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THE WILLIAMSBURG NEIGHBORHOOD NURSERY SC

BROOKLYN, NY · EIN 113488335 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B21 · Education · Medium ($1M-$10M) · wnns.org
revenue
$1.2M
expenses
$1.3M
net assets
$560K
employees
20
program ratio
96%
mission · from form 990

PRE SCHOOL NURSERY SCHOOL

profile · synthesized from sources

The Williamsburg Neighborhood Nursery School (WNNS) is a progressive preschool in Brooklyn, NY serving young children through play-based, hands-on learning. The school emphasizes creative exploration, social-emotional development, and community building in a structured yet flexible environment. WNNS serves children in early childhood years with a focus on fostering independence, kindness, and joyful learning.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Open Classrooms
Spring event allowing parents to observe their child’s classroom experience, materials, peer interactions, and teacher engagement
Parent Committees
Volunteer-led groups supporting fundraising, community outreach, gardening, and school improvement projects
Parent Workshops
Evening educational events for parents including topics such as challenging behaviors, meditation, and child psychology
Progressive Preschool Program
Play-based daily curriculum emphasizing hands-on materials, creative expression, group activities, and social-emotional learning for young children
activities · 11 groups

What they do

  • Play-Based Early Childhood Education 2 activities
    • Offer caregiver/child transition program
      Offers a caregiver/child class called Little WNNS that supports children’s transition from home to school through exploration of materials, participation in group activities, and building relationships with teachers and peers alongside their caregiver. Includes structured group activities such as open play, music, movement, and snack time, while providing caregivers opportunities to connect and participate in a supportive community.
    • Operate preschool and nursery school programs
      Provides daily educational programming for young children through a preschool and nursery school operating Monday through Friday from early September to mid-June, offering half-day, full-day, and combination attendance options. The curriculum centers on hands-on creative activities such as painting, collaging, sand and water play, block building, puzzle solving, sewing, weaving, and creating dramatic play materials.
  • Parenting Education and Support Programs 1 activity
    • Engage parents through workshops and community events
      Provides evening educational workshops and events for parents on topics including challenging behaviors, meditation, parent support, and child psychology. Also organizes annual fundraising events, facility maintenance and beautification efforts, and community outreach activities involving parents.
  • Safe and Inclusive School Environment 1 activity
    • Ensure inclusive admissions and educational access
      Admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all school rights, privileges, programs, and activities, and administers educational, admissions, scholarship, and athletic programs without discrimination. Offers tiered tuition pricing based on financial aid applications processed through FACTS Education to increase accessibility for families from diverse economic backgrounds.
  • Early Literacy Promotion 1 activity
    • Facilitate daily group learning and language development
      Conducts two or more daily group sessions that include songs in multiple languages, storytelling, and discussion using diverse books to support language development and cultural exposure.
  • Family-School Engagement Programs 1 activity
    • Host open classroom events for families
      Hosts spring open classroom events that allow parents to observe their child's daily activities, materials, peer interactions, and teacher engagement.
  • Infection Prevention & Control Protocols 1 activity
    • Maintain health and safety standards
      Uses a professional cleaning service for daily deep cleaning and disinfection after school hours. Updated HVAC systems to increase outside air flow, installed UV lights, and upgraded filtration to improve indoor air quality. Monitors children daily for COVID-19 symptoms and isolates symptomatic children pending prompt pickup by caregivers.
  • Structured Student Enrollment Process 1 activity
    • Manage enrollment and health documentation
      Requires families to submit enrollment and health forms by the first day of school, with options to mail, hand deliver, or email submissions. Provides access to classroom details, class lists, teacher contact emails, and phase-in schedules for enrolled classes.
  • Before and After School Childcare 1 activity
    • Offer after-school and summer programming
      Will launch after-school programming until 5:30pm for an additional fee beginning September 2026. Offers optional summer camp in July available by weekly sign-up for returning families.
  • Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
    • Organize neighborhood walks and field trips
      Organizes neighborhood walks for 2s and 3s program students to visit local landmarks and engage in play at area playgrounds. Conducts field trips for 4s program students to local community sites such as a fire house, optometrist's office, flower shop, restaurant, and public bus routes.
  • CACFP Meal Service and Administration 1 activity
    • Provide meals and promote healthy eating habits
      Offers a mid-morning snack to all children and facilitates shared mealtimes with teachers; children participate in cleaning up by clearing and wiping tables after meals to build responsibility and hygiene awareness.
  • Admissions Outreach and Enrollment Support 1 activity
    • Provide prospective family tours
      Conducts scheduled school tours for prospective families on Wednesday mornings at 9:30am, lasting approximately 45 minutes.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.18M
Contributions & grants$9K1%
Program service revenue$1.15M98%
Investment income$18K2%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.28M
Program expenses96%
Admin / overhead4%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$919K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$634K
Cash$548K
Investments$0
Liabilities$74K
Net assets$560K
Liquid reserves5.1 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -14.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
SARAH BROWN DIRECTOR 40 $104K
board members · 6
  • ADRIAN JONES — TRUSTEE
  • ALIDA PANNILL-SIERSMA — TRUSTEE
  • AMY LYONS — TRUSTEE
  • DANA STEWART — TRUSTEE
  • HAROLD JOYCE — TRUSTEE
  • LAUREN SCHLESINGER — TRUSTEE
relationships · 15

Who they work with

  • Alex Barth Partner — Lead Teacher in the Green Class at Williamsburg Neighborhood Nursery School
  • Blue Class Partner — Specific classroom within the Williamsburg Neighborhood Nursery School where educational programming is delivered.
  • CDC Government — Adheres to CDC guidance for cleaning and disinfection of facilities during the pandemic.
  • Emma Boulding Partner — Lead Teacher in the Yellow Class at Williamsburg Neighborhood Nursery School.
  • FACTS Education Partner — Partner organization used to process financial aid applications and collect financial documentation from families.
  • Janice Ampadu Partner — Associate Teacher in the Orange Class at Williamsburg Neighborhood Nursery School
  • Kate Ehrenberg Partner — Assistant Teacher in the Yellow Class at Williamsburg Neighborhood Nursery School.
  • Martin Gooding Partner — Assistant Teacher in the Green Class at Williamsburg Neighborhood Nursery School
  • Monica Lopez Partner — Assistant Teacher in the Green Class at Williamsburg Neighborhood Nursery School
  • NYC Department of Health Government — Follows health guidelines and reporting requirements from the NYC Department of Health.
  • NYS Department of Health Government — Follows health guidelines and reporting requirements from the NYS Department of Health.
  • Shakespeare & Company Partner — Education Program where staff gained experience in leading workshops and directing plays with children, influencing teaching philosophy.
  • Sherian Louisy Partner — Lead Teacher in the Orange Class at Williamsburg Neighborhood Nursery School
  • Sprout Partner — Local flower shop visited during field trips by 4s program students.
  • Walter Foods Partner — Local restaurant visited during field trips by 4s program students.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Caregiver-Attached Transition Model
    methodology: caregiver_attached_transition_model
    By allowing caregivers to remain physically present during early school transitions, the nursery supports emotional security and engagement because children develop trust and attachment in safe, familiar contexts, reducing anxiety and increasing readiness to learn.
  • Child-Led Emergent Curriculum
    methodology: child_led_emergent_curriculum
    By designing curriculum around children's evolving interests, the nursery increases engagement and relevance because learning becomes intrinsically motivated and responsive to developmental curiosity, leading to deeper understanding and sustained attention.
  • Play-Based Learning Model
    methodology: play_based_learning
    By using play as the primary mode of learning, the nursery fosters cognitive, social, and emotional development because children engage more deeply, explore autonomously, and build intrinsic motivation in ways that direct instruction cannot replicate.
  • Sliding-Scale Tuition for Inclusion
    methodology: sliding_scale_tuition
    By adjusting tuition based on family income, the nursery promotes socioeconomic diversity and access because financial barriers are reduced, enabling broader participation and fostering an inclusive community that reflects varied lived experiences.
  • Whole-Child Development Approach
    methodology: whole_child_approach
    By integrating physical, cognitive, and social-emotional well-being into all aspects of programming, the nursery supports holistic development because early learning is most effective when all dimensions of a child’s life are aligned and nurtured simultaneously.