About Us

Our Mission

Lighthouse ELC believes that early childhood should be a time of fun, warmth, security, exploration, and discovery.  Children in their early years are creative and receptive and our program strives to nurture these qualities in each student.

Our purpose is to provide a safe, wholesome environment based on Christian values, thereby encouraging the social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth and development of each child.

Lighthouse ELC will not discriminate in providing services to children and their families on the basis of race, religion, cultural heritage, political beliefs, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, or disability.

Our developmentally appropriate curriculum is planned within the framework of our philosophy and purpose.  It includes songs, finger-plays, creative art activities, dramatic play, and large and small muscle activities.  Children will have exposure to shapes, colors, numbers, letters, science experiments, technology, and nature activities, along with celebrations of birthdays and holidays.

Meet Our Office Team

Toya Hoffman-Lewis

Toya Hoffman-Lewis

Center Director

Salete Ayoub

Salete Ayoub

Administrator / Controller

How it all began...

In 2006, the Arabic Evangelical Baptist Church had just finished building a new place of worship in West Roxbury after many years of renting premises. Naturally, an effort was made to root and serve the community any way they could.

Dr. Mervat Makar, a former Sunday School teacher of this church, had the vision to use some of the church’s rooms during the week and thus opening the facility to its neighbors.

With the support of an experienced Daycare Director, she opened the Lighthouse ELC in December of 2007.

Like many businesses, she started small with just one room and four children. Today, we employ about 12 teachers and run 6 classrooms with up to 45 children.

Our teachers are wonderful women who chose this career for the love they have for children. All have taken college courses and are fully teacher certified by the state of Massachusetts (Department of Early Education & Care). First Aid and CPR trainings are refreshed on a yearly basis. We meet or exceed all teacher/children ratios.