From local adults that have been long-time residents to seniors that will be graduating from high school this year the name Incline Village Nursery School brings back special memories. Memories not only include where they began their education but also memories of special friends that grew up together and built life long friendships.

“We made life long friends and had many that went on to graduate from high school with us,” said Jamie Golden who attended IVNS along with her twin sister Kristi Fisher in 1972.

That same experience was true for Andrea (Azzara) Gitchell when she attended IVNS more than 10 years later.

“I had 15 that went on to graduate from high school with me,” Andrea said. “And four or five are still living in the Reno/Tahoe area.”

IVNS started in 1970 when one of its original founders, Eileen Meuris and about 10 other local mothers decided it was time for a nursery school in the growing community. Meuris served on the first board at the school along with Suzanne Willoughby Love and Susie Christian. The board managed to have the school ready to open in the fall of 1970 at the Presbyterian Church with one session on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for about 20 children. By the second year the school needed to add a second session with the famous Pumpkin Patch starting in 1979 when locals Julie and Jan Clark put the event together to help raise funds for IVNS.

Today, the director of the school is Barbara Moniot. She started working at the school in 1984 and became its director in 1987. “Miss Barbara” has been a very familiar name with young children growing up in Incline Village and also remembers all of the families that have made IVNS a tradition.

“IVNS is very thankful to have the support of our community and our families which allows us to offer our Nationally Accredited early childhood program year after year,” Moniot said. “We have a connection with three generations: Grandparents who taught here, adult parents who attended our school who are teaching here now and all the children who have shared in our program throughout the years.”

“With long winters it was wonderful to have a place for kids to go to socialize and go before starting school,” said Denise Azzara when asked about sending her children to IVNS. “It taught social skills, values like “Do good to others,” and was a really good basic start. Andrea's older sister Gina went to IVNS first.”

The same was true for Jamie Golden and was the reason that Jamie and Kristi both selected IVNS for their own children.

“We had a great childhood experience,” said Jamie Golden. “It was a wonderful school, a good program and was pretty special to us to be able to give the same opportunities to our children.”

Andrea Gitchell said she had the same experience during her time at IVNS and her mother remembered some of the more special times.

“Birthdays were very special, and the arts and crafts,” she said. “I still have a magnet made at IVNS hanging on my refrigerator.”

This fall Andrea and her husband Cord will see their son Tate starting at IVNS too.

“It wasn't a hard decision,” said Andrea about selecting IVNS. “We compared it with the other programs now available. It is the best value for the price and the amount of time but also it focuses on play. We sometimes lose sight that our children are only 3.”

“We continue to strive for a happy balance between academic and social skills, never once forgetting that for each child the quality of their first school experience will last a lifetime,” Moniot explained at the IVNS program.

Tate Gitchell visited IVNS earlier this year and found it to his liking too when asked what he liked about his visit.

“I liked the kitchen,” he said.