OUR HISTORY

Wilmette Community Nursery School is one of the oldest, private nursery schools on Chicago’s North Shore. WCNS was formed in 1961 by Lee Borre, a beloved Sunday school teacher, as an academic extension of the First Congregational Church of Wilmette (FCCW). The first class consisted of 9 children, ages 3 and 4.

By 1965, enrollment reached up to 40 children. In 1968 the school established itself as Wilmette Community Nursery School (WCNS) and began operating as a not-for-profit organization, separate from FCCW.

Today, WCNS has programs serving children ages two through kindergarten. A small school that began as a simple outreach program for nine children in 1961 now helps to meet the needs of approximately 100 children and their families. The school’s purpose and philosophy remain the same: WCNS is committed to providing a warm, nurturing, supportive environment where children can play, learn and grow.