Swiss Miss: Swiss Day Preschool closes after 30 years

Before Swiss Day Preschool closes its doors permanently July 30, it opened them to the community for a celebration. More than 50 children, parents, alumni and teachers filled the 1,530-square-foot school July 22 to relive their favorite memories. 

“Each child is unique and special with their own personality and style of learning.”

-Janet Hember, owner of Swiss Day Preschool.

For almost 60 years the school has operated out of its 4010 Camino Real location, and it has become a landmark in the Oyster Bay neighborhood. Polly Zoppe is the daughter of the original owners, the Mowery family, who built the home in 1957 to become the Mowery School. She still lives around the corner from the preschool. 

“The neighborhood loves to hear the kids,” Zoppe said. “It’s just always felt like home here.”

Among the alumni in attendance was Meredith Piazza who attended from 1982 to 1985. When she became a mother she sent her son, William, to Swiss Day as well. During the celebration Piazza recognized her former Swiss Day Preschool teacher, Cindi Bavry, who also sent her son, Travis Holgate, to Swiss Day Preschool.

“When I moved back to town this was one of the first places I called, “ Piazza said. “It feels like a family house. I like that they had a lot of family meals and did things together. ”

The front of the school resembles a 1950s ranch-style home. When you enter the school you walk through the library and reading area where students have story time. The walls are covered with the original wood paneling. To the left is the kitchen that still has a 1957 butter yellow General Electric oven that still works. 

At the celebration scrapbooks compiled by teachers and current owner Janet Hember were on display for everyone in attendance. Hember encouraged everyone to take home photos from their time at Swiss Day Preschool. Kristin Helmuth and her mother, Jacki Hamilton-Kleppinger, reminisced as they flipped through the photo albums. Hamilton-Kleppinger sent three of her four children to Swiss Day Preschool. 

“It all looks the same,” said Helmuth, who attended from 1991 to 1995. “I remember walking through that door, having story time there, eating lunch in the back room.”

Teachers and alumni credit Hember with making the school a home. When Hember purchased the school 30 years ago from Elsa Maloney, it was called Swiss Day Nursery School; she renamed it the Swiss Day Preschool. Hember's father refurbished the playground and was the school's handyman. Her mother made the curtains, waxed the floors and prepared homemade snacks for the children. 

Hember describes her teaching philosophy as process versus product, which is the act of doing activities with a hands-on approach. 

“Each child is unique and special with their own personality and style of learning,” Hember said. “They grow and develop through a variety of ways. They lead their own way with freedom but within set boundaries. It’s a warm and cozy environment.”

Hember has decided that after 30 years she is ready to retire and will put the property on the market. Because the property has been grandfathered in through the years the zoning will change to residential once the property is sold. 

“It’s the end of an era for me and a new chapter is beginning, but Swiss Day has been my focus and love all throughout the years,” Hember said. “It’s an emotional time for me so I’m not looking forward to anything yet.”