Leap and Grow
Preschool in Somersworth, NH 03878
Lorraine Castellano has been teaching young children for over twenty years. She is a graduate of Wheelock College in Boston, MA and holds a B.S. degree with a dual certification in Early Childhood Education and Young Children with Special Needs.
Lorraine began her career at Sunrise Childrens Center in Amherst, NH in 1991. Sunrise is nationally recognized by the US Department of Education as a model inclusionary program. Throughout her five years at Sunrise, Lorraine worked as a classroom teacher for preschool and kindergarten children. She also worked as a coordinator to oversee afternoon programs.
Lorraine moved to NJ in 1996 to take a job with the Upper Saddle River School District. She started the preschool special needs program, servicing children from the ages of three to five. She worked closely with therapists, parents and child study teams to ensure that each child met their IEP goals/objectives. After four years in the district Lorraine left to have her first child. She began working part time with an Early Intervention Agency while raising her three children. She currently teaches at Redeemer Christian Nursery School and continues to service families through Early Intervention.
Michele Christopoulos has been active in the field of early intervention since 1992. Michele’s passion has always been to work with all types of children with various abilities. Her career began in New York with home visits and continued when she and her family moved to New Jersey. Michele was the director of one of Northern New Jersey’s most prestigious child care centers. In 2002, Michele was asked to open an early intervention program that covered twenty-one counties in New Jersey.
She has assisted countless families with behavioral assessments and strategies as well as ensuring that children are placed in the least restrictive environment within their school district. This allows the child to be challenged while still creating a social relationship with their peers.
Michele holds a masters degree in Special Education from CW Post University. She serves on the Board of Directors of TAG (Therapeutic Alliance Group) and was appointed in December of 2006, to the State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC). This is a Governor appointed council that is instrumental in the development and implementation of the policies governing Early Intervention. She continues to be involved in the coordination of services, assessments, parent training and assisting families to achieve the highest potential for their child.
- Child Ages:
- 2.5 years - 5 years
- Rates:
- $
- Licenses & Accreditations:
- New Jersey Department of Children and Families
- Preschool:
- Yes
- Hours of Operation:
- Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 2:45 pm
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LEAP inclusionary preschool is passionate about working with young children and their families. Our belief is that all children learn and grow at their own pace. Children need opportunities for exploration in their play so that they can develop the skills necessary to be successful socially, emotionally, and developmentally. All children can learn and play together regardless of their developmental levels. We embrace the fact that we are all different and celebrate that we can learn from each other. We feel strongly that parents and teachers need to work as a team. Socialization and Self Esteem play a huge role in our program. We provide many opportunities for working together in pairs, small groups and all together. Children need to feel good about themselves in order for them to make meaningful relationships with others. Lastly,we want to provide a safe, nurturing, and inviting atmosphere to ensure optimal learning potential.
Our program is based on the developmental stages of learning. The rooms are set up in learning centers which provide materials that encourage children freedom to explore their environment. We use The Creative Curriculum as a model. Themes are based on the interests of the children. The activities are based on the theme and are incorporated into many of the learning centers. Teacher directed activities monitor and evaluate the childrens progress.
