Wilmette Community Nursery School Appoints New Leader

Wilmette Community Nursery School (WCNS), today announced the appointment of Ellen McCue as the school’s next Executive Director. Ellen has been a teacher at WCNS for more than five years - her two children are alumni, so she also brings the invaluable perspective of having experienced both sides of life at the school.

“I am thrilled to take on the role as the next director at WCNS. As a parent and a teacher, I’m a firm believer in the school’s philosophy and have seen, first-hand, that our team of educators paired with the unique curriculum, provide the optimal learning environment for preschoolers,” said McCue. “This is an exciting chapter for students and staff at WCNS and I look forward to leading this great school into its next phase.”

Ellen’s love of early education is evidenced by her many contributions to young children in the community. She previously consulted with the education team at Special Gifts Theatre and founded Growth Spurts Play Space. She is also the owner and director of Summer Stuff Day Camp.

“We searched high and low and know that Ellen is the right person to take on this important position,” said Cindy Larson, WCNS Board Chair. “She is caring, compassionate, capable and her enthusiasm will help the next generation of young students excel at WCNS. Ellen and our entire team are committed to upholding the tradition of excellence in early childhood education that the community’s parents, students and teachers expect and love.”

WCNS is a non-profit organization led by parents and built by the community for the community. It has been one of the premier preschools on the North Shore for over 50 years, thanks to its play-based curriculum that caters to students ages two through six by making school fun, while fostering to their individual educational needs.

Kerry Russell retires from her role as executive director after eleven years and remains committed to helping with the transition to ensure it is seamless and successful.

“We are beyond grateful for Kerry’s many contributions to WCNS and our community, and we wish her well as she departs to spend more time with her family,” added Larson.

For more information about WCNS programs, and to register for the 2015-2016 school year, please visit http://wcns.org/programs/.

More About WCNS

Wilmette Community Nursery School’s history dates back to 1961, making it one of the first preschools in Wilmette. A popular Sunday school teacher, Lee Borre, was asked to develop a new preschool program. From the start, it was a huge success and grew rapidly. Lee remains an active member of the WCNS community and even stops by the school regularly to visit with the students and staff. WCNS is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and is licensed by the State of Illinois. WCNS is also an active member of the Alliance for Early Childhood, a local organization that provides programs and support for parents and professionals who teach and care for young children. For more, visit www.wcns.org.