In 1979, the principal of Scarborough Village Alternate PS required a child care in his school to meet the needs of parents volunteering in the classrooms. He approached a small group of parents who were studying Early Childhood Education and those discussions led to the creation of NYAD, a Not Your Average Daycare. As a not-for-profit child care, a Board of Directors was elected to help support the goals of the four founding women. NYAD's first logo was created to brand this very unique child care. Mara Holdenried was one of these visionaries and still is the passionate and committed Executive Director of NYAD.
In the following years, NYAD's reputation led to several Scarborough principals and parent groups, in high schools and elementary schools, to request that NYAD opens a centre in their buildings. Of those remaining, NYAD Guildwood opened in 1989 and NYAD Donwood in 1990.
In 1989, NYAD collaborated with the Scarborough Board of Education to create the film "Scarborough's Commitment to Daycare", to promote the inclusion of not-for-profit childcares in schools.