Testimonials

My two daughters have attended the New Milford Learning Center and are graduates of the Pre-K program. It is a very special place for us. ELC provides a very clean and spacious environment both indoor and outdoor. The Director Ms. Christine, and her staff are caring and patient. The learning programs are excellent and are continuously evaluated and adjusted. This gave my daughters a strong academic foundation and they are now honor roll students in middle school. 

ELC has reached kindness, compassion and respect toward each other and living beings. Highlights for the children have included caring for some rescue birds, giant bunnies and domestic ducks. My daughters have always felt safe and happy at ELC. They continue to be a part of the family by visiting during the summers and are now assisting in any way they can to give back to a place they feel at home. 

June Ein

Our two children are currently attending New Milford Early Learning Center, my oldest is 4 and my youngest is 20 months. We have been a part of the ELC family coming up on three years now. I say family because it is not just a daycare and a school, they have become our family. Yes my children are learning and being educated and taught many things in a school like setting but they are also learning about compassion and empathy and love and respect. One of the reasons we love the ELC so much is because Christine and her staff think outside the box for example this summer my children have participated in planting and taking care of a garden and growing fruits and vegetables and spices. Not only did they get to play in the dirt but it taught them so many other things. All the while the teachers are maintaining professional, clean, organized, neat classrooms.

There is no other place like this and I feel beyond grateful to have found it and to now have all these wonderful people of the ELC participating in raising my children. This center and all of the teachers will forever hold a special place in our families hearts. I’m more than confident that my children will be returning here for many years to come it is home away from home for them.

Tina Kaiser

New Milford early learning center has made such an incredible influence on my children since their time attending the school. I have an almost 4 year old and a seven month old that are attending the school. My four year old has great social and academic skills and I have ELC to thank for that. The way that they are able to give the children structure, education and care is really outstanding. This is truly a family. I know that all of the staff at ELC love my children as much as I do. Bringing your children to a place everyday to be watched while you work can be tough but knowing that my kids were being taken care of by Christine and her staff made it easier for me. My daughter is so prepared for kindergarten and I know that, that is all because of the education she’s been given at the ELC. Going back to work after my son was born was a very difficult time for me but knowing that he was going to be at the ELC made it an easy transition because I knew that he was in great hands.

The classrooms are all clean and organized at all times. They have taught my children how to care for animals, planting/ gardening and how to truly care for other people. The staff at ELC is the most accommodating I have ever seen. After my son was born my daughter would have a few rough days here and there and they would make sure that she would get extra love that day if she was having a rough day. I feel fortunate to say that my children get to have the love of their parents at home and their family at school. I feel so lucky that I found a place as wonderful as the ELC to not only take care of my children while I work but to educate them and prepare them for kindergarten. The ELC will always hold a special place in our families hearts.

Lexi Giannecchini

Our youngest son attended New Milford Early Learning Center for two years. We could not have been more pleased with the care and education he received. The professionals effectively worked together and consistently attended to the needs of children and families.

New Milford Early Learning Center provided our son with an excellent educational foundation. The classrooms were always clean, neat and organized. Professionals established consistent expectations for familiar activities including handwashing, napping, participating in show and tell and sitting in a small group. These routines provide children with a sense of security and enabled them to develop independence. A full month out of school, our son still relates routines that he practiced at school!
New Milford Early Learning Center promoted our son’s growth in academic and social skills. Sequential concepts were taught, and parents were informed of the targets within monthly newsletters. I was consistently impressed with the abilities of teachers to tailor education to best meet the needs of children. Once in the three year old classroom, I observed a teacher work individually with one child on pre-handwriting skills while other children engaged in structured play. In the four year old classroom, students were required to sit for longer periods of time in order to learn readiness concepts. However, they were always encouraged to engage in imaginative play. During dinnertime, we loved hearing our son talk about dress-up games he played with his Superhero friends in class!

We will always remember New Milford Early Learning Center as a loving environment. The professionals were enthusiastic and nurturing women who never missed an opportunity to comfort a child in distress, to praise a child on a newly developed skill or to eagerly listen to a child’s story. The presence of small animals, including birds and ducks, also facilitated an environment of care.

In summary, the New Milford Early Learning Center will forever have a special place in our hearts. We were exceptionally pleased with the sense of purpose of the professionals and with our son’s academic and social progress. We highly recommend this childcare center.

Maureen Senzamici

My son has attended New Milford Early Learning Center for a year and a half. In the time that he has attended, his academic, social and emotional skills have grown leaps and bounds. The teachers and staff there have become part of our family; this is not just a place where I drop my son off. In the time he has attended, my family went through a major life crisis and, the Director, Miss Christine and her staff went above and beyond to be there for my son and I know he would have not gotten that kind of compassion if I sent him to a commercially-owned preschool.

At ELC, they teach the children kindness and compassion through lessons with the animals they have on-site. My son is so aware of the importance of being kind and gentle to others as well as the responsibility it requires to take care of another being. Academically, my son has become so much stronger with his language and communication skills. He is starting to write out his name and he is not even four yet.

I would definitely recommend ELC to any parent looking for a nurturing and educational environment for their child.

Julianne De Simone

The Early Learning Center is home away from home for my 3 kids. We have been a part of the ELC family for going on 9 years. Ms. Christine and her staff make learning fun and exciting from their amazing toddler room right up through
pre-k.

My two older children 10 & 6 still ask to attend over summer breaks and holidays from school. The memories and friendships they have made and continue to make are truly special. As a parent dropping your child off everyday to a school and staff where you know they are loved and cared for is an amazing feeling.

Our family is so thankful for Ms. Christine and the ELC staff.

Kate Denis

I walked into the ELC back in 2014 when i was going through a very difficult time in my life. I had to go back to work and needed to find childcare for my then 2.5 year old little girl. I found the ad on Craigslist and i went uncertain of the outcome. However, we felt right at home the minute we walked in the door. Christine welcomed both,me and my daughter to the ELC with open arms. I was offered the preschool assistant position and my daughter would be in the toddler room.

I had the opportunity to experience the warmth of the ELC from both perspectives, as an educator and also as a parent. As a parent, i loved how genuine and empathetic the teachers were especially with my little girl who was having a very hard time transitioning and adapting to school. However, they worked with her and made her feel at home while also laying down an incredible educational foundation. She thrived as an ELC student and even as she moved forward to Kindergarten she was praised for her academic achievements which were passed on to her by the staff at the ELC.

As an educator, I was able to see how much the director cares about the families that attend this school, every child that has walked through the door of this center is cared for like family. Christine and her staff go above and beyond for the students and families not only in good times but also in bad, they never hesitate to step up and help in times of difficulty. Whether it was a food train, opening the doors of the center, or just making get well cards, the relationships built go beyond just business. Christine makes sure that her staff is always well trained to comply with state regulations, that classrooms are well equipped and most importantly that the children are always loved. She and her staff also teach the children about compassion, generosity and being a good samaritan.

They instill in children the love for animals, which is one of my daughters favorite memories, feeding ducks & therapy rabbits. Christine, the staff, and the families of those who attended became a huge part of our lives they even supported me when I decided to pursue a different job opportunity. In Christine’s own words: “The sky is the limit”. I will be forever grateful to have found this amazing community of people to help me raise my daughter while giving me a chance to make a living. The ELC has made a huge impact in both of our lives in such a way that we consider it our second home.

Angie Kattan

New Milford Early Learning Center has always been a home away from home for my two daughters. Both they and I have made friendships that we truly cherish and have extended outside of the classroom. I’ve always been confident that they are in the right place because of their excitement and eagerness to attend every day. All of the staff are warmhearted and attentive. They stress gentle hands and respect for all, and I’m proud to have observed this in my children’s outside lives.

Miss Christine, the director, is always looking for new ideas to engage the kids in learning while keeping it fun. She puts in a lot of her own time into organizing special holiday events, class trips and fundraising. She is always available and willing to help no matter the circumstance. She goes above and beyond to find an answer when help is needed. On a personal note, Miss Christine took the time to ease my worries during a period of my youngest daughters challenging behavior, and used that opportunity to keep her staff up to date and well trained with this challenge. My daughters have always considered going to ELC as a treat, and I am confident that they will return to visit for many years to come.

Andrea Ader

My son started at the ELC when he was just a baby. They treated him like he was their own child. The love, care, and dedication the staff had shown sets this daycare apart from all the others. They have taught my child to have gentle hands and a loving heart, in addition to ABCs, colors, shapes and numbers. The staff makes learning fun.

Christina Ramirez

When our son turned two, we started asking around for daycare recommendations. We were hoping for a place close to home with a staff that would love and support our little guy… without bankrupting us. What we got – when a trusted teacher friend recommended The New Milford Early Learning Center, the place she’d sent all three of her boys – was all of that and more, including the opportunity to join the best possible extended family. Our son – used to having his grandmothers watch him during the day until this point – quickly and easily fell for the staff in the toddler room who welcomed him with open arms and got him acclimated to his new routine seamlessly. (If only I could get him to nap so easily!) 

Their affection and generosity of spirit put us at ease immediately, and before we knew it, it was time to enroll our 1-year-old daughter at the ELC as well. As both kids grew (and thrived!), we were constantly reminded of how lucky we were to have found this place. From the bigger events like the annual Breakfast with Santa and the pre-K graduation ceremony to the everyday activities that included visits from animals who helped teach ‘gentle hands’ and visits to nursing homes to cheer up the residents, our kids were surrounded by dedicated and loving professionals. For this – and the dancing, the music, letters & numbers, the crafts, games, books, and the hours and hours of fun with friends – we will forever be grateful to Miss Christine and the ELC, who took such good care of our babies and helped mold them into the terrific ‘big kids’ they are today.

The Dapito Family

As an educator I can’t deny that the ELC staff provided strong foundational skills for all three of my sons. The staff follows an early childhood curriculum that focuses on both the academic and social needs of the students in a way that is both developmentally appropriate and engaging. The staff is provided with professional development opportunities both on and off site.

The education that my sons received at the ELC was exceptional but it didn’t compare to the sense of family and security I felt every day for the 8 years I walked through those doors. Knowing that when I went to work I was leaving my boys in the care of educators that not only loved what they did but treated every child as they were a part of their own family was priceless.

The children that are lucky enough to become a part of the ELC family learn so much more than their letters, numbers and colors. They learn to respect themselves, others and animals. They learn the rules of a school and how to have fun. They learn to dance and to sing even if you look silly. They learn kindness, caring, and compassion.

I am so lucky to have found this humble daycare right in my very own town. My boys had a wonderful start to their education and I was able to go to work knowing they were loved and cared for. To this day we go back to visit because you always make sure you stay in touch with family!


Kathy Tennant

My son and daughter have been attending the New Milford Early Learning Center (ELC) for over 4 years. They have participated in the daycare program, the pre-kindergarten 3 and 4 programs and the summer camp program. Our experience with this center has been nothing but positive.
The ELC is a nurturing, safe, educational and supportive environment that helped my children to thrive and grow.

My children were more than ready to attend kindergarten at the public school thanks to the staff and pre-kindergarten programs at the ELC. They were prepared for the classroom setting, had good socialization skills, knew their alphabet, and the list goes on. The ELC helped to create a solid educational foundation that will benefit my children always. I will always remember the excitement in their voices when they would tell me all about what they learned and the hands on projects they participated in.

The ELC is a second home for my children and it feels like we are leaving our children will family. As a household with two working parents it is extremely important for my husband and I to know how safe and well taken care of our children are when we are not around. Christine and her staff ensure that every child is in good hands. The staff is calm, caring, compassionate, dedicated, creative and loving.

Although my children are now in elementary school they still ask to return to the Early Learning Center every summer. Together we see how the center is growing. We see the faces of new children, the familiar faces of the staff, the new garden learning center and various other educational and fun activities designed for the children.

As a director, Christine has created an optimal environment for all children attending. My children are just 2 examples of the lives she has touched and helped to nurture and educate. Christine and the ELC will always be a part of our family. We will continue to praise and recommend the center. I can only thank them for helping me to raise and teach my son and daughter to be loving, respectful, kind and intelligent people.

Sincerely,
Cheryl Gabettie

It is an honor to serve as a reference for the Early Learning Center (ELC). Our youngest son, Connor, has attended ELC for three years, two years as a preschooler and one year as a remote learner. In all three years, the staff was kind, and the experience was positive.

Preschoolers at ELC are provided with opportunities to develop academic readiness skills and are encouraged to engage in creative play. Thematic units are communicated through monthly newsletters, and parents are provided with comprehensive skill assessments. Classrooms are set up to include areas for creative, manipulative play during the afternoons. When Connor was a preschooler, it was not uncommon to see children running around as Superheroes, building a Lego set or playing hairdresser with their teacher! In addition to the daily routines, Connor enjoyed the field trips, the friendships, the gardening and the animals at ELC. Our family felt a sense of community and enjoyed ELC’s holiday events including Breakfast with Santa and the Trunk or Treat. Connor’s preschool graduation was a very memorable night, and we left teary-eyed but grateful for his two years at ELC.

We had believed that Connor’s preschool graduation marked the end of his time with ELC; however, during the past summer, it became evident that Connor would not be able to return to full-time, in-person first grade. For the better part of the 2020-2021 school year, Connor received supervised remote learning at ELC. The staff consistently ensured that Connor had attended classes and completed all necessary assignments, and flexibility on a monthly basis such that we were able to adjust the amount of time spent at ELC around changes to his school schedule. It is not an exaggeration to say that ELC was a complete godsend during this past year.

Throughout our years at ELC, the staff has been courteous, professional and dedicated. When Connor experienced separation anxiety as a young preschooler, he was calmed by a caring teacher. Connor’s academic progress was carefully tracked by his teachers, and information about strengths and challenges was communicated regularly. During this past unsettling year, we have found the staff at ELC to be a source of comfort, and Connor has particularly enjoyed Mr. Howard!

Half of Connor’s life has been spent at ELC! The early years are particularly formative. We could not have asked for a more ideal school setting for Connor.

Maureen Senzamici

Contact Us Today!

(201) 654-1128
crobinsonelc@gmail.com

Location

737 River Rd.
New Milford, New Jersey

Hours

Monday – Friday
7am – 6pm

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