At the JCYS George W. Lutz Family Center, we nurture the natural abilities and love of learning within each child. By providing child-centered programs in a caring, supportive environment, we stimulate your child's creativity and imagination to enhance his or her development, and help each child to develop physical, social-emotional and cognitive skills. We are committed to exploring his or her innate talents and promoting your child's sense of self worth ' laying an early foundation for a lifetime of achievement, success and fulfillment.

The JCYS George W. Lutz Family Center, which is NAEYC-accredited and DCFS-licensed, strives to support individual families and respond to changing community needs.

We have much to offer families: adult-tot classes, traditional preschool, full day preschool, kindergarten enrichment, before-and after-school programs in addition to a full array of enrichment classes to extend and enhance your child's day. For older children we have school vacation day programs and Saturday night Undernighters. The fun doesn't stop during the summer months when we offer both Sunflower Camp for children under age five and North Shore Day Camp and NSDC Sports for children ages five and older.

JEWISH TRADITION and CULTURE
As a Jewish Center, we welcome families and staff of all faiths. Our curriculum incorporates the Jewish holidays including Shabbat on Fridays and we focus on teaching Jewish values and traditions through classroom and center-wide activities. (In addition, our classrooms learn about Thanksgiving, Halloween and Valentine's Day).

ACTIVE FAMILY PARTICIPATION
As a JCYS George W. Lutz Family Center parent, your active involvement is welcomed and encouraged. You will be invited to join us at center-wide Sukkoth and Purim holiday celebrations as well as special family events including concerts and workshops. Each classroom also holds its own special events such as Grandparents' Day, End-of-Year parties, Mother's Day Teas or Dads' Night. All parents are also invited to attend our monthly Parent Committee meeting to provide input on our current and future programming.

We work in partnership with parents, viewing families as the first teachers and the main influence in a child's life. Parent-staff communication, whether formal or informal, is vital. Moreover, in addition to parent-teacher conferences, our staff welcomes ongoing communication.

A CARING and NURTURING STAFF
Led by a director with thirty years of experience, our teachers have specialized skills in early childhood and elementary education. But our staff's qualifications go beyond their credentials. They have been selected for their warmth and caring, and the support and concern they bring to the classroom. They also have the personal ability to relate to, and communicate with, young children. Thanks to the Alvin H. Baum Family Foundation, the Center also has a Child and Family Development Specialist to assist parents and staff with developmental concerns and provide referrals when necessary.