Nonprofit Village Green Nursery of Bedford Village Celebrates 55 Years

The Village Green Nursery School of Bedford Village, the only nonprofit nursery school in the area, celebrated its 55th anniversary in September.

The Village Green Nursery School of Bedford Village, the only nonprofit nursery school in the area, celebrated its 55th anniversary in September. The school, established in 1956 by Dorothy Crawford, was created as an opportunity for children to learn and develop in a nurturing environment, whether their family had the means to pay for it or not. Now, 55 years later, the school stays true to that vision. Director and board member Samantha Boege emphatically states that the school is "not run for profit...it is run out of love."

Head teacher Norma Bandak and assistant teacher Chrissa Skeades with Village Green students at the school's annual visit to the Bedford Fire Department, where the children learn about fire safety from volunteers like ex-chief Paul Aquilino. Courtesy the Village Green Nursery.

The Village Green Nursery School is unique, and not just because of its not-for-profit status. Head teacher Norma Bandak and assistant teacher and longtime board member Chrissa Skeades teach with an "open door" policy, encouraging parents to participate as much as they want. The board of directors consists of community members and parents and is entirely volunteer-based. The school also places a high level of importance on being eco-friendly, operating under the belief that kids are ready to take on the responsibility of being environmentally conscious at a young age.