Promising to make every day both fun and educational, the staff at the Kiddie Academy of Hamilton-Yardville at 621 Route 130 in Hamilton strive to provide the best experience for the children entrusted to their care. With more than 20 years of experience in providing childcare, owner Karyn Jarzyk also owns Kiddie Academy locations in Marlton and Runnemede in southern New Jersey.
The new facility, open since April, is spacious, very bright, and has patches of color everywhere to stimulate young minds. Several classrooms are available, each themed to different ages of children. The classrooms are filled with all new equipment and learning aids, ready to challenge the imagination of children. A secure, fenced outside playground is just the right size for the older children and looks inviting in its primary colors of red, blue, and yellow on green base.
Serving families with children from six weeks to 12 years old, Kiddie Academy offers full-time care, before and after school programs, as well as summer camp experiences.
The parent of three children—Larkin, Blaise, and Tierney—Jarzyk clearly enjoys her profession.
“I love working with children and being an integral part of their most important years,” she said. “It is amazing to watch children utilize the skills they have learned at my Academy.”
Kim Maldonado is the director of the new facility, bringing 14 years of experience in childcare. Prior to joining the Kiddie Academy family, she owned a childcare business for five years.
“Every child has special gifts to offer the world and my work allows me to help bring those gifts to light,” Maldonado said. “I am dedicated to delivering the highest quality childcare possible here at Kiddie Academy by providing a positive learning environment for every child that enters our center.”
Stressing the importance of education as a key part of child care, Maldonado says, “As an educator, I look forward to working closely with families and teachers in providing the most successful learning experience for all of our young learners throughout this educational journey. Together we can make this an effective learning community for all of our children.”
Kori Wilson, education coordinator at Kiddie Academy of Hamilton-Yardville, has spent more than over 25 years working in early childhood education and has more than 14 years of experience with Kiddie Academy. Her son is a graduate of Kiddie Academy.
Wilson’s wide-ranging experiences include being a teacher, director, trainer, consultant, and curriculum developer. Her first-hand experience in the classroom allows her to relate to teachers and support them with curriculum implementation and classroom management.
Elise Fritzinger cares for the children in the infant program. Educated at Richard Stockton College, she has been babysitting since she was ten, spent eight years as a camp counselor and has years of experience in teaching Sunday School. “I love how children love to learn and I enjoy coming up with fun ways to help them learn,” Fritzinger says. “I get super excited when a young child achieves a new skill, such as walking, talking, or using American Sign Language. I love the unconditional love children have for people and how they can lighten up my day just by smiling or laughing.”
Lead preschool teacher Shakira Jones is new to Kiddie Academy. Trained at William Patterson University in early childhood education and special education, she knows what children need.
“As an educator, it is my responsibility to make sure that children are learning to their full potential,” she said. The best way to ensure that is to provide an environment that is creative, safe, and of course, educational. It’s necessary to build a relationship with your students by finding their interests and incorporating into the curriculum.”
Jarzyk speaks with pride when she says she has developed family relationships with parents and children at her other locations. Speaking of the Runnemede location, Jarzyk says “Most of the children start with me in the infant and toddler rooms, stay until they graduate and then come back for summer camp. I have many families who come back when they have another child or refer their family members to send their children to my program. We become very close to the families and absolutely keep in touch after they graduate.”
Looking to the future of her newest location, Jarzyk smiled as she said, “Kiddie Academy of Hamilton-Yardville is where community begins. At the end of every day, I know I have made a difference to the children I care for.”
Kiddie Academy of Hamilton-Yardville is located at 621 Route 130 North, in Buckley Plaza. Phone: (609) 438-7040.
Karen Jarzyk (right), owner of Kiddie Academy of Hamilton-Yardville, plays with student Arianna Serrano. (Photo by Frank Comstock.),
