Crosstown History

In 1969, more women were joining the workforce, and families needed high-quality childcare while both parents were at the office. The women of the Second Presbyterian Church in the Kendall Whittier district opened Crosstown Learning Center—named for the Crosstown Expressway (I-244)—as a ministry of their church to serve the families of Kendall Whittier after a child tragically died while in home daycare.

In the 1980s, Crosstown focused its efforts on offering high-quality education in addition to its excellent care, and in 2001, Crosstown became the first childcare center in north Tulsa to earn national accreditation through the National Association for the Education of the Young Child (NAEYC). This achievement came just one year after the board of directors of Crosstown filed with the state of Oklahoma to become an independent non-profit organization.

In April 2004, the old Second Presbyterian Church closed, and the building was sold to a new congregation. Crosstown purchased a new (old) church within walking distance of the existing facility and retrofitted it to suit the school’s needs. Crosstown’s then-executive director, Dr. Debbi Guilfoyle, raised $7.5 million from foundations, grantmaking organizations, and supporters to build a brand-new facility designed for Crosstown’s mission. On November 15, 2016, Crosstown moved into its very first brand-new building, designed and constructed for safety, learning, and managing lots of small people. The school is permanently grounded in the community of the Kendall Whittier North neighborhood and is excited to participate in its rebirth and revitalization.