About Us
New Day Children's Center is a not-for-profit organization conducted in and sponsored by Asbury United Methodist Church in Watertown, N.Y.
It serves as an outreach of the church in an effort to make use of its facilities to serve a community need.
We are licensed to accommodate 124 children between the ages of 8 weeks and 12 years of age. The center is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, made up of parents, church members and other people within the community.
History
New Day began in 1966 when Joan Pflugheber established a nursery school in her home. As it grew, the school was moved to the basement of All Soul�s Universalist Unitarian Church and, in 1979, became the first licensed child care center in the city of Watertown.
As the community need developed for more child care, Joan approached Asbury United Methodist Church for space in its modern, two story Sunday school wing, Warren Hall. In September 1984, two New Day nursery school classes were established at Asbury in rooms rented by All Soul�s. A church committee was formed to work with Joan to begin the licensing process for day care in the facility.
When the disastrous fire occurred at All Soul�s, Thursday evening, December 13, 1984, we were able to secure a temporary license for the Asbury facilities and reopened New Day at Asbury the following Monday.
On September 30, 1985, Asbury assumed responsibility for New Day Nursery and appointed a Board of Directors to oversee the operation of New Day for the Asbury Board of Trustees which has the legal responsibility for this community program.
At their April 1987 meeting, the Board of Directors voted to change the name of New Day Nursery to New Day Children's Center a name which better describes the program of the school.
