Our devoted staff of professionals are expertly trained and highly experienced in Early Childhood Development. Staff members regularly attend classes, workshops and training courses, plus they enhance their knowledge through visits to area private and public schools. All staff members maintain current Pediatric First Aid and Infant/Child CPR certifications. All staff are certified to administer medications. Parents have opportunities to interact with the staff during drop-off and pick-up, special events, and during conferences.
Our goal as a staff is to ensure that your child is loved and nurtured. In every child, we strive to instill a love of learning, to increase confidence and to foster a sense of belonging.
Janelle DiLorenzo – Director – PresbyKids.director@gmail.com
MA, Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment, Walden University
BA, Child Studies with a Psychology Minor, St. Joseph’s College
AA, Early Childhood Education, CUNY Kingsborough College
Upon graduation, Janelle began working as a middle school teacher in the Bronx while working on her Masters degree which she received a month before having her first child. Janelle left teaching to focus on raising her three children. Janelle feels blessed to have been able to have that time with her babies. As her youngest prepared to enter kindergarten, Janelle joined Presbyterian Nursery School as administrative assistant, which is a position she enjoyed immensely. Recently, she has been established as the Director of Presby Kids. Janelle is very active in the Fairfield scouting community, leading Girl Scout Troop 33405 and Cub Scout Pack 95. In her spare time, Janelle enjoys meditation, listening to podcasts, and organizing.
Lisa Bond – Head Teacher, 3s PresbyKids3@gmail.com
Lisa is excited to be joining Presby Kids as teaching and partnering with families is not just her profession, but her passion. She just loves what she does! She taught preschool before starting her own family, ran a successful in-home childcare program while her children were young, and has been teaching preschool again for the past twenty-three years. She holds her Early Childhood Certificate from Housatonic Community College, a BA from Fairfield University, and is almost finished with her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Champlain College. She and her wonderful husband of 35 years have lived and raised their 3 incredible children in Fairfield, CT. Lisa loves to read, walk, craft, and recently, she and her husband started taking ballroom dance lessons together.
Jennifer Caruso – Administrative Assistant, Tiny Tots – PresbyKids@gmail.com
BS, Finance, University of Connecticut
After graduating from UConn, Jennifer held several jobs in accounting, treasury and cash management and lived in Atlanta, GA, and New York City. Upon getting married and settling in Fairfield, CT, she decided to leave the corporate world to devote her time to her family, including her two boys, Christopher, and Michael. Christopher is a Presby alumni and Michael is currently in the 4s class at Presby. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys cooking and baking, as well as exercising to stay healthy and running local road races. She is also the treasurer for Cub Scout Pack 95. Jennifer loves being a part of Presby’s caring, and nurturing community.
Jennifer Fogarty- Assistant Teacher, 5s
BS, Health Arts, University of St. Francis
MRI Certification, University of Pennsylvania
Jennifer managed the Department of Radiology and worked as a MRI technologist for 17 years before deciding to stay home with her first child. She feels blessed to have had time home raising her child. Now that her daughter is in elementary school, Jennifer is excited to share her passion for teaching and give back to the community. Jennifer volunteers much of her time to the Stratfield community and to Stratfield Elementary School and is a leader for Brownie Troop 32213. Jennifer’s positive energy was an asset to our Presby Family as a mom, and now we appreciate having her on staff as a teacher.
Amy Gold – Head Teacher, 5s – presbykids5@gmail.com
MPS in Elementary and Special Education, Manhattanville College
BA in Sociology, Manhattanville College
After graduating Manhattanville College, Amy married her high school sweetheart and began a career as a Special Education teacher in the Mamaroneck Public Schools for over ten years. She worked in a pre-kindergarten setting and helped create the district’s first inclusive classroom experience that accepted and encouraged children of all abilities. After the birth of her second daughter, she decided to move back to Fairfield and take time to raise her family. The call of the classroom, working with young children and their families pulled her back in where she has worked in local preschools with children ages 2 to 5. Amy is thrilled to be a part of the Presby Kids team and looks forward to bringing her understanding of children and her willingness to support young families. While not in the dress up corner of a classroom, Amy enjoys spending time with her two daughters, husband, and snuggly dog. She is also quite fond of time spent behind a lens and takes great pride in her ability to capture unique moments with her beloved camera.
Mika Kerkenides- Head Teacher, 4’s – PresbyKids4@gmail.com
PhD in Health and Behavior Studies from Teachers College, Columbia University
MPhil in Health and Behavior Studies from Teachers College, Columbia University
MA in Health and Behavior Studies from Teachers College, Columbia University
BS in Special Education from University of Saint Joseph
While working on her masters and doctorate degrees, Mika began her teaching career in Applied Behavior Analysis. She worked in a variety of settings, including preschool, as both a special education teacher and elementary school teacher. While pregnant with her oldest child, she decided to move to Fairfield and take time off from teaching to raise her three children. Mika is an active volunteer in the North Stratfield elementary school and is a troop leader for Brownie Troop 30135. Teaching is a passion that has called Mika ever since she was a small child and she is thrilled to further explore that passion as part of the team at Presby Kids.
Angela Leto, Head Teacher, 3-Day 2s – PresbyKids2@gmail.com
M.A. Teaching and Special Education, Pace University. B.A. Anthropology and Sociology, St. Michael’s College
Angela taught special education in Manhattan and Brooklyn for several years before her first son was born. She has been a dedicated mom since, staying very involved as a room parent and volunteer at Stratfield Elementary school. Both her boys went to Presby and she found herself wanting to be where she knew her boys were so happy. She has been an employee for Presby kids for the past couple of years and is looking forward to what the next year brings!
Laura Loschiavo, Assistant Teacher, 3-Day 2s
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, University Of Vermont
After graduating from UVM, Laura moved to Boston and worked in Finance. After her husband was offered relocation to NYC, they decided to move to Fairfield with their first daughter, Alexandra. It was then Laura decided to become a full-time mom, and their second daughter, Adriana arrived a year later. Both girls attended Presby and they thoroughly enjoyed being a Presby family for five years. When the girls moved to Stratfield School, Laura chose to volunteer as room mom, and for other school activities. Their 3rd daughter, Lila, arrived in 2019, and the Loschiavo family was excited to rejoin Presby when she entered the 3’s class in 2022. Laura is so excited to be working at Presby as the assistant in the 3-Day 2s room. Presby has always been a special place for her family.
Meghan H. Ryan, MSEd – Head Teacher 2-Day 2s, Tiny Tots – PresbyKidsTT@gmail.com
Meghan is a Special Education Teacher with experience in Manhattan, Westchester County, and Connecticut. She graduated from Bank Street College of Education with a Dual Masters in General and Special Education in 2007. Since then, she has worked in schools as a Head Teacher and in various classrooms as Special Education Itinerant Support for children diagnosed with speech, social, emotional, and developmental delays.
In 2019, Meghan left the classroom to work as a Developmental Therapist for Birth-to-Three while also tutoring in the areas of literacy and math. In 2020, she completed 40 hours of Deep Play For Kids Training. Since then, she has been running Deep Play for Kids classes in schools, during after-school programs, and during summer camps around Fairfield County. Each DPK class includes breathwork, mindfulness, movement, yoga, rest and connecting through play.
Meghan loves spending time in nature, running, biking, reading, being a Mom, working with children, and continuing to play. She truly believes you’re never too old to learn new things and you’re never ever too old to play.
Marilyn Saad – Assistant Teacher, 3s & 4s
30+ years experience in Early Childhood Education
Marilyn joined the Presby Kids family in 1993. She has taught 3’s, 4’s, Lunch Bunch, Pre-K and the Summer Program. You’re likely to find one of Marilyn’s graduates at any school throughout the town of Fairfield! Teaching and nurturing children is one of her passions and she feels fortunate to do it here at Presby. Marilyn has been a Fairfield resident for most of her life. In her spare time, she enjoys walking, gardening, cooking and time at the beach. Marilyn also teaches at the ECC summer camp and the North Stratfield Elementary School after-school program. Marilyn prides herself on creating a happy and safe learning environment based on patience, love and understanding.
Debbie Venech – Assistant Teacher, 5s
MS, Public Relations, Syracuse University
BS, English and Psychology, Sacred Heart University
Debbie joins Presby Kids with a 20-year career in marketing communications. While she still freelances, she is excited to augment her professional experience by working within her local community and attending to the needs of the Presby Family. Debbie is a certified children’s mindfulness and yoga instructor and feels very fortunate to have found a role in such a warm, nurturing environment, and one in which she holds nothing but fond memories from when her own children were students.