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Inside the Ellis Family Child Care Network
A new Ellis initiative is working to strengthen the Massachusetts child care system. The Ellis FCC Network gathered with members of the Ellis Early Learning team to celebrate their launch last year. Launched last year with a generous restricted gift from an anonymous donor, the Ellis Family Child Care (FCC) Network marks Ellis’s expansion into home‑based early education and care. The Ellis FCC Network is the first such system established in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts i
Ellis Gratitude Breakfast Thanks Donors with News About Exciting Changes
L to R: Paul and Pia Miller and Suzanne Dwyer were among the Ellis Early Learning Fund members who joined us for the Gratitude Breakfast. On Wednesday, March 11, more than two dozen supporters of the Ellis Early Learning Fund gathered for a delicious breakfast from Flour Bakery + Cafe. This event offered a welcome opportunity to mingle with donors and staff and learn more about the organization’s recent work. CEO Lauren Cook spoke about two ambitious new initiatives launched
Ellis Family Spotlight: Ashley, João, and Lucas at Ellis JP
Ashley Storms and João Ricardo Santos’s connection to Ellis Early Learning began even before they had their son Lucas, now in his fourth year at the Jamaica Plain center. While attending Boston University for her undergraduate degree in 2009, Ashley was a Jumpstart volunteer through AmeriCorps, helping to implement the organization's early education literacy programming. “We would come to Ellis three times a week to read in the classrooms. The teachers always connected the st
Tiffany Sheets Honored with Nonprofit Excellence Award
Tiffany Sheets (second from left), pictured with the full cohort of 2026 Light of Dawn awardees and scholarship winners. Ellis Early Learning is proud to announce that Tiffany Sheets, Assistant Vice President of Programs, has been named a recipient of the 2026 Light of Dawnn Awards. The awards honor Dawnn Ashley Jaffier, a young nonprofit worker who was killed in 2014, by recognizing nonprofit workers who demonstrate Dawnn’s spirit of compassion and unwavering commitment to
Gratitude and Goodbyes for Patti Keenan
L to R: Lauren Cook, Ellis CEO; Patti Keenan; and Dawn Hayes, Ellis Chief Advancement Officer celebrate Patti's decades of impact. In February, we said goodbye to an exemplar of the Ellis vision: Patricia D. Keenan, Ellis Vice President of Advancement, Community, and Equity. The final days of February were full of excitement and mixed emotions as our community said goodbye to Patti, celebrating her retirement and honoring her impact at Ellis. You can read more about the mark
Where Education Begins: Infants
Spring 2026
Leadership That Moves Our Mission Forward
Honoring Patricia D. Keenan and welcoming Dawn Hayes L to R: Patti Keenan and Dawn Hayes on Ellis's South End campus. This February, Ellis Early Learning will celebrate the retirement of Patricia D. Keenan, Vice President of Advancement, Community, and Equity, whose leadership over the past five years has helped propel Ellis into a new season of growth and innovation. Patti is succeeded by Dawn Hayes, who steps into the role of Chief Advancement Officer. When Patti joined E
Meet Mr. Phil, Ellis's Favorite Musician
Mr. Phil (left) and his music liven up many Ellis celebrations. Phil Berman – “Mr. Phil” to all Ellis children – followed a winding path to his career in music and early childhood education, but once he found his way, he knew he was where he belonged. After studying and working in serious adult theater, Phil found work at the Brookline Puppet Showplace and quickly produced 10 programs for 10 weeks, all targeted to children under three. “That was a trial by fire! I was totall
Closing Out 2025 on High Notes
Highlights from a season of events that capped off a remarkable year. Celebrating Ellis and Our 140th Birthday! On November 6, 2025, the Ellis community gathered at the historic Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts for Celebrating Ellis and Our 140th Birthday. Team members, families, friends, and advocates of early education came together to honor 140 years of impact at Ellis, and to help launch the decades ahead. With remarkable attention to detail from the team at
A Day in Ellis’s Infant Classroom
Part of a series: Where Education Begins Pree Dawn teaches infants in our Ladybugs classroom. As an Ellis Infant educator, Pree Dawn begins each day with drop-offs, greeting families, welcoming the students, and connecting with parents about their child’s latest updates. Those conversations help guide everything that follows during the day. Pree and her co-teachers in the Ladybugs classroom – Emani, Tiaja, and Niurka – shape the curriculum around each child’s unique needs an
Parents' Perspective
Part of a series: Where Education Begins For Jackie Deschamps and her husband, Steve Krikorian, choosing Ellis for their children felt natural from the very beginning. As neighbors of Ellis’s South End campus, they were thrilled to secure a spot before their first child, Axel, was even born. The Krikorian Family (L to R): Jackie, Steve, Axel, and Wyn Axel began in the Infant program in 2023 at just three months old, followed by his younger brother, Wyn, in 2025 at two months
New Curriculum Brings Best Educational Practices to Infant Classrooms
Part of a series: Where Education Begins Not many people think of the words “infant” and “curriculum” together, but Ellis takes education of infants as seriously as the word curriculum implies. The new Infant curriculum, collaboratively developed with Neighborhood Villages (NV) and five early childhood programs in Boston, will take the excellence of Ellis’s programs for its youngest learners to a new level. It will provide guidance for teachers, educational enrichment for inf
Where Education Begins: Infants
Winter 2026
Fall 2025
Celebrating Our Ellis “Grandmothers”
Edie (left) and Cecilia (right) Each week at Ellis’s South End locations, two remarkable women bring joy, care, and extra hands to our youngest learners. Cecilia and Edie have very different roles, but both share one thing: They are cherished volunteers whose warmth touches every child, family, and teacher at Ellis. For 13 years, Cecilia has been a beloved “abuela” at Ellis, bringing love, care, and joy to every child she meets. Cecilia came to Ellis through the ABCD Foster
Ellis Spotlight: Sarah Bukhari
Sarah Bukhari joined Ellis in November 2022, and it didn’t take long for her to feel at home. Already part of the Jamaica Plain community, she was thrilled to be placed close to her family, and the match turned out to be “perfect,” she says. Sarah and her son Mohamed at the Ellis JP Back to School Party last month! Originally an elementary school teacher in Pakistan, Sarah moved to the U.S. in 2012 and faced the challenge many immigrant educators know well: her teaching cred
Our Summer in Smiles
At Ellis, learning and discovery don’t take a break over the summer. Our little learners enjoyed a season full of curiosity, connection, and joy. From splashing at the Boston Common Frog Pond to gliding across the Public Garden on the iconic Swan Boats, our explorers experienced the best of Boston’s summer traditions. Back on campus at Ellis, water play days kept the energy high and the children cool. But the warmest months at Ellis are more than fun in the sun. Seasonal ex
Investing in Our Teachers, Investing in Our Children
At Ellis, we know that passionate, supported educators are the heart of every child’s success. That’s why we invest deeply in professional development (PD), giving our teachers the tools, guidance, and coaching they need to inspire curiosity, confidence, and growth in every child. Ellis has steadily been increasing PD since 2022, after the height of Covid-19 saw children needing extra support to recover from social-emotional setbacks. Targeted teacher trainings helped meet t
Summer 2025
Alejandra DelaCruz is always expanding her horizons
Alejandra DelaCruz has always focused on caring for children, but as her career evolved, Alejandra has widened her focus to increase her...
Summer is a special time at Ellis
Ellis’s summer programs are in full swing, and our preschoolers are embracing every moment of sunshine, discovery, and hands-on fun. From...
Two Ellis moms named Foster Parent of the Year
Two local chapters of the Massachusetts Department of Families and Children (DCF) recently honored Ellis mothers Pamela Schenk and Keri...
Graduation day celebrates the end of one journey and the start of another
The start of summer marks a new chapter for our little learners. On June 18 th and 20 th , Ellis was filled with smiles and happy tears...
Cheers to Community!
The sun was smiling on Ellis at our first Cheers to Community event at The Haven on June 11 th . This gathering brought together old and new friends of Ellis to celebrate our Jamaica Plain (JP) community and nourish our connections. From the heartfelt remarks of JP Center Coordinator Issam Heredia-Bitar and Ellis dad and Trustee Brendan Fogarty to the warm plates of delicious food and the perfect spring weather, every moment was a reminder of why Ellis matters. Ellis Jamaica
Spring 2025
Spring Arrives at Ellis!
The annual Ellis Spring Social on May 1 was a smashing success! The space was transformed into a springtime wonderland adorned with...
Advocacy for Early Learning
Thank you to all our amazing Teachers! At Ellis, advocacy is a cornerstone of our mission – a powerful tool we use to champion the needs...
Kalicia Sears Is Fulfilling her Dream
Kalicia and her daughter, Blair Kalicia Sears, the Assistant Director of the Infant-Toddler program at 58 Berkeley, thinks she was born...
Extended Families and Friends Celebrate a Joyful Grands Day at Ellis
On April 18th, the halls of Ellis were filled with laughter, hugs, and joyful buzz as students welcomed their grandparents and close...
Promoting Health and Happiness with Checkups!
Health and wellness are essential both to successful learning and to our overall well-being! We're incredibly grateful to the New England...
Winter 2025
Second year of Northeastern Co-ops
(from left) Sofia Baiker, Genesis Bejarano, and Ayana Montalvo Ellis began our partnership with the Northeastern University Cooperative...
STEM is fun and educational for Ellis little learners
Ms. Ana with students Ellis’s rich early childhood education program saw another growth spurt in early November, when Ana Davis became...
Generous donations fuel Ellis Early Learning
On a frigid winter day, there’s nothing quite like stepping into a room brimming with gifts—and that’s exactly what the Ellis team...
Celebrating Ellis and the Magic of Childhood, November 7, 2024
Presentation of the Hero Award to Natixis IM On November 7, 2024, Ellis hosted our much-anticipated annual fall celebration, Celebrating...
Issam Heredia-Bitar brings energy and business skills to Ellis JP!
When Issam Heredia-Bitar saw the job posting for an administrative assistant at Ellis Jamaica Plain (JP), it immediately captured his...
Fall 2024
Ellis Back to School Welcome Celebrations!
Each year, Ellis welcomes new and returning families to our two Ellis campuses for a celebration to kick of the school year. Despite a...
Meet Cyrena Spafford, Director of Infants and Toddlers at 58 Berkeley
Cyrena Spafford is Director of Infant and Toddler Education at 58 Berkeley Street. She began with Ellis in 2022 as an Education...
Ellis Launches Planned Giving Program
This fall, Ellis Early Learning is excited to announce the launch of our new planned giving program. The 1885 Society will enable donors...
The Ellis Early Learning Park is Open!
Right photo: Representative Aaron Michlewitz, Lauren Cook and Commissioner Amy Kershaw. Left photo: Cathy E. Minehan and Lauren Cook On...
Summer 2024
Ellis Baking Challenge a Sweet Success!
A happy crowd of more than 75 thronged Ellis on Sunday, June 9, for a baking challenge with Joanne Chang, founder of Boston’s Flour...
Ellis Early Learning’s First Fundraiser in NYC
On June 6th, Ellis had a fundraising cocktail party in New York City hosted by the generous Yasmina Jacobs, a close friend of our CEO,...
Getting Social for Spring
Ellis Early Learning 3rd Annual Spring Social On May 4th, Ellis Early Learning invited neighbors and friends to help usher in spring with...
Class of 2024 Graduation!
On June 21st, Ellis held three memorable graduation ceremonies for 25 preschoolers in the South End and 20 in Jamaica Plain. The children...
Meet Tom Monks, Ellis Director of Finance for 22 years!
When Tom Monks came to Ellis in November of 2001, he couldn’t imagine the changes he’d see over the 22 years he spent as Director of...
Winter 2024
Early Intervention Benefits Ellis Children and Families
All children are unique, and all children develop in their own ways. But at what point does a developmental difference require additional...
Ellis Welcomes State Leaders
On January 24th, Ellis Early Learning had the distinguished pleasure of hosting members of Governor Healey's cabinet for a tour and...
Social Work Interns Make an Impact
Last September, Ellis welcomed three social work interns to the Ellis team to help and learn from our current social workers, Cherish...
Meet Yasmin Elliano-Anderson, Director of 66 Berkeley
In just over four years at Ellis, Yasmin Elliano-Anderson has risen from being a toddler teacher at 66 Berkeley Street to director of the...
Fall 2023
Celebrating Ellis and the Strength of Families
On November 2nd, over 350 guests gathered at the Cyclorama for our Fall Benefit, Celebrating Ellis and the Strength of Families. We are...
Meet Aiyauna Terry, Director of UPK and Preschool
Aiyauna Terry’s story of over two decades with the same employer would be hard to believe at most jobs, but not at Ellis. She arrived 21...
Ellis opens brand new STEM Exploration Labs!
We were thrilled to host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for our new STEM Exploration Labs for toddlers and preschoolers. Thanks to a small...
Back to School Parties!
We couldn’t have asked for a nicer set of days to kick off the 2023-2024 school year. On September 15th, outside our JP center, and on...
Meet Ellis Northeastern Co-Ops!
This year, Ellis’s team has been strengthened by our first group of students from the Northeastern University Co-op Program. This...
Summer 2023
Meet Yaskara Cruz, Site Director of Jamaica Plain
Ellis Jamaica Plain’s inaugural Director, Yaskara Cruz is so grateful to have landed in a perfect place for her career and her life....
Swan Boat rides!
During the month of June, the preschoolers and toddlers from Ellis South End had a blast at the Boston Public Garden, where they made...
UPK Graduations
On June 23, Ellis held a memorable graduation ceremony for 40 preschoolers who will soon embark on their kindergarten journey in...
Thank you to our amazing volunteers!
Volunteers are a component of Ellis Early Learning operations, and we regularly welcome individuals and groups to support our mission....
Spring 2023
Meet Tiffany Sheets, Director of Education at 66 Berkeley
Tiffany Sheets adores children, and they adore her. Children are the core of her life, both at work and at home. She is one of six...
Ellis in bloom: PNC and Natixis volunteers garden with children
During April and May, Ellis Early Learning preschool classrooms experienced exciting and enriching days as teams of volunteers from PNC...
Getting Social for Spring
Ellis Early Learning 2nd Annual Spring Social On May 4th, Ellis Early Learning invited neighbors and friends to help us usher in spring...
Teacher Appreciation Week
This month we celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week (May 8 – May 12). It was a week filled with gratitude and recognition for our...
Raising a Reader
In March Ellis began an exciting new early literacy partnership that fosters reading skills by engaging families in the pleasures of...
Winter 2023
Our social workers make Ellis Early Learning shine!
This month, we’re excited to celebrate and appreciate our amazing social workers, Liz Brot and Cherish Casey. They are part of our Family...
Ellis partners with New England Conservatory for pre-k music learning
An exciting new pilot program between Ellis Early Learning and the New England Conservatory (NEC) to increase access and opportunity...
Warm Winter Wishes
Everyone would agree that January and February can feel dreary and cold. For this reason, Ellis was thrilled when the Ellis South End...
Spotlight on our new Trustees
A strong group of volunteers with diverse backgrounds joined the Ellis Board of Trustees on July 1, 2022. Kristen Vicino and Dannielle...
Fall 2022
Ellis Early Learning and Housman Institute Partnership
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Housman Institute and Ellis Early Learning Partner to Place Emotional Intelligence at Heart of Early Childhood...
Ellis Benefit Party Returned in Style After Three Years!
Lauren Cook (left) and Coleen Dinneen (right) Amy O'Leary (left) and Sunday Taylor...
Ellis Early Learning Fund
Ellis Early Learning provides children ages 4 weeks to 5 years an excellent early childhood education in a loving environment that is...
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