The Friendship Center at Schooley's Mountain is the very firstInter generational Child Care Center in Northwest New Jersey.
Thecenter is a model for other child care groups pursuing the intergenerational child care concept.
The Friendship Center wasconceived over a decade ago when members of the Heath Village Boardof Trustees saw a promising opportunity a chance to provide aunique learning and development experience for the children whileenriching the lives of Heath Village residents at the same time.That opportunity was inter generational childcare in a retirementcommunity setting.
With so many working parents and families sodispersed, the kind of individual attention that children needcould often not be adequately provided in a traditional day carefacility.
Why not draw on the rich pool of caring adults at HeathVillage who would be eager to volunteer their time to making eachchild seem special With the help of a grant from the Lorna W.Reynolds Children's Development Fund, The Friendship Center openedits doors in 1992 and was an immediate success.
Before the firstyear of operation was complete, the Friendship Center was at fullcapacity with a waiting list (a status that it has enjoyedcontinuously since), was receiving top ratings for the quality ofits childcare, had drawn the participation of dozens of seniors,and was on a solid financial footing.
Since that time, theFriendship Center has doubled its physical size while maintainingits maximum enrollment at 42, has been the subject of an awardwinning video (The Friendship Center Experience) and numerousmagazine and newspaper articles, and has continued to attractinterested visitors looking to us as a model they can emulate intheir own facilities.
Quick Stats (2025)
- School Type: Early Childhood / Day Care
- Grades: Prekindergarten
- Enrollment: 7 students
- Application Deadline: None / Rolling
- Source: Verified school update
School Overview
School Type
Grades Offered
Grades Prekindergarten
Year Founded
1992
Summer School Offered
Yes
First Day of School
Sun. Aug 31, 2025
Student Body
Total Students
7 students
Student Body Type
Co-ed
% Students of Color
29%
State avg.: 39%
Students by Grade

Academics and Faculty
Total Classroom Teachers
1 teacher
Student : Teacher Ratio
7:1
National avg.: 13:1
Tuition and Acceptance Rate
Admission Deadline
None / Rolling
Application URL
School Notes
- The Friendship Center at Schooley's Mountain is the very firstInter generational Child Care Center in Northwest New Jersey. Thecenter is a model for other child care groups pursuing the intergenerational child care concept. The Friendship Center wasconceived over a decade ago when members of the Heath Village Boardof Trustees saw a promising opportunity a chance to provide aunique learning and development experience for the children whileenriching the lives of Heath Village residents at the same time.That opportunity was inter generational childcare in a retirementcommunity setting. With so many working parents and families sodispersed, the kind of individual attention that children needcould often not be adequately provided in a traditional day carefacility. Why not draw on the rich pool of caring adults at HeathVillage who would be eager to volunteer their time to making eachchild seem special With the help of a grant from the Lorna W.Reynolds Children's Development Fund, The Friendship Center openedits doors in 1992 and was an immediate success. Before the firstyear of operation was complete, the Friendship Center was at fullcapacity with a waiting list (a status that it has enjoyedcontinuously since), was receiving top ratings for the quality ofits childcare, had drawn the participation of dozens of seniors,and was on a solid financial footing. Since that time, theFriendship Center has doubled its physical size while maintainingits maximum enrollment at 42, has been the subject of an awardwinning video (The Friendship Center Experience) and numerousmagazine and newspaper articles, and has continued to attractinterested visitors looking to us as a model they can emulate intheir own facilities.
Source: Verified school update
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the application deadline for Friendship Center?
The application deadline for Friendship Center is rolling (applications are reviewed as they are received year-round).
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