Basking Ridge Christian Preschool Has New Director, Programs

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The Gentle Shepherd Christian Preschool , who has been serving the Somerset Hills Community for the past 27 years, is offering new programs and a new director to help meet local families' needs.

The preschool which is part of the Somerset Hills Lutheran Church is located in Basking Ridge off Mt. Airy Road.

They offer a traditional preschool program that includes extended hours to meet the needs of area families and boast small class sizes in order to give children and families more individualized attention. The school uses the Creative Curriculum which is a research-based preschool curriculum recognized by The State of New Jersey.

Programs offered include Infants, Early Preschool, 3 Year Old, and 4 Year Old including Kindergarten Readiness.

"We are unique in that we accept infants through 6-year-olds with longer hours (6:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.). We are very much a small Christian preschool program, not a corporate daycare," said Krissy Hosler, new director at the program. "We have small classes with low teacher turnover. Our fastest growing programs are our Early Preschool (for 24 months through 36 months) and our Infant (6 weeks through 24 months) Program. Program options are flexible with two, three, four or five day options and full or half day options."

Basking Ridge native Hosler has a masters degree in Elementary Education from Hofstra University, is a Certified Elementary School Teacher in New York and New Jersey, and was a former New Jersey public school kindergarten teacher.

"I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with such an inclusive and cohesive group of teachers and families every day. An added bonus is that I get to serve my local community at the same time as I have been a Basking Ridge resident for the past 15 years," Hosler said. "I'm an active member at Somerset Hills Lutheran Church and two of my three children attended Gentle Shepherd Christian Preschool. I have been offered a unique opportunity to work as Director having also been a GSCP parent. That experience has helped me appreciate the needs of parents and children in a more personal way."

The Infant Programs are for children 6 weeks through 24 months old which is divided into two classrooms for mobile and non-mobile children. The infant classrooms will never have more than eight children at a time.

The Early Preschool Program is for children between the approximate ages of 24 months to 36 months. This programs consists of early hours followed by a traditional preschool program taught by the same teacher Monday through Friday. They also have three assistant teachers that work in this program on different days. The afternoons consist of lunch, rest, outside time, art and music activities. This program will not accept more than 15 children per day.

Additionally:

• GSCP offers discounted tuition to Bernards Township Teachers.
• No fee for enrichment classes
• Spaces open in our infant program.
• Sibling Discounts
• Bernards Township Educator discounts.
• Low turnover of teachers. Many have been with there for 10 to 15 years.

For registration, a tour, or more information contact Director Krissy Hosler at gscp@shlc.net or visit gentleshepherd.net.

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