Early Learning Academy
We believe that a child's teacher is the most important asset in quality education. We hire only the most experienced and qualified teachers who will have a positive effect and realize their significant role in the life of each child.
We believe that children have a natural and innate desire to learn about their world, and it is up to us as educators to make the learning process exciting, tangible, and meaningful. Our educators believe in this philosophy and are committed to quality teaching; making your child's early learning experience both positive and engaging.
Our administrative team spends their time to maintain the leadership, integrity, and direction of Early Learning Academy and building personal relationships with each staff member, student, and parent in the Jersey City community. Specific duties are to oversee day-to-day operations, serving as the member of our Management Team who is accountable, responsible, and responsive to the immediate needs of the children, parents, and staff of the center. The center also boasts an impressive roster of educators who have been carefully selected to uphold the standards of education and character that Early Learning Academy is founded upon.
Administration
Please click on the links for educational and biographical information about our staff...
Head Teachers
Assistant Teachers
Ela
Ela has 25 years of experience working with young children. Ela's experience has been with many diverse cultures in India, Guyana, Trinidad, Russia and Poland coordinating, volunteering time in building, fixing and providing school supplies for orphanages. She has worked in a management position for last 22 years in both small, sole-proprietorship and large corporate companies. At Early Learning Academy, Ela implements the positive aspects of each of these endeavors.
Ela has graduated from Eastern Washington University with Professional Accounting degree and is Certified Public Accountant in a WA State.
Ela's hobbies include ballroom dancing, hiking, oil painting (many were auctioned at the fund raising events), and reading.
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Jennifer
Jennifer enrolled in Mason Gross School of the Arts as a music education major. After a few semesters, she decided to move her education toward the direction of the elementary classroom. During the college years she taught fourth grade religion and continued to assist with the church choir. To gain experience with children, she taught local children in her community piano privately in their homes. She earned an undergraduate degree from Kean University and began teaching in a Catholic School. While there, the principal and Jennifer opened a two and three year old preschool class. This allowed her to develop her own curriculum and use years of a musical background to enhance the class even further. She continued directing school plays the entire six years at the school. In between working and going back to college, Jennifer played an active part in various church organizations assisting with women in need and children. Jennifer later attended St. Peter's College in Jersey City and earned a Masters in Administration and Supervision of Education. She furthered her career in the public school system teaching academic enrichment and first grade before coming to ELA giving her over ten years experience with children ages 2-13.
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Daiana
Daiana graduated from Rider University with a B.A in Psychology. She is fully fluent in Spanish and currently learning American Sign Language as well as pursing her Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education. After college, Daiana worked in health counseling and management. In the summer, Daiana worked and volunteered in Trenton and Ewing area summer camps. Before joining ELA, she worked for two years at a school in Princeton with children from infants through kindergarten. Daiana takes an active role within her community in groups like Midnight Run; a volunteer service that provides food and clothing to homeless people in New York City. She has a strong passion for dance (performing and competing) and photography.
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Samantha
Samantha has been working with children of all ages since high school. She has also volunteered in many daycares and after school programs. She is a recent graduate from Farleigh Dickinson University with a degree in Psychology with a social work concentration . She strives to achieve a positive impact on the children's development in the toddler group. During her free time, she works with young females 7-12 years old to improve self esteem and self motivation. Her plans are to complete graduate school and become an elementary school guidance counselor.
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Janelle
Janelle has earned two diplomas in Early Childhood Education from Becker College and Stratford Career Institute. She is continuing her education through Penn Foster Career School earning her Child Development Associate Certificate. She has taught children in various settings as well as areas focusing on children from eighteen months through five years of age.
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Jesseyna
Jesseyna graduated from Saint Peter's College with a BA in Elementary Education and Psychology. She is a certified NJ teacher for grades K-5. She has 8 years of experience working with children from infants to age 10. Teaching and assisting children has always been a great passion of Jesseyna's. She loves spending time with her family, dance, arts and crafts, shopping and cooking.
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Jennifer
Jennifer has been working with children since high school. She started out volunteering as a counselor at a summer camp for Special Needs Children ages 10-18. During and after high school she supervised a children's entertainment company coordinating children's festivals, parties and other events. As she continued working with children she knew that it was her passion to be in the childcare field and enrolled at Ocean County College to obtain her Child Development Associate Certificate. Jennifer has certification in infant, child and adult CPR and First Aid. She plays an active role in the Jersey Cares Program which helps all of New Jersey improve and restore schools, libraries and playgrounds as well as helping the homeless and less fortunate with clothing drives, meals and rebuilding their lives. She is also an animal lover and advocate. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and is an adamant book and movie lover as well as a huge sports fan.
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Jahaira
Jahaira graduated from Hudson Community College with an Associate in Early Childhood Education. As she continued her education in New Jersey City University, Jahaira was a teacher's assistant in All Saints Child Care Center. She had the opportunity to be with ages 2 through 5. After assisting that age group for three years, Jahaira became the lead teacher of a 3 and 4 year-old classroom. She left All Saints to do student teaching internship at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Jersey City, where she taught third grade. Jahaira earned a B.A and P-3 Certification. In her free time, Jahaira enjoys arts and crafts as well as scrapbooking.
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Michelle
Michelle received an Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education from Hudson County Community College and is continuing her education to earn Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and American Studies from Saint Peter's College. She has experience with children babysitting, volunteering at her church's Sunday school program and at a local gym's child care facility before working at ELA. Michelle is earning experience and education to become an elementary school teacher after graduation. In her free time Michelle enjoys jogging and enrolling in special athletic events (i.e. Warrior Dash).
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Sara
Sara is originally from Peru and came to the United States as an au pair for a family. She continued working for other families since then as a full time nanny. She has experience with children as young as newborn to age six. Sara attended childcare classes and English courses at Union County College. Sara enjoys spending time with children, traveling, cooking and excercising.
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Adelyn
Adelyn has a BS in Business Management from Wesley College in Dover, DE and has a Certificate of Eligibility to teach K-5th. Adelyn is the Co Chair for "Moms of Bayonne" and very much enjoys meeting and planning events with other families in her community. She is an active mom, loves to cook, exercise, and used to play the trumpet. Adelyn is planning to start her masters degree in education at NJCU.
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Samah
Samah graduated from an Egyptian University as a geography high school teacher. She came to the United States in 2001 to start a new life. She decided to change her career by becoming a P-3 certified teacher. In 2007 she completed the P-3 certificate of eligibility from NJ State Department of Education. For three years Samah was an assistant in a Hoboken daycare. She is continuing her education earning more credits in early childhood education from New Jersey City University.
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Meghan
Meghan has over 7 years of experience in childcare. She has worked with infants to teenagers. She began her experience with the pre-school program at her high school. She moved on to work several after school counseling jobs and eventually became the assistant camp director for the greater Naples YMCA in Naples, FL. Meghan received her BS in Health Science and a minor in Communication Disorders. She recently moved to New Jersey to further her education and is enrolling in an accelerated BSN/Master's program to become a certified pediatric nurse practitioner. In her spare time, Meghan enjoys spending time with her family, working out and traveling.
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Yesenia
Yesenia attended Hudson Community College and is pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education to become a preschool teacher. She has taken first aid courses and is CPR certified. She has experience working with children from infants to preschoolers. She enjoys teaching bible lessons, reading cooking, dancing and performing in plays.
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Joan
Joan has an A.S in Early Childhood Education from Essex County College. She has experience working with preschoolers and was a teacher assistant at Our Lady of Lourdes in West Orange, NJ. She has volunteered as a tutor at Edison Middle School for the Enrichment Ready Program. She is also a mother of an 18yr old daughter and a 21yr old son. Joan enjoys reading, traveling, listening to music, yoga, swimming, going to the beach, cooking and teaching piano.
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Nadya
Nadya is from Wayne New Jersey but relocated to Jersey City for school. She graduated from Hudson County Community College with an Associate's degree in Psychology. She has 4 years of experience working with children. She will be continuing her education this fall as a physician assistant. In her free time, Nadya enjoys to shop and spend time with her family in her free time.
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