Today, a group of mothers offers a shout-out to their children’s “amazing preschool”: the Little Gan at Chabad of Westport.
They were all in the first class there, after moving here during the pandemic. In June, their kids will be Littlel Gan’s first-ever preschool graduates.
Those members of the “founding families” want to share their experience. They write:
There’s a hidden gem here in Westport that many people don’t know about.
During the pandemic, a group of visionary educators recognized that as more New Yorkers sought refuge in Westport, the need for additional nursery schools would only grow.
Chabad of Westport had the space — and the heart — to create something special for these families. That’s when the Little Gan was born.
From day one, we have been lucky to be a part of this magical place. Today, we want to thank the entire team who has played such an integral role in raising our children.
We are deeply grateful to the staff for recognizing that nursery school is not just about academics. It’s also about creating a community that feels like family.
The way you’ve helped us raise our children, while also educating and supporting us as parents, has been invaluable.
The school’s approach, which includes occupational therapists, speech therapists and child psychologists, ensures that every child thrives in their own way.
We can’t express enough how much we appreciate the dedication you show in meeting each child’s individual needs.
Your sensory and playrooms provide a nurturing space for every child to grow at their own pace. The details, the commitment—you truly go above and beyond.
To the faculty: We are speechless. What you do every day feels like magic. Even though we see it, we still can’t quite figure out how you manage to make learning so fun, so engaging, and so meaningful.
You spoke to us about independence, about setting the bar high, about the importance of checking on milestones. You promised us you would create lifelong learners, laying the strongest foundation for reading, writing and STEM.
At the time, we didn’t fully grasp what that meant or why it mattered. Now, as we reach the 4s and watch our children learning to read, write, think critically and explore math in ways we never imagined, we get it.
We are blown away by how far they’ve come. We never want to leave. And for those of you who will be part of pre-K, we admit: We feel a little jealous!
For those whose time here is nearing its end, we want to extend our deepest thanks to our unsung heroes. You are truly our dream team. Our hearts are already heavy at the thought of saying goodbye to this magical place.
With deep gratitude,
Members of the Little Gan founding families
(Unsung Hero is a weekly “06880” feature. To nominate a hero, email 06880blog@gmail.com. To support our work, please click here. Thank you!)
Dan and to the families of Little Gan… Our little pre-school is a magical place because we love what we do. Our staff is exceptional and the passion for building strong foundations in our children is what makes our team the best. Thank you for this gift of honoring us and we love our special community. We wish you were all staying for Pre-K too! I am thankful for each and every child that walks through our door.
Couldn’t agree more! My daughter is in the Tummy Time program and the thoughtfulness and creativity that goes into the programming each week makes a huge difference to her (and me). What a special place!
We are SO grateful to be a part of this amazing community and there will be lots of tears at graduation this June! Best teachers, staff, school, and community!! The most creative and special place.
Little Gan is such a gem! I had the pleasure of visiting the school last week and was blown away! The brand new facility is gorgeous and every detail seems to be meticulously thought out – from the physical spaces inside and out (the outdoor playground is a child’s dream) to the lesson plans. The teachers are warm and stimulating and were so sweet with their students. The school radiates a feeling of happiness. Any family would be truly lucky to have their child attend Little Gan!
just got this from a friend and very excited to hear they are going to do a Pre-k!!!
Amazing!!
I have been part of The Little Gan since the beginning as a Two’s teacher. It fills my heart to have the pleasure to watch these very children who walked in on that very first day of school, as well as those who continue to walk into school until this very day, grow and grow and grow. At The Little Gan, we strive to make every day truly spectacular. We do this through play and exploration, and it is so clear how much they are learning. In addition, we learn so much from the children! It is an honor to be part of such this wonderful, magical community.
This article is spot on! I may be a little biased because I teach in the school, but I have been at The Little Gan since the beginning and have seen the amazing growth that has taken place.
As a teacher, there are so many resources at my fingertips and so much guidance available when necessary. I know that every child gets the individual attention that they deserve which helps them work on specific skills for the stage that they are on.
If you haven’t seen the litle gan in action you should come take a look and see what makes it so great!
BRAVO!! It all starts with the young kids! My mother started a nursery school back in the 50’s, the Hitchcock Nursery School here in Westport, which among its graduates, our current State Senator. Just morning sessions but driving to/from provided. My mother, who eventually got her Masters from Harvard when she was 62 years old,, was a strong advocate of getting children in school as early as three years old. “Kids’ values on instilled by the age of five,” she used to explain. Never met a toddler she did not love. Glad to see that mindset continues.
This is such a meaningful article! It’s so important that parents have the chance to offer their young children this special kind of early education!! I am proud that the Chabad of Westport can offer this educational experience. Shout out Melissa Shein!
This article is a gift to all in our community who don’t yet know the magic of Little Gan. To the truly extraordinary staff & families of the Little Gan -it has been my great honor to observe the phenomenal child teacher connections and educational experiences.
thank you for inviting me to be a part of your world 🙂
Dr Lynne