In 2016, The Kids Palace II Daycare & Preschool began with a vision: to create a safe, nurturing place where children could learn, families could feel supported, and every child could feel a sense of belonging. Founded by owners Rufus and Joy Moton, our school has grown through dedication, care, and a commitment to the families we serve.
Ten years later, that original vision remains at the heart of everything we do.
As we celebrate our 10th anniversary in West Orange, New Jersey, we are reflecting on the families, educators, partnerships, and everyday moments that have shaped our journey. Our programs have expanded and our goals continue to grow, but our purpose has always remained the same: to care for children, support their development, and build trusting relationships with their families.
Growing Alongside Our Families
Over the past decade, our growth has reflected the needs of our community.
Today, The Kids Palace II offers infant, toddler, and preschool programs, along with Universal Pre Kindergarten, before and after school care, and summer programming. These services help families find continuity and support as their children grow.
The expansion of our infant and toddler program has been an especially meaningful part of our journey. Welcoming younger children allows us to build relationships with families earlier and support their first experiences with learning, friendships, and independence.
Our growth is about more than adding programs. It is about improving our classrooms, investing in learning materials, supporting our teachers, and creating spaces where children can explore with confidence.
Learning Through Play and Discovery
We believe children learn by doing.
Through our HighScope approach, children make choices, explore materials, solve problems, and learn through play. Teachers support their ideas while helping them develop language, social skills, independence, and confidence.
Whether children are painting pumpkins, exploring books, observing newly hatched chicks, or discovering how germs spread through a hands on science activity, we want learning to feel meaningful and exciting.
Our bilingual learning environment creates opportunities to connect through English and Spanish while celebrating the languages, cultures, and experiences our families bring to our school.
Strengthening Our Community Partnerships
Becoming a Universal Pre Kindergarten partner provider with the West Orange school district has been an important milestone.
This partnership helps eligible families access district funded preschool education within a caring community setting. It also strengthens the connection between early childhood education and the next stage of each child’s school journey.
Our participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program supports another important part of children’s development: access to nutritious meals and snacks.
We value our relationships with families, local schools, community organizations, and early childhood professionals. These connections help us respond to families’ needs and strengthen the support surrounding each child.
Where We Are Today
Ten years into our journey, we are proud of our progress and committed to continuing it.
We are actively working toward a four star Grow NJ Kids rating. This goal reflects our commitment to strengthening our teaching practices, learning environments, and ongoing professional development.
Our educators are an essential part of this work. Their care, training, creativity, and daily attention turn our vision into children’s everyday experiences.
We continue to improve how we communicate with families, organize our programs, and support children with different strengths and developmental needs. We want every family to feel heard and every child to feel valued.
The Same Vision, a Growing Future
As we look ahead, our vision remains unchanged.
We want The Kids Palace II to be a place where children feel safe enough to explore, confident enough to try, and supported enough to grow. We want parents to feel comfortable asking questions, sharing concerns, and celebrating milestones with us.
Our next chapter will continue to focus on quality, thoughtful growth, strong family partnerships, and the people who make our school special.
To every family who has trusted us, every educator who has contributed to our classrooms, and every community partner who has supported our journey: thank you.
You are part of our story.
From our beginning in 2016 to where we stand today, we are grateful for ten years of learning, growing, and building together.
Thank you for growing with us.
Rufus and Joy Moton
Owners, The Kids Palace II Daycare & Preschool
West Orange, New Jersey
