Our story
As our founder Helen Rafiy once said, “If you want something to stand, establish the root.” We trace our roots to when Ms. Helen started a preschool in Brookline Village to offer children a chance to nurture their sense of wonder and connect with the world around them. Happy Day has grown up since then — like so many of our students — but we’ll always stay true to those guiding principles.
Children's Happy Day History
Ms. Helen
Helen Rafiy founded Children’s Happy Day in 1987, offering thoughtful programs and joyful, child-centered learning at a church in Brookline Village. She moved the school to a different church in West Roxbury in 1998; with the help of her son Moe, she made her dream of a purpose-built facility come true when our current location opened its doors in 2004.
Ms. Helen, who has a master’s degree in early childhood education from Wheelock College, has worked in education for more than 40 years. As director emeritus, she maintains a deep connection to the school, coming often to garden, create art and practice yoga with the children she loves so much.
Mr. Moe
Our school wouldn’t be what it is today without the hard work, passion and dedication of Ms. Helen’s son Moe Rafiy. After receiving his MBA from American University, Mr. Moe completed course work in early education at Boston College and demonstrated his love for children while working in our Pre-K classroom. He acted as project manager during the construction of our West Roxbury building and spent countless hours working to ensure every detail helped fulfill the school’s mission. In creating this one-of-a-kind school, Mr. Moe accomplished his mission: to create an environment where all children could benefit from early childhood education.
Mr. Moe passed away in May 2007 at the age of 31 after a brief illness. Every day, our teachers and staff strive to realize his goals and model his values of compassion, generosity and kindness.
The McNeil Family
In 2022, as Ms. Helen embarked on her next adventure, she transferred ownership of the school to Brenda and Torrance McNeil, a longtime Happy Day family and her dear friends. Brenda and Torrance have continued Ms. Helen’s vision for a school filled with light and laughter, providing a close-knit environment for children and families to embrace everything that comes with the preschool years.
Programs
Our four accredited preschool programs encourage literacy, introduce age-appropriate mathematical concepts and offer enrichment activities like music, yoga, dance and Spanish.
Enrollment
Interested in joining the Happy Day community? Learn more about our admissions process, tuition rates and how to schedule a tour.
Our Community
We often say that parents and caregivers are a child’s first teachers. That perspective is why we work alongside families to support a child’s growth and offer resources during the preschool years.