Beginnings School and Child Development Center

Beginnings School and Child Development Center is an early childhood education facility and clinical research site located in Weston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1985 by clinical psychologist Dr. Donna Housman, the center served as the primary lab school for the Housman Institute to develop and validate the "begin to... ECSEL" (Emotional, Cognitive and Social Early Learning) approach. This evidence-based curriculum focuses on fostering emotional intelligence, self-regulation, and empathy in children from infancy through age six. The school's research has been published in peer-reviewed journals, highlighting the impact of early emotional competence on long-term mental health and academic success. In 2020, the school was acquired by Cadence Education and now operates as Cadence Academy Preschool.