On Sunday, May 31, Jewish Community Center (JCC) Chicago welcomed community members, staff and agency leadership to the grounds of the Lake County Jewish Community Campus (LCJCC) at 23280 N. Old McHenry Rd., Lake Zurich, IL. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the opening of JCC’s Early Childhood Center at LCJCC, the newest early childhood learning center in Lake County.

The Lake County Jewish Community Campus was built in 2008 to provide a warm, welcoming and inspiring environment for children to develop and grow, and for families to build community. The new early childhood center replaces the Jacob Duman JCC Early Childhood Center in Buffalo Grove, which permanently closed in June 2014. The transition to a new building enables JCC Chicago to bring to life the strongest aspects of its pedagogy, as the new space features child-centered learning materials, natural finishes and a color palette that represents the topography of Israel.

“The new space has become a model for JCC Chicago Early Childhood Centers, and renovations are planned for additional centers in the coming years,” said JCC Chicago Chief Advancement Officer, Addie Goodman.

Outdoor classrooms and expansive outdoor learning spaces inspire children’s creativity and further establish JCC Chicago as a leader in experiential learning. JCC’s Early Childhood Center at LCJCC is nestled amongst 37 acres of fields, nature areas, playgrounds and the Garoon Gateway to Science, the only outdoor science center in North America that integrates a Jewish component. LCJCC is also home to the Elaine Frank Apachi Day Camp, which welcomes nearly 500 campers every summer.

“It’s great to be on the same site with the Elaine Frank Apachi Day Camp and Garoon Gateway to Science so we can give families a richer, year-round experience,” said Trudi Krames, director of Early Childhood at LCJCC.

This year, JCC’s Early Childhood Center at LCJCC welcomed 120 children. Enrollment is expected to reach its capacity of 164 children within a few years, serving children age six weeks through kindergarten. The Campus at-large offers early childhood services, summer camp, family programs and events, sports, aquatics, community learning and more.

“Our staff is energized, the community is excited, and our children are growing intellectually and socially. We’re looking ahead to many more years of partnership in nurturing future generations,” said Kyle Freimuth, JCC Chicago Board President.

SAS Architects and Planners designed the JCC Early Childhood Center at LCJCC at an estimated cost of two million dollars.

For more details on the Lake County Jewish Community Campus (LCJCC), including the Elaine Frank Apachi Day Camp and Garoon Gateway to Science, please visit our website here .

To learn more about the JCC Early Childhood Center at LCJCC or to schedule a tour, please contact Trudi Krames at [email protected] or 847-901-0621.