Their mission is plain and simple: to provide a safe and enjoyable early learning experience for children. And for the past 50 years, Creative Environment Day School in Fayetteville has provided early childhood education to generations of families.
“I like to think I’m running a program where children can learn and their parents can feel good that they are leaving them here,” said Sheila Brittain, school owner and director. “We have a lot of parents who are professionals and quality childcare is a needed thing in the community.”
Creative Environment Day School, founded in 1966, was first housed at Good Shepard Lutheran Church on Highbridge Road in Fayetteville, but after a few years moved into its current location on an estate at 531 E. Genesee St. in Fayetteville. When she first bought the property, Brittain worked with a contractor to turn the five-bedroom, three bathroom house into a New York state accredited school for early childhood education.
Presently, Creative Environment provides a toddler program for children 18 months and older, a nursery class for three-year-olds, a Pre-K class for four year olds, an advanced Pre-K for children who will be 5 by March 1 and Kindergarten for children who will be five by December.
In addition to the day school programs, Creative Environment offers before and after-school care and a summer camp program. Over the years, the school has grown to include a pool, outdoor pavilion, a toddler building, an art studio and a mini-gym to provide children with the tools to learn.
Brittain said she believes it is important to provide a well-balanced education to children in these formative years, and the school follows a “HighReach” learning curriculum. This means that in addition to the regular lessons of mathematics, science, creative art, language development and physical health, the school also focuses on social and emotional development and creating a sense of curiosity, reasoning and problem solving. Creative Environment currently employs a music teacher and gymnastic teacher at the school, and brings in swim instructors during the summer program to help provide this type of education.
The school is licensed to have 112 students during the school year, and enrollment has stayed strong since she began the school, said Brittain. The walls of the entrance to the school are decorated with the pictures of every class since 1966.
“It’s so nice to see formers students come in and go right to the pictures to find themselves. We’ve even had students coming back and bringing their kids here,” Brittain said.
Brittain sits at a desk right at the entrance to the school, something she feels helps keep her connected with that is going on in the bustling school environment.
“It takes a person of great integrity, wisdom and grace to be able to run such a successful program,” said Joan Raven, assistant director of the school. “I’ve worked in other childcare places but nothing compares to the community we have here at Creative Environment.”
Over the years, Brittain said she has met many people and has lots of stories to tell — one of her favorite stories being the time a man who lived in the house before it became Creative Environment visited and asked to get a look at his childhood home. The man was able to give Brittain information about the property she didn’t know while also learning of how his home was being utilized over the years.
Supporting the local government and other local businesses is something Brittain thinks is important in a sustainable community. Buying local food and supplies, as well as supporting community organizations like the beautification committee is something Brittain has been able to do to achieve this.
“The way I look at it is if we help them, they’ll help us. I try to stay active in the community.” said Brittain.
Although there are no concrete events planned to celebrate the school that has been around for half a century, Brittain said she hopes to see Creative Environment Day School continue to teach children for years to come.
“Fifty years is a pretty big accomplishment for any business,” Brittain said. “I hope I can continue to run this school and continue to see the smiles on the faces of the students for as long as I can.”
