For 30 years, the Scarborough Presbyterian Children’s Center has been a cornerstone of early childhood education in Briarcliff Manor, providing a nurturing, family-like atmosphere for children aged one through five. Under the 20-year leadership of their Program Director Katya Montelbano, SPCC has grown and flourished, emphasizing play-based learning, social development, and cultural appreciation.
While she plays a crucial administrative role connecting families to services and resources and keeping them informed through weekly notes and monthly newsletters, interacting with the children is Katya’s favorite part of her work. She is in and out of the classrooms all day, sometimes to check on a child because a parent has called to see how they are doing, and sometimes for longer periods of time to temporarily relieve a teacher.
“For me the highlight of my day is to have a child share a smile or laugh with me.”
This kind of dedication is the defining characteristic of SPCC. Most of the staff have been with the school for 20 to 25 years, and many alumni have returned as high school volunteers, camp counselors, and teachers. This speaks to the profound sense of belonging the school provides.
SPCC has an open-door policy where parents are encouraged to play an integral role in their children’s education. They are always welcome to visit and participate both informally and on special occasions. Parents read stories, lead arts and crafts projects, and do show and tell.
Though “Presbyterian” is in their name, SPCC offers an interfaith curriculum designed to expose the children to a variety of traditions and beliefs to create an appreciation for diversity. For this reason, parents are invited to lead the children in their cultural celebrations, like Diwali and Chinese Lunar New Year.
Class sizes are intimate, and the curriculum is always age appropriate. Each class has one teacher and one or two teaching assistants for 10 to 14 students, allowing topics such as reading, math, and science to be tailored to the needs of each child.
As a developmental preschool, the focus is to nurture a love for learning through self-discovery and awareness, as well as social interactions. Classroom activities include sensory exploration; language arts and storytelling; cooking; dramatic play; and puzzles, block-building, and problem-solving exercises, to name a few.
Perhaps their most unique and enriching approach to social development is their group discussions, where children sit and talk about their lives at home and being loving to friends and family, as well as listen to guest speakers and participate in Q&As. Through this, they discover how to understand and express their feelings and develop empathy for others while learning the rules of conversation.
The fun continues beyond the school year at SPCC’s summer camp program, which is open to the broader community. It runs from early June to early August and provides flexible enrollment options ranging from one to seven weeks. The camp features water play, bikes, scooters, and other outdoor activities, and always keeps their developmental ethos at the forefront.
As SPCC celebrates 30 years of excellence, plans are underway for a spring event to commemorate this milestone and their legacy of dedicated educators, engaged families, and joyful learners.
For families seeking a nurturing, inclusive, and play-based preschool experience, SPCC remains a top choice, fostering not just early academic skills but also a sense of community and belonging.
Registration for the 2025-2026 school year is now open to the community.
