. We believe that children learn best through active exploration and interaction with adults, other children, and materials. Helping each child develop self-esteem in one of our primary goals. We understand that children have different needs as they grow, and each room is organized to reflect these differences. In our Infant Rooms, infant schedules are as varied as the infants themselves. The toddlers have time and space to explore with all their senses and to gain confidence in using their rapidly changing physical and verbal skills. The Preschoolers’ confidence in their developing skills and enthusiasm for learning becomes increasingly evident as the grow.

The After School Program

Over the years, the After School Program has been located at different elementary schools in Wellesley. From 1988 to 1997 we were located in the lower level of the Wellesley Middle School, where we currently operate our Kindergarten program. In the fall of 1997, we opened two satellite programs at Schofield and Bates Elementary Schools, and a third at the Hardy School in the fall of 1998.
    The ASP is an enrichment/recreational program staffed by teachers who are aware of the needs of elementary school children. We provide a program in which children are given the choice of various large- and small-group activities. We believe that during after school hours, children should be able to pursue their own interests, to explore new activities, to relax, and to have fun! For that reason, we provide a wide range of opportunities at the WCCC ASP. During the course of the afternoon they have time for imaginary games, reading, chatting, playing, and homework. In addition, they have the opportunity to sign up for a variety of club activities, such as drama, sports and games, visual arts, nature and science, and music.

WCCC does not discriminate in providing services to children and their families, or in its employment practices, on the basis of race, religion, cultural heritage, sexual orientation, disability, political beliefs, sex, age, or marital status.