Private Preschool, 30 Year History

Shirley Harris comes from a long line of early childhood educators. Her mother LaVera, now 83 years old, opened her first child care center in Fresno in the early 1970s with her three sisters. And it was her mother who encouraged Mrs. Harris to buy Jack and Jill’s Educational Center in Clovis.

More than 30 years later, Mrs. Harris has been recognized for her excellent work by the California Professional Association for Early Childhood Education, which gave her its Administrator of the Year Award in 2004.

Mrs. Harris is passionate about serving her children as best she can. “No Child Left Behind?” she asks. “No, they will not be left behind at Jack and Jill’s.” In addition to being the owner of the program, Mrs. Harris also acts as the bus driver, custodian, teacher and parent counselor. “Child care providers are the first line of defense in the advocacy of children’s health and safety,” says Harris.

Mrs. Harris and her staff understand the importance of engaging young children in high-interest, developmentally appropriate activities. As the children paint, read and sing aloud, the teachers at Jack and Jill’s are right alongside them, asking them open-ended questions and encouraging their language development and critical thinking skills. “When I’m with a child I never stand,” says Mrs. Harris. “It is so important for me to come down to eye level.”

More than 120 children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old attend Jack and Jill’s. The children spend their days in spacious classrooms with many activities and learning tools that encourage self-directed play. And when the weather is agreeable, children of all ages play outside on a recently renovated play yard that was funded by First 5 Fresno County. The large jungle gyms and sandboxes under a shade structure provide ample opportunity for the children to develop gross motor skills.
Ms. Harris is dedicated to providing families and children with the highest level of quality, and knows the important role her staff plays in fulfilling her mission. “We’re all family here,” says the program’s director Earline Graves. “We’re sisters and these are our children.”

Ms. Graves, who began working at Jack and Jill’s as an aide after graduating from high school, recently received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Fresno State as part of a cohort of students studying early childhood.

Mrs. Harris and Ms. Graves work hard every day to ensure that the children who attend Jack and Jill’s have the social, language, reading, and thinking skills that will prepare them for success in school and in life. Her devotion to the children is shared by her husband of 44 years, who partnered with her in building the reputation of Jack and Hill’s Educational Center as a high-quality early learning program.