BROOKLYN — A bilingual Japanese preschool in Fort Greene will move from its tiny space inside a brick townhouse to a larger building in Clinton Hill to keep up with rising demand for multicultural early education, the school’s founder said.
Aozora Gakuen, which means “Blue Sky Academy” in Japanese, will be relocating from its current location at 316 Carlton Ave. in Fort Greene to 535 Clinton Ave. in Clinton Hill this winter, according to founder Miho Nishimaniwa.
The move, first reported by the Commercial Observer, will allow the school to double in size, she said.
“Our current location is very limited and very small,” Nishimaniwa said. “There are more Japanese-American families in Brooklyn. The population is simply growing.”
The school currently serves 24 full-time students between the ages of 2 and 4 during the day, with 12 students in each class. About 30 other children attend after-school and Saturday programs at Aozora Gakuen.
The new, 4,200-square-foot location will be located the second floor of the 13-story rental building, said James Monteleone of All Point Real Estate, who brokered the deal. The school signed a 10-year lease on the new space, he noted.
There will be three classrooms — one for each age group — as well as a community space and a library, according to Nishimaniwa.
The larger space will allow the school to accept more students and hire more teachers, as there are currently only 10 full-time teachers working there.
The school, which opened in 2012, offers Japanese language and writing, as well as music, dance, art and other cultural lessons. Classes are held in English once a week so students are prepared to enter city kindergarten programs, Nishimaniwa said.
Although the preschool teaches Japanese language and culture, the school is open to all families, regardless of background.
Nishimaniwa said she plans to host more community events and after-school programs to highlight the borough.
“For us, inclusivity and diversity are very important,” she explained. “Along with continuing this heritage — the language of Japanese — we want to embrace this diverse culture in Brooklyn.”
