Morristown’s Collinsville preschool has its sights set on new digs in Whippany

The Collinsville Child Care Center, a fixture in downtown Morristown for nearly four decades, is pursuing a new home in Whippany.

The preschool hopes to share space with Head Start of Morris County at the United Jewish Communities of MetroWest center on Route 10, confirmed Karen Wasick, executive director of Collinsville.

Although details are being finalized, Karen said, she briefed parents of Collinsville preschoolers on Thursday. The move also was announced to parishioners of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Morristown,  Collinsville’s landlord since 1972, in a message from Rector Janet Broderick.

“I’m excited for the future of the school. There are a lot of wonderful possibilities,” Karen said, while emphasizing: “Our mission remains the same—to support low-income working parents.”

A spokeswoman for the UJC said talks with Head Start and Collinsville are continuing.

“We’re still in the process of negotiating, but it looks very promising,” said Shelley Labiner. The preschool programs could move in as early as September if everything proceeds smoothly, she said.

Collinsville has occupied an annex at St. Peter’s in Morristown since 1972. The two sides differed earlier this year over a rent increase proposed by the church, which has cited fiscal concerns for the future.

The Rev. Janet Broderick wished Collinsville well.

“It’s a wonderful thing. It makes Collinsville strong,” the minister said of the pending Whippany arrangement. She mentioned the move in a message to parishioners.

St. Peter’s, meanwhile, is talking with arts groups as possible new tenants for the annex.

Collinsville has federal subsidies to provide daily instruction for 33 children, ages 3 to 5, from low-income working families. Karen hopes to accommodate another 15 pupils at up to $190 a week.

She said the plan is to share rental costs with Head Start of Morris County. That federal program has received a grant for an “Early Head Start” program, for 16 infants and toddlers, she said. Head Start officials could not immediately be reached for comment Friday.

Karen said she also is exploring grants to enable her to offer Jewish enrichment courses to students who formerly studied at the Whippany facility’s Brody Center. That center, which served about 100 Jewish students when it opened in the late 1990s, is about to close, said Shelley Labiner, the UJC spokeswoman.

The Whippany location is about five miles from Collinsville’s present home on South Street in Morristown. Karen said this should pose no problems for most parents, who already drive their kids to the preschool.

She expects her biggest transportation challenge will be getting four teen males to Whippany for her Teen Tots program. That program teaches responsibility to at-risk youths by giving them roles as mentors.

J.C. Pineda, who just finished his sophomore year at Morristown High, said he has learned a lot as a Collinsville Teen Tot counselor. Too many of his peers don’t understand what parenthood entails; they treat sex too casually.

“You have to be ready to have kids,”  said J.C., whose family emigrated from Colombia when he was 5.  “Children are not just an object. They’re little human beings. You have to know how to take care of them. You have to maintain clean classrooms. Kids also seek affection. There’s more to kids than just playing. They have feelings, too.”

J.C. won’t be making the move to Whippany, because the next crop of teen counselors is about to replace his group. But Karen’s nine-member staff, including a cook, will be heading to the new location once the paperwork is completed.

“We got a great deal. They’ve been unbelievably generous,” Karen said of her new hosts. “It’s just a beautiful atmosphere. That’s the key.”

Still, Karen said she will be sad to leave St. Peter’s, where she has run Collinsville since 1988.

“We’re very appreciative and grateful for the many years St. Peter’s Episcopal Church has given us,” Karen said. “It’s a wonderful location and it’s been a joy to work with the parishioners and staff. We’re sad we have to leave, but excited to be moving on.”

DISCLOSURE: MorristownGreen.com helped organize a fund-raising concert for Collinsville last fall. St. Peter’s is a sponsor of this site.