St. Michael's School and Nursery
St. Michael’s is dedicated to building strong foundations for all children in the first five years of life and to supporting families as their educational journey begins. We foster a safe, nurturing, inclusive environment and seek the highest standards in our practice, curriculum, and professionals. We are committed to the community we serve and believe a sense of community is a core strength for children, families, and educators.
About St. Michael's School and Nursery
Mission: St. Michael’s is dedicated to building strong foundations for all children in the first five years of life and to supporting families as their educational journey begins. We foster a safe, nurturing, inclusive environment and seek the highest standards in our practice, curriculum, and professionals. We are committed to the community we serve and believe a sense of community is a core strength for children, families, and educators.
St. Michael’s School and Nursery is the oldest early childhood program in Delaware and one of the oldest in the nation. It is located in the Eastside community in the city of Wilmington, one of the poorest neighborhoods in the state. St. Michael's has offered a healthy, nurturing learning environment for generations of children during their first five years of life.
Originally part of St. Michael’s Episcopal Mission, the program was founded in 1890 to ensure the safety of children while their parents worked at the riverfront tanneries. In the early 1900’s, St. Michael’s also operated a hospital for babies, serving as the sole medical facility for families of color in the city. Throughout the 1920’s and 30’s, the institution extended its support to homeless and abandoned children while facilitating adoptions.
Originally part of St. Michael’s Episcopal Mission, the program was founded in 1890 to ensure the safety of children while their parents worked at the riverfront tanneries. In the early 1900’s, St. Michael’s also operated a hospital for babies, serving as the sole medical facility for families of color in the city. Throughout the 1920’s and 30’s, the institution extended its support to homeless and abandoned children while facilitating adoptions.
Today’s center has emerged from a century-long history of involvement in the community and a commitment to families in the region that goes far beyond childcare. Our approach has continued to evolve, addressing critical gaps in childcare services for today’s families. St. Michael's works to foster a safe, caring, inclusive environment for children and families starting out on their educational journey and to practice the highest standards of best practice for our profession.
Our families reside primarily in or near the Eastside of Wilmington, one of the poorest communities in the city.
Our families reside primarily in or near the Eastside of Wilmington, one of the poorest communities in the city.
- 40% of our students reside there and 75% of our families have less than $40,000 in annual household income.
- 95% of our students are from families of color and 80% are eligible for Purchase of Care, the childcare subsidy from the state for families living in poverty.
- 58% of our students live in single parent households.
- Our staff reflect the community's rich diversity. Many are life-long residents of the city and/or the Eastside neighborhood.
Research shows that investing in quality early education programs for birth to age 5 can:
► Eliminate the achievement gap
► Improve health and education outcomes
► Reduce crime rates
► Yield a return on investment of 13%
St. Michael’s offers developmentally appropriate curricula that practices a “whole child” approach and strive to ensure that each child’s unique and individual physical, emotional, social and intellectual needs are met. We maintain a firm commitment to supporting working families, just as we did over 130 years ago.
County Served: New Castle
Office Location(s): Wilmington
Sector: Education