Opportunities Through Education

A growing sense of educational disparity is hindering a segment of Fairfield County’s children from succeeding in school and developing the skills necessary to lead productive and fulfilling lives. The Opportunity Gap, this inequity of educational and community support services, is often attributed to social issues including a lack of parent involvement, inadequate housing, access to health care and vocational training.

Family Centers offers families a two-generational solution to closing the Opportunity Gap. Our services focus on the entire family to provide continuous support as children progress through school and begin careers. By addressing the root causes of the Opportunity Gap at the earliest stages and providing family support throughout a child’s life, we're helping to ensure long-term success.

Our Programs

Early Care and Education

By offering a multi-sensory curriculum emphasizing discovery, cooperation and communication in a nurturing and stimulating environment, our Early Care and Education sites support young children’s development of positive self-identity and instills a lifetime love of learning. Individualized goals are determined jointly with parents and teachers based on classroom assessments.

Family First In Education

Made possible by a grant from the Per and Astrid Heidenreich Family Foundation, Family First In Education is a collaborative between Family Centers the Greenwich YMCA and Greenwich Public Schools. Focusing on structured after school programming and parent involvement, the program aims to address the key contributors of the achievement gap.

Greenwich Parents As Teachers (GPAT)

The Greenwich Parents as Teachers (GPAT) program is a key component of the Greenwich United Way’s Early Childhood Achievement Gap Solutions (ECAGS) program. Through in-home education and support services, GPAT helps new Greenwich parents encourage healthy physical and social-emotional development for children ages 0-3.

Minding the Baby

Minding the Baby® is a preventative, interdisciplinary home visiting program for Greenwich/Stamford area parents. The program aims to help parents establish early and positive bonds with their babies through home visits focusing on health, attachment and support.

Nurturing Families Network

The Nurturing Families Network (NFN) helps first-time parents manage the challenges of parenthood by providing a system of continuous care designed to promote positive parenting and education through telephone support, parenting groups, as well as home visiting for eligible parents.

Parents as Co-Educators

The Parents as Co-Educators Program is a collective impact project in conjunction with Children's Learning Centers (CLC), Building One Community and the Vita Health & Wellness District designed to tackle the growing achievement gap in Fairfield County via a network of support and education services.

Armstrong Court Preschools

Located within the Armstrong Court public housing community in Greenwich, the Armstrong Court Preschools provide pre-K education for children between the ages of 3-5. We serve income-eligible families and offer parents with a host of self-sufficiency, ESL and education assistance to provide a holistic bridge between education and family wellness.

The Gateway Preschool

The Gateway Preschool is located at 2 Chapel Street in Greenwich and serves children ages 2-5 years. Gateway has a two-year-old classroom and three pre-kindergarten classes. The preschool’s unique “open classroom” atmosphere and newly renovated multi-age playground are some of the school’s most appealing aspects.

Greenwich Head Start

Greenwich Head Start provides preschool services to income-eligible families living in Greenwich with three- and four-year-old children. The curriculum-based program teaches children to understand letters, numbers and how to interact in a classroom setting. An emphasis is also placed on parent involvement to encourage positive development.

The Grauer Preschool

The Grauer Preschool is located at 40 Arch Street in Greenwich and provides education enrichment for children ages 3-5 years. The preschool’s prime location (right off Greenwich Avenue) is convenient for working families. The school features a large outward bound-themed playground and newly-renovated art and indoor play spaces.

Joan Melber Warburg Early Childhood Center

Joan Melber Warburg Early Childhood Center is located at 22 Bridge Street in Greenwich and serves children ages six weeks to two years. The center’s seven classrooms are designed to accommodate the changing stages of infant and toddler development. It is the only NAEYC-accredited infant/toddler center in Greenwich.