WELLESLEY COLLEGE & BABSON COLLEGE AFFILIATED FAMILY BENEFITS
- Enrollment priority for any open spaces at the Early Childhood and After School programs.
- $75 application fee waived.
- Private tour of the Early Childhood Program facility
- Early acceptance for college affiliated applicants
- Wellesley College affiliated families receive needs based financial aid(Wellesley College allocates $40,000 annually to assist families with tuition payments)
HISTORY
WCCC’s Early Childhood Program’s purpose-built building was constructed in 1988 as a result of collaboration between Babson College, Wellesley College, and WCCC. Due to this collaboration, two-thirds of available slots are first offered to employees and full-time students of Wellesley and Babson colleges and one-third to community members from Massachusetts towns.
To learn more about college priorities and our enrollment process, please contact Assistant Director Paula Dolan 781-235-7667 or ecpenrollment@wcccwellesley.org
APPLICATION PROCESS
Each year, we begin accepting applications on September 15 for the following September. Please note that we waive the $75 application fee for Wellesley College and Babson College affiliated applicants.
We use the applications as our waiting list in the event that someone leaves during the year.
Spaces for the following September will be offered in January or February to the general public. We make every effort to offer spaces to college affiliated families in advance of the general enrollment process.
ECP Application 2025-2026
Please mail the application and application fee (check) to WCCC:
Wellesley Community Children’s Center (attn: Paula Dolan)
Wellesley College
106 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02481
Your canceled check will serve as confirmation that your application was received. Please note that in September, at the start of our new school year, it may take up to two weeks to process your application fee check.
TOURS
We set up a few enrollment Zoom meetings throughout the year to talk about the program, answer questions and show families a video about our school. College families are welcome to join the Administrators for any Prospective Parent Zoom Meeting.
Assistant Director Paula Dolan will schedule a time for an in person private tour and individual Q & A session with all college affiliated families.
See our Virtual Meeting page for dates.
ENROLLMENT
We have two Infant, two Toddler, and four Preschool Classrooms in which children are generally placed by chronological age. Children remain in their classrooms for the entire school year with the same group of children and teachers.
In the Infant and Toddler rooms, there are 2, 3, or 5-day options for enrollment. In the preschool rooms, the options are 3, 4,or 5 days.
Please note that WCCC is a twelve(12) month program.
CONTRACTS
Upon acceptance into the program, families sign a contract that is in effect until the end of the school year in late August. Currently, WCCC requires a non-refundable deposit of $300 when contracts are signed.
TUITION
WCCC’s annual tuition is divided into 12 monthly payments due on the first of each month.
FINANCIAL AID
Wellesley College provides $40,000 in financial aid to college employees whose children are enrolled at the Early Childhood Program. The application process is confidential. Applications are reviewed by the Executive Director and the Financial Aid Committee.
PARENT TESTAMONIALS
The excellent care and on-campus location of WCCC has been a keystone of my path to success at Wellesley College. Both of my children attended the Early Childhood Program from when they were babies (three months and nine months old, respectively) until they began attending kindergarten. Knowing that my children were receiving excellent care from experienced professionals nearby on campus allowed me to fully engage in my work at the College. (The program even supported my ability to stop in to nurse my children when they were infants!). I appreciated the flexibility of WCCC’s opening hours, so that I could teach a class at 8:30 am one day and attend a later seminar another. I also was glad that the program covered the summer so that I could dedicate focused time to my research. Further, the program helped me to develop my social network at the College and in the area since I forged long-lasting connections with people from across campus, at Babson, and in the community.
I am grateful to WCCC for teaching (and cherishing) my children and supporting me as a parent and a professional, and I am grateful to Wellesley College for supporting me through its partnership with this amazing organization.
Karen Lange
Professor of Mathematics, Wellesley College
During my interview at Wellesley College, my husband and I knew we wanted to start a family immediately. Access to excellent childcare was my top priority. Motherhood is challenging, and becoming a first-time mom in 2020 was particularly difficult. Fortunately, WCCC (Wellesley Community Children’s Center) became our anchor. I didn’t feel nearly as burdened as I would have without the support, care, and partnership from WCCC.
I love that every time I drop off our little girl; I do not worry about her until it’s time for pick-up. As a bilingual family, I was thrilled when the school encouraged us to share our Shona books with her teachers; this kind of interaction is rare.
I also appreciate that if there’s ever an emergency, I can pick her up right away. More importantly, I trust Darlene will stand in loco-parentis until we get our girl. She is happy and thriving. During our sabbatical, we spent the year in Cape Town, and she told everyone how much she missed her WCCC teachers and friends. Our child’s happiness is the best gift.
We love WCCC and feel incredibly lucky to be part of such a rich, gentle, and welcoming community. Your family will be happy here as well.
Chipo Dendere
Assistant Professor of Africana Studies, Wellesley College
The unwavering support of WCCC has been a cornerstone in my academic journey at Babson College. From the time my son was eight months old, their exemplary care has granted me the peace of mind to fully immerse myself in my teaching and research roles. The year-round program has been instrumental in enabling uninterrupted dedication to my research.
As my son approaches his “graduation” from WCCC to kindergarten next year, I am filled with gratitude. WCCC has imbued him with robust social-emotional skills and instilled a fervent curiosity for learning that I am confident will serve him well in the years to come.
Furthermore, WCCC’s influence extends beyond immediate care; it has acted as a nexus for fostering camaraderie and collaboration. Through my engagement with WCCC, I’ve cultivated meaningful relationships with colleagues from Babson and other institutions, enhancing my professional sphere and deepening personal ties. In fact, colleagues at Babson, whose children attended WCCC—even those who graduated decades ago—uniformly reflect warmly and fondly on their own experiences.
Dr. Amanda Weirup
Assistant Professor of Management, Babson College
The first piece of advice I received from my colleagues shortly after accepting the job offer from Babson was to get on the waiting list for WCCC as soon as possible. I’m grateful for that guidance. My older son, Brandon, began his journey at WCCC two years ago in the blue room, subsequently transitioning to the purple room, and currently thriving in the orange room. Observing his joyful growth and development at WCCC has been an absolute delight.
Just last month, my younger son, Ashton, started in the infant room. On the first day of school, my wife and I were understandably anxious, but it quickly became apparent that our worry was unnecessary; Ashton truly adored the school. Children are remarkably honest in expressing their feelings, and his daily smiles confirm his deep affection for WCCC.
What warms my heart each day is seeing those smiles on my kids’ faces as I pick them up. WCCC’s teachers and staff are nothing short of rock stars. They approach their roles with empathy, patience, and provide exceptional care for our children. Knowing that my kids are in such capable hands brings me peace of mind and allows me to concentrate on my work during the day. WCCC has become an integral part of our family’s journey, and we couldn’t be happier with our choice.
Linghang Zeng
Assistant Professor of Finance, Babson College
TRANSITION
Teachers and parents partner together to help make each child’s transition into the program as smooth as possible. Our typical transition plan includes the following:
School Visit with Primary Teacher
Prior to the first day of school, each child’s primary teacher will reach out to parents to set up a time to visit their new classroom and learn more about each child and their family.
Transition Book
Each classroom makes a transition book which will include teacher and classroom photos so parents and children can ‘read’ about their future classrooms and see photos of their teachers.
Staggered Start to New School Year
In order to facilitate the connection between teachers and children and ease the transition to a new classroom, we have a gradual transition for the first two days of school. We split each classroom in half so that half of the group attends school on Tuesday and the other half on Wednesday. Beginning the Thursday after Labor Day, all children are welcome to attend on their scheduled days. Siblings will have the same transition day schedule.
Administration Parent Welcome Meeting
Typically takes place during the evening in mid-September.
Parent/Teacher Back to School Night
Typically takes place during the evening in mid-September.
Fall Family Social Gathering
At the end of the school day, we gather in the school outdoor spaces while children socialize with friends and parents begin to make connections with other families and teachers.