Our Approach

At Stanley Preschool, we seek to provide an atmosphere that fosters positive self-esteem, a lifelong enthusiasm for learning, and respect for the cultures and values of others.

We provide a warm, caring environment designed to nurture all five facets of development:

Our philosophy is based on a sound knowledge of child development. We utilize a play-based approach that is developmentally age-appropriate, encouraging children to explore, experiment, discover and solve problems in imaginative and playful ways. Our day is structured, yet flexible with a range of activities including free play, math, science and reading activities, art, music, and outdoor play.

We embrace the inherent joy that is being a preschooler and having an entire world to discover and explore. We give our children special experiences throughout the year to learn via hands-on discovery. Children watch chicks incubate and hatch in the spring, ride a pony and visit the outdoor education center at the Great Swamp.

We keep class size limited with a 5:1 ratio for the youngest children and a 7:1 ratio for the older children.

Special Events

Building a strong school community where the children, parents, and teachers have an opportunity to build bonds outside of the classroom is important to us. We do this through a variety of special events throughout the year. Some of these events include:

• Pizza Night

• Special Person Night

• Ice Cream Social

• Pony Day

• Art Show

• Moms Night Out

Parent Involvement

Parent involvement is one of the key things that make our school such a special place. Parents—and grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and any others important to your child—are always welcome to visit the classroom. You can read a story, share a hobby or family tradition, lead a craft, bring in a special birthday snack, chaperone a field trip, or attend a class party.

There are also many ways to volunteer throughout the school year. Whether it’s being a classroom or snack parent, chairing one of our special events, or serving on the school’s Board of Directors, volunteer opportunities are a great way to get involved in our school community.

Communication

We understand that communication between school and home is vital. Parents receive weekly newsletters from teachers, as well as a monthly newsletter from the Board of Directors. Teachers are always accessible should parents need to reach them, and we have two formal parent/teacher conferences in the Fall and Spring.

Sharon Piskadlo, Director

Before having her daughters, Sharon was a 3rd grade teacher and head coach of the girls’ high school cross country and track teams in Rutherford, NJ. During that time, she received her Master’s in Educational Leadership and became a licensed principal.

“When I was teaching, I wanted to reach every child and help each one of them reach their highest level of potential. Each child learns differently, and I always felt like it was my job to find the way that they learned and understand what motivated them. I wanted them to feel good about themselves, approach learning with confidence, and feel happy about coming to school each day.”

“As a head coach, every child had a place on my team if they were committed and worked hard. Sports are so competitive, and many children don’t make a team in high school. I think that is really hard for a teenager during a time in their life when they are learning about who they are, so they were welcomed on my team and learned life skills and how to become an athlete and be competitive. The values that I had as a teacher and a coach are aligned with the Stanley Philosophy and that’s why this school was the perfect place for my family and me professionally.”

Sharon was a teacher and a coach before she became a parent, and now that she has three daughters of her own, she understands life in a totally different way which helps her to be a better Director. She understands the struggles that parents go through. “Managing a home life with children is no easy task and we are here to support our parents as well. I’m a better mom because of the teachers my daughters had at Stanley. I want other parents to always feel the same comfort and security I felt as a parent when my daughters attended Stanley.

Sharon’s vision for Stanley is to continue to evolve and be forward thinking while keeping true to the core value of the Stanley Philosophy which is that children learn through play and their social and emotional development is our primary concern.

Suzanne David, Registrar/Office Manager

Suzanne was excited to take on the the role of Registrar/Office Manager after leaving her previous job when her third child was born 10 years ago.

“I was at a point where I was ready to do something more again but still wanted to be able to drive carpools and attend sports and after school activities with my children. When Sharon approached me about the position, I immediately thought it would be the perfect opportunity to be a part of a special community where every day is different, while maintaining some flexibility in my schedule.”

Suzanne’s favorite part of her workday is the carline, “I love the car line—I get to start my morning welcoming smiling faces to our school and then I get to check in with the kids in the afternoon and hear about their favorite parts of their day.” She added, “I hope they feel a sense of pride at all they manage to accomplish in a single day, and I hope they are excited to come back to learn more.”