Head Start, child care center in lease talks with federation

United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ is in the process of negotiating a lease with two prospective tenants for the space formerly occupied by the Brody Early Childhood Center on the Aidekman Jewish Community Campus in Whippany.

The Brody center closed June 11, the last day of the current academic year, the “unfortunate victim of untenable economic realities,” JCC MetroWest chief executive officer Alan Feldman told NJJN in February.

The prospective tenants are the Head Start Community Program of Morris County and the Collinsville Child Care Center, which is currently housed at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Morristown.

If the arrangements are finalized, the two programs plan to open in Whippany in September. They would each have their own classroom space but share rental costs and common areas, according to a UJC MetroWest statement.

Get New Jersey Jewish News's Newsletter by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

According to an article on the website MorristownGreen.com, Head Start of Morris County, a federal program, received a grant for an “Early Head Start” program for 16 infants and toddlers.

The Collinsville center’s executive director, Karen Wasick, said she is looking into securing grants to enable the center to offer Jewish enrichment courses to students who formerly studied at the Brody center. The center has been in downtown Morristown for nearly four decades and has occupied an annex at St. Peter’s since 1972.