Reston Children’s Center Celebrates 50 Years of Quality Child Care in Community

This is a sponsored post from Reston Children’s Center, which has been providing quality childcare, preschool and kindergarten in Reston for 50 years.

By Buzz McClain

With the 2016-2017 school year underway, Reston Children’s Center (RCC) is marking its 50th anniversary offering professional care for children in a loving and nurturing atmosphere in the Reston community. As one of the first businesses established in Reston — an internationally renowned planned community that was founded in 1964 — RCC is celebrating the occasion with numerous events throughout 2017.

The nonprofit, parent-owned cooperative is committed to serving local children and their families by providing infant and toddler care, preschool education, private kindergarten, before- and after-school enrichment programs for children in kindergarten through sixth grade, transportation to and from local public schools, and summer and winter camps for school-age children.

“This year marks a significant milestone in the history of our center, the Reston Children’s Center community, and the lives of those who were and are privileged to be part of this remarkable community,” said Executive Director Fahemeh Pirzadeh, who recently celebrated her own 30-year anniversary with RCC. “This year gives us a chance to celebrate our founding, reflect on our success, revel in the sense of community we’ve built over five decades, and imagine our next 50 years.”

RCC began operations in 1967 with a $1,000 donation from the Reston Foundation and just 30 children from preschool to school age meeting in the United Christian Parish building on North Shore Drive. In 1980, RCC broke ground at its current home at 11825 Olde Crafts Drive. Today RCC serves more than 250 children. With parents composing the elected board of directors, the center is committed to ensuring that children and their families come first by creating an unparalleled teacher/parent partnership dedicated to the education and development of children.

Class sizes at RCC are limited and staff turnover is remarkably low, with more than half of its seasoned staff members serving 10 years or more. After 50 years in operation, the center also boasts many second-generation families, including adult graduates who now serve as teachers and children of RCC alumni who are taught by some of the same teachers who cared for their parents.

To commemorate Reston Children’s Center’s 50th year, the center hosted a picnic celebration for former and current families in October and has planned additional celebrations throughout the year, including the upcoming 50th Anniversary Gala and Silent Auction on Saturday, March 11 at the Hyatt at the Reston Town Center.

The program includes infant and toddler care, preschool education, full-day kindergarten, before- and after-school enrichment, and summer camp. The RCC corporation seeks to promote innovative learning opportunities and individual creativity while maintaining high standards of care and fostering equal opportunity in learning and education for all children regardless of race, creed, sex, religion, national origin, disability or economic status.

Over its 50-year history, RCC has maintained its 501(c)(3) status. The award-winning child care center has been accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) since 1988 and the National School-Age Care Alliance (NSACA) since 2001, and the center has been featured as a national model for child care and coops in numerous local and national television segments, articles, and even a book.

For information, contact Fahemeh Pirzadeh at [email protected] or 703-476-8150.