Remembering Elaine Ruth Schreiber

Silver Spring Neighborhood Center mourns the passing of Elaine Ruth Schreiber, who has made an enormous impact and legacy to this day at SSNC. 

Central to Elaine was her love for children, driven by a deep faith and the belief that each child should receive love, hope and opportunity. This led Elaine to become an early childhood teacher at the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center and ultimtely help scale our impact through a capital campaign.

Elaine was a phenomenal early childhood teacher.  All of her students entered first grade ready to excel thanks to her success in preparing them for elementary school. Her teaching skills were matched or exceeded by her love for the children and her efforts to build relationships with and involve all of the parents in the education of their children.

She also returned to college, earning a master’s degree in early childhood education from Cardinal Stritch University at age 56. Upon retiring from teaching, she led a successful capital campaign for Silver Spring.

Elaine accepted the challenge of serving as the Chairperson for SSNC’s ambitious capital campaign to raise $4.9M to renovate and expand the Center at the same time that MPS would construct the new Browning neighborhood elementary school and attach the school to SSNC’s building in the middle of the Westlawn Public Housing Development.  The dynamic partnership between SSNC, Browning School, Milwaukee Public Schools and the Housing Authority for the City of Milwaukee has created a national model for collaboration and coordination between a community center and a public school.

For all the values she embodied, we have named our child care center, The Elaine Schreiber Child Development Center, in her honor.

Today, we remember her and honor her impact for generations to come.

In accordance with the family’s wishes, donations can be made to Silver Spring Neighborhood Center. Please also honor Elaine’s legacy by reading to a child or reaching out to support a caregiver.