The PNS Post Edition #4: August 2026 | |
A Monthly Newsletter for
Friends of Princeton Nursery School
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Hi Friend of PNS!
🌞 Happy Summer from all of us at Princeton Nursery School! 🌞
As we continue to bask in the summer season, Princeton Nursery School is buzzing with excitement, growth, and new opportunities for children and families as we host our FIRST ANNUAL YOUTH SUMMER CAMP in partnership with Princeton Community Housing.
From summer adventures and facility improvements to expanded family support programs and community events, we are grateful for the many ways our community continues to invest in the success of local children and families.
Here's a look at what's happening at PNS this summer!🏖️
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Our First Annual Summer Camp in Partnership with
Princeton Community Housing
Princeton Nursery School's Youth Summer Camp is officially underway, and we are thrilled to welcome children for a summer filled with discovery, creativity, friendship, and fun!
Designed to prevent summer learning loss while fostering social-emotional growth, our camp provides children with engaging educational experiences both inside and outside the classroom. Campers participate in hands-on STEM activities, literacy enrichment, arts and crafts, outdoor exploration, team-building games, field trips, water play, and opportunities to connect with caring mentors and peers.
In addition to enriching programming, campers receive nutritious meals and snacks throughout the day, helping ensure that children have access to the resources they need to learn, grow, and thrive.
This summer, we are especially excited to partner with Princeton Community Housing to help expand access to affordable, high-quality summer programming for families in our community. Together, we are working to ensure that children have safe, enriching opportunities during the summer months while supporting working families.
| | | Thank you Summer Sponsors! | | |
As a nonprofit organization serving families with diverse financial needs, community support plays a vital role in making summer camp accessible. This year, we launched a Summer Sponsorship Fund to provide businesses, families, and friends of
Princeton Nursery School with a meaningful way to support our Youth Summer Camp and the children we serve.
As our very first Princeton Nursery School Summer Camp comes to a close, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to the incredible sponsors and donors who made this summer possible.
Children spent their days exploring nature, discovering new places, creating art, building friendships, enjoying nutritious meals, cooling off in the water, and making memories that will last long after summer ends. Their support opened the door to joyful experiences that many of our families would not have been able to access otherwise.
Every field trip, every activity, every smile, and every moment of laughter was made possible because our community came together to invest in our children.
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Support Our Students in Our
Back to School Campaign!
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The laughter of summer is slowly giving way to the excitement of a new school year. Our Summer Youth Camp children are preparing for their first days of elementary school, while our Nursery School students are eagerly climbing to classrooms filled with familiar faces, new friends, and endless opportunities to learn and grow.
For many of the children we serve, a strong start to the school year means so much more than new crayons and backpacks. It means nutritious meals each day, caring teachers who nurture their confidence, enriching experiences that spark curiosity, and a community that believes in their potential.
As we celebrate these new beginnings, we're inviting our community to help ensure every child starts the year ready to thrive.
Throughout the month of August, our Back to School campaign aims to raise $20,000 to support scholarships, classroom supplies, healthy meals, family support services, and the high-quality early childhood education that has been changing lives at Princeton Nursery School for nearly a century.
Whether you're cheering on a former camper heading to kindergarten or welcoming one of our preschoolers back for another year of discovery, your generosity helps make each child's journey possible.
Together, we can give every child the strong start they deserve.
Help us reach our $20,000 goal by August 31. Every gift makes a difference.
| | Enrichment & Education at PNS! | |
Black History & Juneteenth:
The History Of
Princeton Nursery Schools' Mission
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(April 1972: Photo of Former Executive Director & Educator Jean Riley, whom our sliding scale scholarship is named after. Ms. Jean Riley began teaching in 1955 & was a teacher at PNS before becoming Director for 27 years. She retired in 2000 and has since passed.)
Established in 1929, Princeton Nursery School was created to support working mothers in the historically segregated Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood—many of whom were Black women working in Princeton households and institutions while raising families of their own.
At a time when few childcare and early education options existed, Princeton Nursery School was founded to ensure that these children had a nurturing place to learn & grow.
Juneteenth reminds us of the importance of honoring those who have come before us while continuing to build a more equitable future.
We are grateful for the generations of families, educators, and community leaders in Witherspoon-Jackson & beyond whose dedication and perseverance have helped shape both our school and our community.
Please come by our front yard and find our Walking Tour Plaque from the Witherspoon Jackson Historical & Cultural Society, and check out their page below!
| | | Muffins with Moms & Donuts with Dad! | | |
This spring, we were delighted to welcome families to PNS for our annual Muffins with Mom and Donuts with Dad celebrations. These special mornings gave children the opportunity to share their classroom experiences with parents, grandparents, caregivers, and other important loved ones while enjoying a sweet treat together.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make these events so meaningful. We loved seeing our classrooms filled with smiles, laughter, and the strong family connections that help our children learn and thrive. ❤️🍩
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Bi-Weekly Fresh Produce to Return this Summer
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We are thrilled to share that Princeton Nursery School has received funding to continue our Fresh Foods Program, helping strengthen food security for local families enrolled in our summer programs.
Beginning this summer, participating families will receive biweekly distributions featuring fresh and nutritious foods, including:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat and protein options
- Dairy products
- Additional healthy grocery staples
Access to nutritious food is essential for healthy child development, and we are grateful for the opportunity to continue supporting families through this important initiative, funded through the Mercer County Office of Food Security.
| | | Grants & Community Partnerships | |
Our Campus gets Fresh Greens! Sustainable Princeton
This spring, Princeton Nursery School was excited to partner with Sustainable Princeton to install a beautiful new downspout planter at the front of our building.
The planter helps capture and absorb rainwater from our roof, reducing stormwater runoff while adding greenery and beauty to our campus.
Beyond its environmental benefits, the project also serves as a hands-on learning opportunity for our students, helping them understand the importance of sustainability and caring for the environment.
We are grateful to Sustainable Princeton for helping us make our historic campus a little greener and for supporting efforts that create a healthier, more sustainable community for future generations.
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🎉 PNS Receives $25,000 Grant from The Burke Foundation
Princeton Nursery School is honored to announce that we have been awarded a $25,000 grant from The Burke Foundation to support children and families during the 2026–2027 school year.
The grant includes support for need-based scholarships and wraparound family supports, helping ensure that local children have access to high-quality early childhood education regardless of their family's financial circumstances. This investment will help PNS continue providing affordable preschool education while strengthening the family-centered services that support long-term stability and success for the families we serve.
We are deeply grateful to The Burke Foundation for their support of our mission and their commitment to expanding opportunities for young children and families in our community.
| | | Up & Coming at Princeton Nursery School: Stay Tuned! | |
Coming Soon... A day at the Battlefield.
This Fall, PNS families will have the opportunity to explore local history together during a special visit to Princeton Battlefield State Park, sponsored by the Mercer County Cultural & Heritage Commission.
Planned for early fall, this family-friendly outing will combine exploration, local history, and community while encouraging children and families to learn more about the rich history of our region!
More information will be shared as soon as it becomes available.
| | Created by: Natalie Ramsay, Development & Finance | | |
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