Nantucket Boys & Girls Club Prepares To Open New Preschool Program

Like many communities around the country, Nantucket has limited options when it comes to preschool programs for children. Parents put their kids on a waitlist before they're even born in some cases, as the available public organizations and private operations are all at capacity.

At the Nantucket Boys & Girls Club, one of the island's largest non-profits serving children, chief executive officer Jamie Foster - a father of two young boys himself - was keenly aware of the situation. Working with the organization's board of directors and donors, Foster and his team are preparing to open NBGClub Jr., a new preschool program that will be located at the Sparks Avenue facility.

"For years, I’ve recognized the difficulty of finding reliable childcare, especially when I faced it with my own two boys," Foster said. "Contrary to the misconception that young people on the island are uninterested in work, many are eager to join the workforce but are hindered by the lack of childcare options. Our Club facility often sits unused during the day, presenting an opportunity to fill this community gap...Thanks to generous donors who understand the importance of early education, we now have startup funds to launch this program."

The Club has hired a new preschool director, Carly Peixoto, who recently arrived on Nantucket from Taunton, Mass., and moved into the organization's employee housing. The new program is tentatively set to open in December and will serve kids aged 2 years and 9 months to 5 years. It will open with three teachers, a capacity of 20 students, and will run from 7:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The cost for families has been set at $350 per week.

"We view this as a pilot year, aiming to open in early December 2024," Foster said. "Depending on how things unfold, we anticipate opportunities for expansion, such as extending hours, offering summer programs, and adding additional classrooms to accommodate more students."

Foster credited outgoing Small Friends on Nantucket executive director Nichole Olson with helping the club get the program to the point where it is prepared to open.

Depending on the initial demand for the 20 spots in the program, Foster anticipates that children will likely be enrolled through a lottery system.