HISTORY

TCNS is based on the philosophy that fun is essential to our learning, well being, and general outlook on life.  The school operates on the premise that children need to be with other children to build self-esteem, self-awareness, and an appreciation of the place in which they live. We believe children learn about love, sharing, friendship, and life through play, exciting experiences, interaction with each other, warm support from our teachers and a cheerful, stimulating environment.

​

The school aims to give children a wide variety of interests from playing in the mud, to learning a musical instrument, to experimenting in play dough, to painting a picture of our dads, from taking a walk, to learning about Tahoe animals, to discovering how children in other lands live. We’ve been building on these ideas for 45 years. Begun by concerned parents, this nonprofit school continues to thrive though the support and concern of its parents and the entire community.

Tahoe Community Nursery School was founded by a small group of moms living in Squaw Valley who wanted a preschool for their kids to attend, and who also wanted to create something fun and exciting for their kids to do during the long, dark months of winter in the Tahoe Sierra.

​

Claudia Jones became the director and she took the school out of Squaw Valley after a few years and into where it is now at Christ the King Lutheran Church, at the top of Dollar Hill just outside Tahoe City.  It was established in 1965. Thanks to Claudia Jones and her dedication to the school it is what it is today: A wonderful magical place where children can play, learn, and have awesome early experiences in life.