We were introduced to Jubilee Jumpstart (JJS) over 10 years ago. At the time we were not parents, but we shared a belief that kids should be school-ready with high-quality early childhood education that is not dependent on income. JJS consistently proves it can send kids off to kindergarten well-prepared with supportive families no matter their backgrounds. We decided to volunteer - Natalie on the JJS Board and Eamon at events. When we found out our baby was coming in 2021, like many new and excited parents we decided to research different childcare options in the area like nanny shares, in-home daycares and early childhood education centers. The best fit for us would be child care that provided our family with a multicultural experience and a robust parenting community. We considered many options, but chose JJS as it was the best education model for our daughter, actively invests in the parent journey and builds community among its families at the center. Since that choice, our daughter, Ruairi, thrived in this loving environment.
JJS is not a transactional daycare. The teachers want to know about Ruairi and ask questions about how we are doing as parents too. They provide advice on everything from transitioning from bottles to drinking from a cup, making sure instruction at daycare is reinforced at home, teaching us phrases to help us get Ruairi to follow directions, to potty training advice. The JJS community is also about supporting a parenting journey that connects us to other families at the center. We love the Spanish and English dual-language teaching. We love that there are more teachers in the classroom than required. We also find the regular 1-on-1 home visits valuable for calm, in-depth feedback outside the classroom space on Ruairi's development and our concerns about her growth. We knew Ruairi loved her teachers long before she had words with her boundless excitement every day we arrived at the center. We drop Ruairi off every morning knowing she is surrounded by love and learning new things. That peace of mind is priceless.
Natalie Grandison and Eamon Walsh, parents of Ruairi