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 stories to the curriculum and created activities around them. I just remember thinking, ‘Wow, this feels like such a great learning environment.’”

When Lucas was born in 2022, Ellis had just opened its JP center. “We had such a positive association with Ellis from my year there,” Ashley recalls. “We were so excited to see this new center in our neighborhood.”

Ashley and João put Lucas on the waiting list, and a spot opened up soon afterwards, owing to what João calls, “their good fortune.”

“We looked at other schools, but knowing Lucas could continue growing through Ellis’s integrated learning programs was a huge draw,” Ashley says. The couple fell in love with the continuity Ellis offers. The supportive infant care, paired with engaging curriculum opportunities as children move through the program, made it feel like the right choice.

Lucas entered Ellis at five months old and is now a toddler in Ms. Sarah, Ms. Ruth, and Ms. Geraldine's classroom. João and Ashley say he loves his days at Ellis and starts every morning declaring how much fun he is going to have in class.

Living in JP, the family has developed an Ellis community outside of the classroom as well. They often run into Ellis families around the neighborhood parks and even at local toy stores. Ashley’s parents, now retired and living in JP, attend Ellis events like Grandparents’ Day, continuing the family’s connection to early childhood education; Ashley’s mother became a preschool teacher when Ashley was in middle school.

Through Ellis, Ashley and João have discovered Lucas’s interest in music. He loves to sing and dance, and the music classes with Mr. Phil have been a highlight. “He’s very particular about which songs people can sing,” João laughs. “If you try to sing certain songs, he’ll say, ‘Only Mr. Phil can sing that one!’” The family hadn’t realized Ellis offered a music program, and it has become one of their happiest surprises.

Ellis JP is a bilingual center, with more than half of educators and a majority of families native Spanish speakers. At home, Lucas speaks Portuguese with João, and while he's picked up a Spanish word here and there, his parents note how the similarities between the two languages help his understanding.

As first-time parents, Ashley and João deeply appreciate the support they’ve received from Ellis. The updates that parents receive through the ProCare app, especially the thoughtful notes from Ms. Sarah diving deep into the benefits of each classroom activity, help them feel connected to Lucas’s day and his development. They’ve also enjoyed community experiences like Ellis’s zoo days, where families can meet up and explore together.

Reflecting on their time as a part of Ellis, Ashley and João feel grateful for the dedicated teachers, the warm professionalism of the staff, and the neighborhood community that has grown around Ellis. Most of all, they’re grateful for how happy Lucas is, with each day beginning with excitement, and each new classroom adding another layer to his learning experience.