Founded in 1962
Founded in 1962, WVNS is Manhattan’s oldest cooperative nursery school. Owned and operated by parents and housed in a building it has owned for over 60 years.
West Village Nursery School was founded by a group of West Village mothers seeking a cooperative nursery school program for their children. Founders Shirley Wright, Barbara Williams, Dori Kimball, Kate Brown and Anne Tonachel were the original driving force behind establishing the school. The determined group found a one-room rental on Horatio Street. They hired a professional teacher, by-laws were drafted, licensing requirements met, and the school officially opened in the fall of 1962.
Educational Philosophy
At West Village Nursery School, we support the development of each child across all domains: social, emotional, physical, cognitive and moral. Nursery school is an important stepping-stone along the path toward independence. Children gain a sense of independence and confidence in an environment that respects and celebrates their individual differences in temperament, learning styles and rates of growth. Our goal at WVNS is to help each child feel increasingly capable, willing, and eager to explore their ideas, to practice newly emerging skills and to gain the satisfaction that comes from being part of a group.
