Tigger and the Cat in the Hat were among the distinguished guests at the East Wareham Early Childhood Center's celebration of the harvest season, its new playground, and its new name on Monday.

"We welcome families, with open arms, to come into our school and participate in the learning," East Wareham Early Childhood Center Coordinator Mary Morgan told the parents who gathered for the festivities.

Many children — and teachers — wore their Halloween costumes for the harvest celebration. Tigger helped dole out doughnuts and juice.

The school is officially called the East Wareham Early Childhood Center at East Wareham Elementary. The name was changed this year, which reflects the fact that all of the town's preschoolers — ages three to five years — are now in the building. Partially grant-funded, the program also serves preschoolers with special needs.

With its new name came a new sign, designed by the Manchester family. Ryan Manchester attends the preschool, and won the design contest held last spring.

Written across the colorful sign, which features a rainbow and lighthouses such as the ones that welcome visitors to the town, are the words: "Gateway to a bright future."

Morgan called the preschool program a "community-school partnership."

The celebration also included the official ribbon-cutting at the school's new playground, which was built last spring after an anonymous donor gave $20,000 to the school for the project.

Previously, the school had just a swing set and one piece of plastic playground equipment which was more suitable for a family's backyard than a school that services more than 100 students.

The school continues to raise money for the second phase of the project, which will add accessories such as a play gas station, picnic tables, and benches to the playground area.

Want to help? The school is selling $1 "learning through play" wristbands for the cause. Pick one up at the school, located at 27 Depot Street.

A "Bag2School" fundraiser, during which used clothing, sheets, drapes, belts, purses, shoes, and soft toys will be collected at the school, is also planned. The collected items will be weighed and the school will receive money based on the overall weight of the donations.

Bag2School will take place on Friday, November 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Saturday, November 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the East Wareham Early Childhood Center.