Staff and Commissioners

Commissioners

Vanessa Allen

Member of the Newton Child Care Commission since 2008
Currently employed as a medical social worker at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Newton resident since 2006
Mother of two children

Katie Donovan, Vice-Chair

Member of the Child Care Commission since 2003, lifelong resident of Newton
Has worked at the Auburndale Community Nursery School as a teacher & director since 1985
Earned her Master's Degree in Elementary Education from Boston College
A member of the Big Brother/Big Sister Association, has been a tutor in the Boston school system
A member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Newton Early Childhood Association
Parent of two children

Shawn Fitzgibbons

Member of the Child Care Commission since 2010
Fundraising executive with Massachusetts General Hospital
Newton resident, parent and community activist  

Alison Glastein

Member of the Child Care Commission since 2010
Health care industry consultant
Newton parent
 

Katey Grossman

Member of the Child Care Commission since 2003
Professional experience includes a variety of work in the fields of early childhood education and work/life
National Association of Family Child Care (NAFCC) observer and CDA specialist
Involved with Newton Community Partnerships for Children
Owner and Director of Come and Play Family Day Care in Chestnut Hill
Parent of three children 

Melissa Hanenberger

Member of the Child Care Commission since 2004
Former Guidance Counselor and Assistant Principal
Earned M. Ed. in Counseling Psychology from Boston College and an M. Ed. in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from Harvard University
Resident of Newton since 2004
President of Newton Mothers Forum 2008 - 2009
Parent of three children 

Wendy Protheroe, Chair

Member of the Child Care Commission since 2003
Elected Chair of the Newton Child Care Commission, 2010
Newton resident since 1995
Director of the Mason-Rice After School Program since 1985
10 additional years experience in infant/toddler/preschool care, emergency shelter for children and family
services
Parent of one child 

John Rice

Member of the Commission since 2010
Newton Alderman
Executive Director of the Hyde Center 

Claire Sokoloff

Member of the Child Care Commission since 2006
Member of the NPS School Committee since 2005
Served as PTO president at Bowen Elementary and Oak Hill Middle Schools and co-chair of Newton South School Council
Has a B.A. on Psychology and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior
Parent of three children all of whom attend 

Staff

Stuart Cleinman, Executive Director  Stuart has over 30 years of professional experience in the field of early care and education. A Massachusetts native, he grew up in Fall River, has lived in Arlington for thirty years where he is an active member of the community, including serving as a Town Meeting Member for the past fifteen years. He began working in the field as a teacher, has experience as a social worker working with young families, worked in child care resource and referral for many years, and was a Director of Head Start programs in Lynn and Malden. He is the parent of two adult children, one with a diagnosed disability and has familiarity with the Special Education system. Stuart holds a Master of Education degree in Human/Social Services from Antioch University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Salem State College in Psychology. He has also been trained at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in a course of study for Head Start directors.

Mission

The Newton Child Care Commission is the resource for Newton families to identify and afford quality child care.

Description

The Newton Child Care Commission receives funding for operational expenses through the City of Newton. Funding for the Newton Child Care Fund, the scholarship arm of the organization, is raised through private donations, direct mail, corporate and foundation grants and other fund raising events. The Newton Child Commission is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization.

The Commission's membership broadly represents Newton's major child care stake holders and includes child care providers, parents, city and school officials, after school program directors and representatives from the business community and public-at-large.

The Commission provides financial assistance to help low to moderate income Newton families offset the cost of child care. Each April, eligible families may apply for a scholarship lottery held in May. To date, we have given out over $785,000. Through additional funding, we also sponsor a variety of programs for single parents and offer access to free or reduced rate CPR, first aid and early childhood training for Newton child care providers, in cooperation with other city agencies.

History

In response to growing concerns by parents, child care providers and other interested groups, Mayor Theodore D. Mann, the Newton School Committee and the Newton Board of Alderman appointed a Child Care Commission in 1986. Charged with the assessment of child care needs in the City of Newton, the Child Care Commission conducted a city-wide needs assessment, utilizing City Census information and a series of targeted questionnaires sent to families, child care providers and municipal leaders across the U.S. The findings of the Commissions's first report, New Directions in Child Care, indicated tremendous local child care needs, including:

• 75% of Newton mothers are in the work force, including 65% of mothers with infants (Newton figures exceed national averages)
• One third of children in grades 4th-6th were caring for themselves in the afternoon at least part of the time their parents were at work
• More than 10% of Newton families were struggling to afford the cost of child care - spending more than 15% of their income on child care expenses

Following this research, a Child Care Advisory Committee was formed to develop an action plan addressing Newton's child care needs. The results of their work was summarized in a second report,A Blueprint for Child Care in Newton. This report outlined an array of strategies for addressing Newton's child care needs through the creation of public/private partnerships.

In January of 1989, a permanent Child Care Commission, composed of child care providers, parents, city and school department heads and elected officials was created. A Child Care Coordinator was hired with "seed money" from the City and a two year grant from the Riley Foundation. Three months later, an affiliated non-profit organization, the Newton Child Care Fund, was established to serve as the financial "action arm" of the Commission.

Since 1997, with the support of Newton's mayors, the commission has received funds from the City of Newton to cover the administrative costs of salaries and office expenses thereby enabling the commission to put its efforts towards exploring funding sources for scholarship needs as well as to continue to sponsor programs for families with low to moderate incomes, as well as single parent families in the city.

The Newton Child Care Commission and Fund is committed to continuing to focus on meeting the City of Newton's most pressing child care needs. As a result, Newton is now sought by cities and towns throughout the state and across the nation as a model for how local communities can effectively address the child care needs of a range of constituents, and, in particular, those residents of our city who fall in the low and moderate income brackets.

Map and Directions

Click here to display a map showing our location in Newton (this will open a new browser window).

By Public Transportation

Take the "Worcester" Purple Line Commuter Train to the "Newtonville" stop. Go up the stairs to the overpass which is Walnut Street. Cross Washington Street and continue north on Walnut Street for several blocks, crossing Watertown Street at the light. Continue on Walnut Street to Linwood Avenue, and turn right. Cross Crafts Street, and walk two more blocks to Nevada Street. Turn left on Nevada, and the Newton Cultural Center is on the left. The NCCC office is on the first floor.

Click below to display a map of the Commuter Rail in a new browser window:

http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/rail/

From the East (including Logan Airport)

Take the Mass turnpike (I-90) Westbound to Exit 17/Newton Corner; go up the off-ramp (no tollbooths) and through the light onto Washington St. (Route 16) westbound. Stay to the right and continue on Washington St. through several lights to the light at Walnut Street. Turn right onto Walnut Street and continue North, crossing Watertown Street at a light.

After crossing Watertown Street, continue on Walnut Street to Linwood Avenue, and turn right. Cross Crafts Street, and go two more blocks to Nevada Street. Turn left on Nevada, and the Newton Cultural Center is on the left. Park in the lot, or on the street. The NCCC office is on the first floor.

From the North

Take Route 128 (I-95) south to Route 30/West Newton exit. Loop around exit ramp to Route 30 which is Commonwealth Avenue, and turn right onto Commonwealth.

*Go eastbound through several lights and past Shaw's/Star Market to Washington Street (Route 16). Turn left onto Washington Street, and follow Washington over the turnpike, past West Newton and through the light at Chestnut Street. Stay on Washington Street until the light at Walnut Street. Turn left onto Walnut, and continue North, crossing Watertown Street at a light.

After crossing Watertown Street, continue on Walnut Street to Linwood Avenue, and turn right. Cross Crafts Street, and go two more blocks to Nevada Street. Turn left on Nevada, and the Newton Cultural Center is on the left. Park in the lot, or on the street. The NCCC office is on the first floor.

From the West

Take the Mass turnpike (I-90) Eastbound to Route 30/Weston exit; loop around the off-ramp and turn right onto Commonwealth Avenue (Route 30) Eastbound. Follow directions for from the North, from * (above).

From the South

Take Route 128 (I-95) North to Route 16/West Newton exit. Go up exit ramp to Route 16 which is Washington Street (Route 16). Turn right to go eastbound past Newton-Wellesley Hospital, and go through the light at Commonwealth Avenue.

Follow Washington Street over the turnpike, past West Newton and through the light at Chestnut Street. Stay on Washington Street until the light at Walnut Street. Turn left onto Walnut, and continue North, crossing Watertown Street at a light.

After crossing Watertown Street, continue on Walnut Street to Linwood Avenue, and turn right. Cross Crafts Street, and go two more blocks to Nevada Street. Turn left on Nevada, and the Newton Cultural Center is on the left. Park in the lot, or on the street. The NCCC office is on the first floor.