Choosing childcare is one of the most important decisions a family can make.
We at
Jack 'n' Jill believe that you can change the world when a high-quality childcare enriches not only your
children; yet, entire families and the community. Jack 'n' Jill has a rich heritage of providing a
personal touch while caring for children. Our traditions have brought us from 1943 until now.
Jack 'n' Jill is committed to providing high quality care with core values that are met by utilizing
communication while responding to the needs of children and families. Harriett Drew founded
Jack 'n' Jill in 1943 in "the little old house at 39 Station Street". Harriett's husband Dana
was injured and hospitalized in the war and she needed additional income. She and her friend
Flo Nyros placed an ad in the local paper, hoping to place 10 children to care for in Harriett's home.
Eighty-six people responded to the ad! It was wartime, and many working women needed childcare.
In preparing for this endeavor, Harriett and Flo recruited two retired teachers to help with the children. By the end of the first year they had 40 children enrolled. Harriett said, "We cleared out everything in the downstairs of my home. I went to the bank, took out a loan, and in four weeks we expanded the center. We charged $10 per week back then, and everyone thought that was expensive! We even provided transportation. I cooked, I drove, I cleaned, and I ran the school and did all the bookkeeping”.
Local mothers worked nights at the Quincy shipyards, so Harriett took in children to stay overnight. "We had a waiting list you wouldn't believe!" exclaimed Harriett. She put more additions onto her house to support the growth of her business.
Dana Drew (Harriett's son) was born in 1946. He is a Jack 'n' Jill graduate and took his first job as an employee of Jack ‘n’ Jill cleaning the school each night. When Dana turned 16, he started driving the Center's school bus. When Harriett retired in 1984, Dana took over the family business, bringing it up to a higher level in order to meet EEC and NAEYC standards and is the President of Jack ‘n’ Jill.
Reminiscing over the years, Jack ‘n’ Jill has acquired additional centers in the area. Following the successful opening of the Marina Bay center in 1994, we expanded again in 1999. This expansion was to better serve commuting parents by providing locations that are a comfortable distance from work and home.
West Quincy, Est. 1943 | Marina Bay, Est. 1994 | Whitman, Est. 1999
We feel that any further expansion could affect the "warm and personal touch" we offer to our children and families. We value our centers so deeply and have no intention to become a large corporate chain. Though each center has its own personality, our mission statement and values keep our character uniform and high.
Extraordinary teachers have remained with Jack 'n' Jill for 10, 20 and even 32 years! An annual pin ceremony acknowledges those who remain dedicated to Jack 'n' Jill. The pin symbolizes an employee's anniversary. As tradition is passed on, tradition is also recognized with several Jack 'n' Jill graduates who have come back to teach. Nearly all of our staff, directors and teachers bring or have brought their own young children as well as their grandchildren to Jack 'n' Jill. Every member of our team has a background in Early Childhood Education. The staff’s educational experience ranges from a vocational/technical early childhood degree through masters’ degree. Each staff member is trained in First Aid, CPR and OSHA. We abide by the regulations from the Department of Early Education and Care. www.eec.state.ma.us Our staff remains motivated to provide quality care by maintaining accreditation status by The National Association for the Education of Young Children.www.naeyc.org
No matter which Jack ‘n’ Jill Center you choose for your child you will see that we go beyond licensing standards to meet the needs of the children. We make a commitment to understand children’s needs at different ages, plan age-appropriate activities, and interact with children in warm and stimulating ways. Whether it is in Jack ‘n’ Jill’s past, present or future we will always strive to offer quality care and remain committed to benefiting the wishes of families and children.
Sincerely Yours, Kelley A. Joyce - Executive Vice President