Parents are trying to keep the Union Cong kindergarten open

On Sunday morning, a group of adults and children gathered on Cooper Avenue in front of Union Cong Kindergarten. They were armed with green lawn signs and leaflets. Your goal? To prevent the kindergarten from closing.

The news that Union Congregational Church planned to close the school quickly spread throughout the community of parents and neighbors.

“It sounded like they had been thinking about it for a long time,” Max Goldman said. Goldman, a neighbor of the church, helped organize the meeting. He said he was surprised and dismayed by the school’s potential closure, as it has long been a force in the neighborhood and the city. “So many people rely on it.”

A history of learning through play

The Union Congregational Church has offered a kindergarten for children ages 2 to 5 since 1968. Union Cong Nursery School’s services are guided by the philosophy of the Reggio Emilia approach and give children the opportunity to express themselves and learn through play.

The church recently announced plans to stop providing these services. Plans for the school include converting it into senior housing. The board of directors is scheduled to vote on the matter at a meeting on October 16th. Many parents are already looking for new schools.

At Sunday’s gathering, neighbors, parents and community members expressed their sadness, with many taken by surprise by the announcement.

Maryann Brinley, a neighbor who sent her children to Union Cong years ago, questions the effectiveness of senior housing. “This is about saving the kindergarten,” she said. “Senior housing will only accommodate a small number of people. There is no guarantee that they will all be affordable.”

Explore more options

On Monday, Friends of Union Cong Nursery sent an email to church members. It said they had only recently learned of the church’s plans to replace the kindergarten with affordable senior housing. They asked for the opportunity to “explore other viable operating models not only for the school, but also for the church’s 35,000 square foot property.”

The email also called for transparency and added that the community deserves a voice in the decision.

“After a forum with church board members, it became abundantly clear that the decision to close the school was final and provided no room for additional dialogue or collaboration to explore solutions. Despite a long-standing partnership, we feel powerless and have no freedom of choice,” the email said.

In an Oct. 4 email, Union Cong Nursery School’s advisory board said it “will continue to explore a two-pronged approach.” We are developing both options to address the church’s mission and financial interests at our current location to remain in addition to looking for a potential new location in the Montclair area.”

Declining kindergarten enrollment

According to Timothy Crist, chair of the church board, kindergarten enrollment has declined since COVID and as a result of the expansion of public preschool in Montclair.

“We hear many voices, views and possibilities. We are examining them carefully before making a decision about the future,” Crist said.

Janet, a member of the church, wants the nursery to remain open but understands the financial difficulties this would cause the church. “It’s going to cost a lot of money.”

At the meeting, the idea was raised that parents who send their children to Union Cong would be willing to support summer camps or other additional activities to raise the money to operate the kindergarten.

Qiong Langer attended Sunday’s gathering with her three young children, the older two of whom she sent to Union Cong. “It’s very nurturing,” she said of the kindergarten.

Langer had hoped to send her youngest daughter, but waited until she was old enough to attend. Now she may never make it.

“We wish we had known sooner,” she said.

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