Wishing Ocean Breeze Well In Their New Endeavor

Ocean Breeze School, formerly Ocean Breeze Nursery School, was founded by the Unitarian Universalist Church over fifty years ago in Swampscott as a ministry to the members of the church and the wider community. Education for children has always been a primary commitment in the Unitarian and Universalist traditions (which merged in 1961); in fact, the first kindergartens in this country were established by Universalists. Our educational philosophy is based in our theological foundations of belief in a loving Creator, affirming the inherent worth and dignity of all people, respecting children’s perspectives and nurturing their sense of wonder, curiosity and individual conscience, and cultivating reverence through encounters with the natural world.

We are very proud of Ocean Breeze School’s great success as a program of our church for over thirty years on 101 Forest Avenue in Swampscott. In consideration of a fresh mission to expand our programming to include daytime classes (including yoga and other embodied spiritual practice), retreats, and local social justice and denominational gatherings, the board voted to close Ocean Breeze as of June 2018. Change is always hard, and it was a hard decision to make. We are thrilled, therefore, to know that Ocean Breeze has found a new location in Marblehead where it will have ample physical space to continue to nurture young lives and minds. Given its origins as a ministry of the Unitarian Universalist Church, it heartens us to know that Ocean Breeze will continue its programming in a neighboring church and spiritual community. We wish them well in their continued endeavors, with blessings from their founding institution.

The Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein, Parish Minister

Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lynn