Bellerose Avenue lessee VCLC opens its doors to over 80 students

Variety Child Learning Center (VCLC), a provider of early childhood education and special services for nearly 60 years, will officially open its doors in East Northport this Tuesday, September 2. Located at the former Bellerose Avenue Elementary School property, the campus marks the nonprofit’s first expansion into Suffolk County. 

The lease agreement between the Northport-East Northport Union Free School District and Variety Child Learning Center for areas of Bellerose Avenue Elementary School was signed by both parties in September 2024. The lease term began on July 1, 2025 and ends on June 30, 2035.

VCLC provides early childhood education, universal pre-kindergarten (UPK) programs and special education services, with other locations in Syosset and Levittown. The Levittown campus, which opened in 2014 with just four classrooms, now supports three schools and more than 250 children. 

The Bellerose Avenue site will serve children in the Northport-East Northport school district, offering both UPK and special education classes. In its inaugural year, the campus has enrolled close to 90 students, with future plans to expand to nearly 200 as the program reaches full capacity. There are currently more than 30 employees at the location. 

“We saw an opportunity to meet a critical need in Suffolk County,” said Janey Koch, CEO at Variety. “There is a significant gap in services for 3- and 4-year-olds, especially those with diverse learning needs. Our goal is to help fill that gap and give every child the best possible start.”

In total, VCLC supports over 600 children in its schools. For more information about Variety Child Learning Center and its programs, visit https://varietyclc.org/.