History of ECPC

• October 1940: The Harding PTA establishes a Mothers Club to sponsor a nursery school. The WPA agrees to pay for a staff of 3 leaders and a maintenance man.
• October 15, 1940: The El Cerrito Pre-School Cooperative, one of the first in California, opens in space provided by the Community Methodist Church. Enrollment is 24. Registration is $1.50 plus $1.50 per month for juice.
• September 1942: El Cerrito is designated a Defense Area and the Center is set up as a Certified Defense Project. Children are given air-raid drills and an emergency food supply is on hand.
• October 1942: For the first time since the school was organized, fathers are invited to a social event.
• September 1943: Mothers now participate and must take a 6-week course in nursery school procedures before working at the school.
• January 1945: Parents meet with an architect to discuss plans for a school building. After residents object to 2 other proposed sites, the City of El Cerrito leases the site at Moeser and Ashbury to the school in December 1945.
• February 1, 1947: A dedication ceremony is held and work starts on the construction of the school. (Now the kitchen and art areas). The Mother’s Club raises the $4500 needed through fairs, rummage sales, and other fundraisers. The construction is done by members working with Angelo Sposeto of Albany Cement Co.May 1948:
• May 1948: Plans are made for an addition, known as the “Blue Room” (now the music room). The addition is built primarily by the members, working with local contractor Ned Clyde.
• September 1951: The Blue Room opens.
• September 1978: Program changes from separate A.M. and P.M. pre-school programs to A.M. pre-school and P.M. extended day care. The school remains open from 7:30 A.M. to 6:00 P. M. to accommodate working parents.
• 1980 – 1983: The school is threatened with destruction to make way for senior housing.
• 1982: Fearing loss of the Moeser Lane site, the Day Care Program is moved to Mira Vista School. Pre-school Program stays, hoping the school can continue.
• 1983: Parents and neighbors working together are successful in saving the school. Both programs are reunited at the original site. The pre-school buildings are reinforced to make them earthquake safe.
• 1990: There is a celebration of the 50th year with a reunion party and an updated scrapbook.
• 2004: Beginning of the backyard conversion into a “Wildlife Habitat Garden”
• 2005: There is a 65th Anniversary Celebration and our first ECPC Silent Auction.
• 2005 – 2006: Additional Grants assisted in creating the “living roof garden” in the front yard.
• September 2007: After many years of careful planning, the backyard play structure is finally a reality.
• December 2020: With a loss of funds from reduced class sizes and closures, Covid threatens to close ECPC.
• January 2020: Alumni and members donate and raise $80K for the school via a GoFundMe to Keep Play Alive, leaving ECPC in an excellent financial state coming out of the pandemic.