For profit vs. nonprofit preschools. (Morristown: fit in, credit, day care)
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We are looking into pre-preschool programs for our child who will miss the cutoff for preschool this year. We are debating the Bright Horizons/Pfizer Child Development Center in Morristown or another program that rents space from a church. We are planning to visit Pfizer next week but a friend told me it is a fancy, state of the art facility while the other one we looked at is simply a nursery school in a church. The latter definitely has a family feel which I like but has very basic space.
I assume the Pfizer one is for profit which totally goes against my principles for an educational institution.
We are looking into pre-preschool programs for our child who will miss the cutoff for preschool this year. We are debating the Bright Horizons/Pfizer Child Development Center in Morristown or another program that rents space from a church. We are planning to visit Pfizer next week but a friend told me it is a fancy, state of the art facility while the other one we looked at is simply a nursery school in a church. The latter definitely has a family feel which I like but has very basic space.
I assume the Pfizer one is for profit which totally goes against my principles for an educational institution.
Any thoughts?
From what I understand Pfizer pays a part of the operating expenses, in exchange for them offering child care at the Giralda Farms campus. It is set up as a benefit for employees, that way there is good child care that is convenient for their workers. Horizons also accepts some drop ins, for employees who need occasional day care. (school vacations. ill nanny, etc.) I believe Pfizer employees may get a discount on child care, but I am not sure - it may be that as a benefit Pfizer pays part of the child care cost. I am not certain of the specifics. I have a friend who used the center for her child while she worked at Giralda Farms (not at Pfizer though). I know she was very pleased with the care her child received, and raved about the facilities. She loved being able to drop in to the center anytime during the day. I know the center is NAEYC accredited, not just state registered/licensed ---something many of the local church housed programs are not.
For-profit or non-profit shouldn't even be part of the equation. Non-profits are just as money focused as anyone else. If a non-profit doesn't earn a profit, they won't be in business for long. There isn't even a difference in where the profits go. In a for-profit, they go to the owner of the company. In a non-profit, they go to the owner of the company. The only difference is how it's listed on the books.
We are looking into pre-preschool programs for our child who will miss the cutoff for preschool this year. We are debating the Bright Horizons/Pfizer Child Development Center in Morristown or another program that rents space from a church. We are planning to visit Pfizer next week but a friend told me it is a fancy, state of the art facility while the other one we looked at is simply a nursery school in a church. The latter definitely has a family feel which I like but has very basic space.
I assume the Pfizer one is for profit which totally goes against my principles for an educational institution.
Any thoughts?
I found the Bright Horizons to be much more a daycare than a pre-school. The majority of kids were there all day while parents worked. I was looking for more of a 2 - 3 hour program.
For-profit or non-profit shouldn't even be part of the equation. Non-profits are just as money focused as anyone else. If a non-profit doesn't earn a profit, they won't be in business for long. There isn't even a difference in where the profits go. In a for-profit, they go to the owner of the company. In a non-profit, they go to the owner of the company. The only difference is how it's listed on the books.
Nonprofit orgs put money back in the program. For profit goes to owner/stock holders,etc. I've worked in nonprofit for 15 years. I was the Director of a program in the city. All extra money towards the end of the fiscal year went directly into the program/for clients needs, etc. I studied the nonprofit industry extensively in graduate school. Yes, nonprofits need to keep business going but nobody is pocketing the money.
The Pfizer program is officially open to the community. I will look up that accreditation. Thanks!
The Pfizer program is officially open to the community. I will look up that accreditation. Thanks![/quote]
Yes the center is open to all, as I stated, my friend who's child went there worked at the Giralda Farms Campus, but she was with a different company, not with Pfizer.
As far as the accreditation - from what I know, the state license is more to do with regulating basic safety and specific staff to child ratios. They really do not address curriculum nor staff qualifications. The NAEYC addresses not only safety and staff/child ratios, but curriculum, staff qualifications and educational requirements. I seem to recall my friend mentioning that her childs teacher had a degree, though I am not sure if it was in early childhood education, or elementary ed. I know it is rare to find a state certified teacher teaching a class in a church nursery school.
KoalaNJ
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