Essex County Woman Opening Education Center In South Orange

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — A longtime education researcher who hails from a family of teachers will open a Best In Class center in South Orange on Saturday. And there’s more to come in Essex County, she says.

According to Alissa Gardenhire, the Feb. 3 opening of the Best In Class education center in South Orange at 71 Valley Street is just the beginning; she plans to open centers in Newark, the Oranges and other “prime locations” in the area.

The South Orange facility will be Best in Class' third location in the state of New Jersey, the company stated. Learn more about the South Orange location here.

A Feb. 3 grand opening event at the South Orange center will include:

• Waived registration fee
• Free assessment tests
• Two free lessons
• Raffle prizes

According to a news release from Best In Class, Gardenhire – an Essex County resident – has education in her blood.

“Coming from a family of teachers, Dr. Alissa Gardenhire has always had a passion for education. Originally from California, she moved east to attend Harvard University where she taught and earned a Doctorate in Urban Planning in 2000. For the past 15 years, Gardenhire worked in New York City as an education policy researcher, studying both K-12 and post-secondary educational programs. As if that didn’t keep her busy enough, Gardenhire’s entrepreneurial spirit led her to many side businesses over the years, from becoming a certified life coach to running a school dance business with her sixth-grade son.”

Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photo: Alissa Gardenhire

Don’t forget to visit the Patch South Orange Facebook page here.