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MECEC opened its doors as a half-day preschool in the fall of 2007 for children ages two, three, and four. MECEC was granted a license from the New York Department of Education to offer full-day preschool programs in January 2008 and full-day programs commenced in the fall of 2008.

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MECEC welcomes children from many different backgrounds irrespective of nationality, race, religion or income. This enables parents and children alike to benefit from the rich diversity of the school.

 

MECEC was founded when the Hayes preschool in Millbrook was forced to close its doors due to financial insolvency. Hayes had run a full-service preschool for over 25 years ultimately serving over 70 children. Considered one of the best in the county, Hayes offered full and half-day programs, inclusion programs for children taking part in the county's early intervention services, as well as a host of special needs programs.

 

When Hayes School closed, a group of Hayes parents approached donors. They drew attention to the enormous economic and social costs to individuals, families and the community when all of the Hayes programs they had relied on were no longer available. Seed funds were raised and MECEC was formed with the express purpose of building a high-quality preschool to replace the wide range of programs and services that had been offered through Hayes.