1970

  • Click here for more photos of the 1970’s

     

  • 1973
    School Founded
     After the colossal effort of securing the funds, real estate, furniture, license, curriculum materials, and staff, Pat and Michael French greet the first Open House students at 159 State  Street. Founding staff included Chaffee Monell, Priscilla Jones, Martha Raver, Anitia Haywood, Dollie Dunham and Mal Jennings

  • Click here for more photos & here for more videos of the 1980’s

  • School Picnics in Prospect Park become an annual event

  • Open House outgrows its two room schoolhouse on State Street and moves to Atlantic Avenue and Court Street

  • Thanksgiving Feast becomes an annual event

  • School Auction Fundraisers

  • Chaffee Monell becomes the Director

  • Open House is a founding member of Brooklyn Early Childhood Directors Association (BECDA)

  • Click here for more photos & here for more videos of the 1990’s

     

  • Pajama Day becomes an annual event


  • Brian     Murphy becomes the Director

  • Family Day becomes annual event

  • Open House becomes a non-profit institution run by a volunteer board

  • Lori Chipman and Paulette Vaughn form their legendary team

     

  • Fall Social becomes an annual event for families

  • Spring Fling hosted at the Old Stone House

  • Meri Wallace starts providing Parenting Workshops

  •  Open House partners with the NYC DOE to provide therapeutic services to children

  • Gayle Weintraub becomes the Director

  • Click here for more photos & here for more videos of the 2000’s

  • Eileen Shannon becomes Executive Director

  • 2003
    Open House m    oves to 318 Warren Street & expands to 6 classrooms

  • 2002
    Congratulations Sam Pesin for 20 years at Open House – creating healthy, productive and joyful learning environments

  • Amy Herrick becomes Assistant Director

  • 2004
    Phyllis Capello     Starts leading music and storytelling classes

  • 2004
    Celebrating     Lori Chipman’s 20 years at Open House – making a difference in the lives of young children – You are awesome

  • 2004
    Thank you     Paulette Vaughn for 20 years at Open House –  sharing your big heart and ready laugh with humility and grace

  • 2004
    Congratulations to     Yvette Ducos for 20 years at Open House – holding hands, opening minds and touching hearts

  • Open House begins a weekly yoga practice

  • 2005
    Open House joins the Parent’s League

  • 2007
    Lennard     Guadalupe begins keeping the school clean and cheerful

  • Parent Life Committee begins providing Saturday movie and pizza party

  • 2008
    Thank you Magna Antoine for 20 years at Open House – inspiring creative ideas in heads and smiles on faces

  • 2009
    New playground equipment installed on the roof

  • Click here for more photos and here for more videos of  the 2010’s

  • 2010
    Meet-ups for parents of children receiving CPSE  support

  • Green / Earth Week begin as yearly focuses for the children

  • 2012
    Eileen Shannon celebrates 20 years at Open House – helping others learn how many wonderful people and things there are in the world

  • 2013
    Thank You Claudette Channer for 20 years at Open House – seeing the something special in every child

  • 2014
    Celebrating 20 years at Open House for Renay Matthews – thank you for your diligence, kindness and positive energy

  • 2014
    Thank You     Patricia Walkes for 20 years of steady, calm and thoughtful work with all the children at Open House

  • Harlan Mathieu becomes our visiting visual artist

  • Staff begin ukulele lessons

  • Tom Cucinotta becomes the Education Director

  • Carey Johnson becomes the Director of Operations

  • 2018
    Improv with Colin Meath and The Red Carpet team 

  • Click here for more photos & here for more videos of the 2020’s

     

  • 2020
    Open House responds to the Covid-19 pandemic

  • 2021

    Tom Cucinotta assumes the Executive Director role

  • After over 35 years with Open House, Eileen Shannon retires as Executive Director

  • Krista Bogetich joins Open House and becomes the Education Director

  • Expand the outdoor play area – more room to play and dance in the fresh air

  • Convert Pond Room into indoor movement space

  • Movement Classes are offered daily to the children & ChristinaNoel Reaves joins the school staff to lead them

  • Halloween all-school social is introduced as a yearly event


  • 2021
    Congratulations to     Paula Blau for 20 years at Open House – opening minds and touching hearts

  • 2022
    The animals of Open House expand to include snakes, geckos, fish, axolotls, lizards, toads and stick insects

  • 2023
    Thank you Tom Cucinotta for 20 years at Open House – sharing your love of nurturing humans

  • 2023
    Celebrating 20 years at Open House for     Teresa Maryniak – thank you for your hard work preparing learning experiences and the sweet care you have given every child

  • 2023

    Thank you Jessica Tam for 20 years at Open House – “being there” for everyone and loving every minute

  • 2023
    We are 50 years old!

2023