St. Mark’s Nursery School to celebrate 50th anniversary

Local institution involves parents in children's education

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Liz and Chris O’Keefe swung their daughter, Abby, as they walked her to her first day of nursery school last month.
Liz and Chris O’Keefe swung their daughter, Abby, as they walked her to her first day of nursery school last month.
Sue Grieco/Herald

St. Mark’s Cooperative Nursery School is celebrating its 50-year anniversary this year, as the school has instilled a sense of community that drive alumni to enroll their children and continue the tradition.

Michelle Creegan, who began serving as the school’s co-director this year, went to the nursery school years ago, and her husband is also an alum. Their eldest daughter started at St. Mark’s in 2014, and Creegan has played an active role on the school’s board ever since, serving as vice president of fundraising, treasurer and co-president before becoming the co-director. 

Though Creegan said she toured the array of quality schools in Rockville Centre, the choice was clear. “It’s just a feeling of family,” she said, noting that she made many friends with fellow moms at the school. “You sense that from the moment you walk in, how involved both the teachers and the staff and the parents are and open and loving and caring everyone is.”

The school opened its doors in 1968 to 30 pre-schoolers and now enrolls about 120 students, ages 2 to 4. Previously at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church at 200 Hempstead Ave., it has operated down the street since 2015 out of what is now Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David.

Being a cooperative pre-school, the parents and families of the students play a more active role. In addition to having a parent-led board and a variety of committees, parents are invited to join their children periodically in the classroom. They come about once a month for their child’s “special day.”

“It helps out the teachers, but it helps the parents get to see what their kids are doing during the day,” Creegan said, “and the kids get to understand that their parents are really invested in their education.”

Kate Kalafarski, who grew up in the village, said she is one of six children, noting that five members of her family went to St. Mark’s Nursery School. She pointed to her 4-year-old self in a 1990 class photo sitting on a nearby table. Her 2-year-old daughter, Caroline, is in the Mommy and Me program this year.

“It was a pretty easy decision, because I just had such a wonderful experience here myself,” Kalafarski said of enrolling her daughter. “She already loves it, so it’s been a great transition. She looks forward to coming and runs right into the classroom.”

Parents that come to the school want to be actively involved in their child’s education and stay involved even after their children graduate, according to former director Shirley Perri.

Perri’s involvement with St. Mark’s Nursery School began in 1979 as a parent with her eldest daughter, Juliette, followed by Ann and Elizabeth. She became an assistant teacher in the 4-year-old program in 1982 and was promoted to head teacher of the 3- and 4-year-olds in 1985.

In 1992, she became the school’s director of education, and she retired at the end of the last school year. But she continues working there part-time, and on Monday, she could be seen helping out in her grandson’s class. She has four grandchildren that currently attend.

“There’s something about being in here and watching their child grow and develop,” she said of the appeal for parents.

The school will hold its 50th anniversary celebration on Nov. 9 at the Garden City Hotel, and Creegan said they are trying to contact as many alumni as possible. Perri added that the school is trying to track down members of the class of 1968 and see what they are up to now.

Alumni of St. Mark’s Nursery School who would like to attend the party can contact smns50years@gmail.com.