About Beverly Children’s
Learning Center
The mission of Beverly Children’s Learning Center is to provide an affordable, safe, nurturing, and educational environment that promotes socially responsible behavior for children. Our programs are dedicated to respect and encourage the potential of each child, as well as the diversity of each family.
Who we are
BCLC is a non-profit 501(c)(3), early education and Out of School Time (OST) program serving our North Shore and Cape Ann Communities. We have a large center-based site at 550 Cabot St. in Beverly, as well as several Family Child Care homes throughout these communities. We provide education and care for children from birth through age 13 years in our Infant, Toddler, Preschool, PreK, and Out of School Time (OST) programs. We are open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 5pm for our Early Education programs and until 6pm (5:30pm throughout summer) for our Out of School Time (OST) program – which follows the school year calendar – offering attendance full-time, early release hours, and after school accordingly.
How it all began
The preschool program opened in June of 1972 with the help of St. Peter’s Church, St. John’s Church, and the North Shore Community Program. Led by a Board of Directors composed of community members and parents, the school’s initial purpose was to provide a free preschool experience to children of low-income families in Beverly.
The school was first opened one morning a week and soon thereafter two mornings with a volunteer staff composed of the Director, a teacher, and parent aides. In1973, the school became incorporated as a private non-profit educational institution. With funding from the Office for Children, the school began operating five mornings, increased the number of children in the program, added transportation services and began hiring staff.
Rental building at the Cummings Center
Our new building purchased in 2015
In 1975 a family child care system entitled “Partners-At-Learning” was established in addition to the preschool and continues to be a part of the organization today.
A third component was added in 1989 called the School-Age Childcare program – known today as our Out of School Time (OST) program. This was established to accommodate the community’s need for out of school time care. The program currently serves up to 69 children on a daily basis.
Our newest component opened in April of 2000. An on-site Infant/Toddler program was created to serve children 4 weeks – 2yr 9mos old.
In 2014, we purchased the property at 550 Cabot St. in Beverly, with the help of donors and the Early Education Out of School Time (EEOST) Grant. We have renovated one large portion of the building to create an environment that reflects the best research based practices in early education. We also successfully raised funds to construct a nature-based 25,000 sq ft outdoor playscape abutting an additional 2.25 acres of conservation wetlands. With a focus on engaging our students with an immersive nature-based educational experience, we have also renovated a majority of our classrooms with all-natural sturdy wood furnishings and new materials that align with our educational goals.
Most recently, with the assistance of the EEOST Grant once again, we constructed an outdoor classroom consisting of an expansive deck space accessible from our Out of School Time classrooms and upgraded our outdoor lighting. This furthers our ability to provide learning opportunities that connect our students with their surroundings.
Where do we go from here?
We continue to strive to provide the children of BCLC with the highest standard of education and care possible – and we do that by constantly looking at ways to improve and build our capacity to serve the community.
GOALS to build a strong future:
- Begin a capital campaign in 2023 that allows us to build out the remaining wing of our building to incorporate a pre-teen program
- Resurface our parking lot and add high-quality lighting to improve the safety and security of our staff, children, and families
- Provide on-going improvements to our signature outdoor playscape
- Continually seek out partnerships that will strengthen programming that align with our educational goals
Contact us to learn more
Learn More
Our Facilities
We own a state-of-the-art facility located in the heart of Beverly
Our Impact
Providing everyone in our community the opportunity to access high-quality education and care for 50 years
Leadership
With a dedicated Board, Executive and Administrative staff, Beverly Children’s Learning Center has operated for 50 years offering the highest quality of education and care
