STATS23 Preschool is expected to open at the end of September at 136 Fifth Ave., bringing another location for infant and toddler care for children from six weeks to five years old to the community, according to owner and director Shakia Brown.

At full enrollment, the preschool will care for 28 children, with five teachers on staff, including Brown. She was a pre-kindergarten teacher for the New York City Department of Education for eight years and later became an educational director for a preschool in the Bronx.

“I realized that I wanted to be back in a classroom because teaching is my passion, and I’m good at it,” Brown said. “I was thinking, Maybe I could open my own daycare so I could be in-tune with the students that I teach, and also take a step back and oversee.” 

Brown is a mother of three who recently moved to Pelham. Her older children attend Pelham schools, but said she could find no place in the town providing childcare for her infant. As a result, she said, she was unable to go back to work, and at the same time, she realized there was a local need for a childcare center for younger children. This inspired her to fulfill her personal dream and open her own business where her daughter and other young children could learn during the work day. 

The name STATS23 is an acronym for Standing Tall as Tomorrow’s Scholars. With the name, the educators hope to reflect their desire to nurture a feeling of confidence and understanding with their students, as well as a desire to learn for the rest of their lives. 

“I really want to foster a love of learning within these students,” Brown said. “I want the students who’ll come here to be so excited to come to school every day.”

Brown holds a master’s of science degree in early childhood education and a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a concentration in child psychology from the City College of New York School of Education. She is licensed and certified to teach ages from birth to second grade by the State of New York, according to the STATS23 website.