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Nursery School

Since 1938, the 92nd Street Y Nursery School has provided a warm and creative atmosphere that fosters young children's imagination, curiosity and intellect.

Our program facilitates children's social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth through a curriculum attuned to children's unique patterns of development. We believe children learn best in a well organized program that emphasizes creative expression, provides opportunities for play and encourages respect for others. Our goal is for children to become responsible members of their classroom community and develop the confidence and independence. We are committed to building a strong sense of connection between parents, teachers and children. We firmly believe that communication between parents and the school is essential in fostering young children’s growth. The celebration of Shabbat and Jewish holidays teaches children the joy of Jewish culture and heritage.

A highly experienced faculty trained in early childhood education works with children individually and in groups fostering creative expression through art, music, movement and language.

Enrollment: 171 boys and girls, ages 2.6 to 5 years old.

Learn about Tuition and the application proccess

Learn about Camp K'Ton Ton, a day camp for pre-school aged children

Location

The school is housed on the sixth floor of 92Y with nine fully equipped spacious classrooms and a library with an extensive collection of children’s books and resource materials. Two outdoor terraces and a rooftop playground are available for daily outdoor play.

Staff

Nursery School

Ellen Birnbaum

Director, 92nd Street Y Nursery School
Ellen Birnbaum is a 30-year veteran of 92nd Street Y’s Nursery School, where she began as an assistant teacher in 1981. She served as assistant and then associate director from 1996-2011, and assumed her new post as director in June 2011. Ellen is a member of 92Y’s Wonderplay Leadership Team, the organization’s “brain trust” of early childhood educators; she also ran 92Y’s Camp K’Ton Ton, a summer program for children aged three to five, from 1993-2003.

As director, Ellen oversees the day-to-day operation of the pre-school as well as curriculum planning, parent education, staff supervision and admissions. She serves as a liaison with teachers, parents, and children; leads the Nursery School’s innovative parent- and caregiver-education programs; and works closely with classroom teachers to monitor and evaluate each child’s emotional, social and physical development. Ellen has been instrumental in incorporating the wealth of resources at 92Y into the nursery school’s curriculum and enrichment programs; she developed an intergenerational program with 92Y’s seniors, programs in gymnastics and science, all-school music and dance days and attendance at concerts offered through 92Y’s Educational Outreach program.

She is co-author, with Nancy Schulman, of Practical Wisdom for Parents: Raising Self-Confident Children in the Preschool Years (Knopf, 2007). She has spoken about the important role of caregivers in early childhood at meetings of the Association of Teachers at Independent Schools (ATIS), and presented “The Other Parent: Including Caregivers in the School Community,” at the 2009 NYSAIS (NYS Association of Independent School) Early Childhood and Lower School Heads Conference. In May 2006, Ellen attended the Reggio Emilia Study Tour in Italy, which teaches educators from around the world about the internationally renowned infant, toddler and early-childhood programs in this Northern-Italian town.

Ellen received her B.A. from New York University, where she completed a major in Art History and a minor in Education and an M.A. in Fine Arts from the school’s Institute of Fine Arts. She has also taken many courses in early childhood education at the Bank Street College of Education in New York.

She is the mother of two grown children and grandmother of two young children and lives in New York City with her husband.
Ellen Birnbaum, Director

Shereen Rutman, Associate Director
Dena Warren, Admissions Coordinator
Gail Raybin, Administrator
Susan Caplan, Director, Nursery School Development
Laura Rosen, Associate, Nursery School Development

Faculty: Meg Allen, David Anderson, Susan Barth, Cela Beznicki, Beverly Cione, Charlotte Czerw, Terri Dancik, Michael Davis, Lora DelPonte, Jody Doomchin, Jennie Drogoszewski, Heather Egert, Eve Engel, Hayley Garfinkel, Barry Goldberg, Lauryn Karmitz, Joan Kassel, Jennifer Katz-Burk, Tara Kirton, Jacqueline Kristel, Andrea Mansfield, Rebecca Pearl, Robert Perlman, Lori Plotkin, Brenda Ratliff, Jessica Reich, Marcia Richer, Cat Rossetti Morosini, Beryl Roth, Alison Snow, Jillian Schwam, Alix Steinberg, Jen Tamchin, Roberta Willenken, Jennifer Zebooker

Updated August 2017.

Tuition for the 2017-2018 school year:

  • 2 mornings

    3 mornings

    5 mornings

    9 am-1 pm

    9 am-2 pm

  • $17,600

    $20,800

    $28,700

    $31,200

    $34,900

Updated Jan 2017.

Application Procedures

The 92nd Street Y Nursery School accepts applications for children ages 2.6-5 years old.

Children must be two years old by Mar 31 of the entering year.

Families who are interested in attending an information session and touring the school should call 212.415.5532, beginning at 9 am on Tue, Sep 5, 2017 (the day after Labor Day) to schedule an appointment.

At the conclusion of the information session, application information will be available. The application fee is $75. Applications must be submitted by Fri, Nov 3.

Inquiries regarding admission for four and five year-old children are accepted throughout the year. Please note that a child has to be turning four by Aug 31. Admission is based on space availability for the following school year. We do not accept children after the school year has begun.

Important Forms

Contact Us

For more information, call the 92Y Nursery School at 212.415.5532.