LBates@vanriperschool.org

Lisa Bates has been with VRECS since 2007.  She earned her BA in Early Childhood Education from William Paterson University.  She has been working with young children for over 20 years.  Lisa thinks that incorporating Christian values is an important and enjoyable part of education here at VRECS.  Seeing children grow and learn how to read gives her great joy.  She is very involved in her church, having taught Sunday School and running Bible Club for many years.  She is currently teaching in one of our Pre-K4 classrooms.

SAnkrah@vanriperschool.org

Sandra Ankrah has been teaching for over 15 years and absolutely loves all the exploring, learning and fun we get to have in the classroom.  She was born in Ghana and raised in Canada.  She received her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Seneca College in Toronto, Canada.  She is married and has two fantastic daughters. Sandra enjoys cooking, singing, dancing, listening to music, relaxing at the beach, teaching Sunday school at her church and spending time with her family and friends.

MMarsico@vanriperschool.org

Megan has a degree in Education and over 15 years of experience supporting young learners in preschool and early elementary settings.  She is skilled in fostering a nurturing, inclusive classroom environment, implementing developmentally appropriate activities, and collaborating with teachers, families and other support staff to promote student success.  Megan is committed to helping children build strong foundations for lifelong learning.  

Megan has always had a passion for shaping young minds and brings creativity, patience, and a lot of heart to her classroom each day. She loves creating a fun, nurturing environment where children feel excited to learn, explore, and be themselves. Megan also coaches high school volleyball, encouraging her players to grow both on and off the court. Outside of school, she enjoys life with her loving husband and their beautiful son.  

BBKnapp@vanriperschool.org

Blaise Barrientos-Knapp graduated with a BA from the University of Hartford. She left the office world to spend more time with her family and first joined VRECS as a lunch assistant. Soon, she discovered her fondness for being in a preschool environment and has been a Teacher’s Associate in Pre-K4 and TK classes. She has since graduated to teaching Pre-K3! Ms. Blaise enjoys communicating with children and getting to their level as she delights in the way children see the world; full of wonder and amazement and aims to bring that same excitement into her classroom. She is passionate about encouraging kindness, individuality, and inquisitiveness in children. Ms. Blaise lives in Fair Lawn with her husband and two daughters.

“To every child – I dream of a world where you can laugh, dance, sing, learn, live in peace and be happy.”

Malala Yousafzai

     Jomary's journey as an educator is rooted in both passion and purpose. She is married to her best friend, blessed with three handsome sons, four amazing grandchildren, and one sweet mini poodle named Teddy who keeps them smiling. Jomary loves Jesus and finds joy in sharing her faith through kindness, encouragement, and how she care for others.

     Working with children has always been a calling on her heart. Their joy, honesty, and boundless curiosity inspire her every single day. They remind her of life’s simple blessings and the beauty of seeing the world through fresh eyes. For Jomary, teaching is more than a career—it’s a way to touch lives, plant seeds of confidence and compassion, and help each child discover the incredible potential God has placed within them.

     Every day in the classroom is a new opportunity to create a safe, loving, and inspiring place where children know they are valued. That is a privilege She never takes for granted.

Dannielle Campbell has lived in the Fair Lawn community for over 20 years . She is married with 3 wonderful children. Dannielle has been an active part in the school community over the years interacting with the children of Fair Lawn through coaching , being a lunch aide,  Girl Scouts,  PCA parent rep for boys lacrosse at FLHS and donating many hours to the functions held by her children's schools .  She looks forward to joining the Van Riper Ellis family for the 24-25 school year.

Kristie Denny joined the staff for the Teacher's Associate.  She grew up in Fair Lawn, graduated from Fair Lawn High School and married her High School sweetheart. They have 2 amazing kids, a boy and a girl, who are both attending FLHS this year. Kristie absolutely loves the kids, they make her laugh, and she can't wait to help teach them and watch them grow!  

Dineen Rudd has lived in Fair Lawn for over thirty years and is married with one daughter. She has always been involved with school as a class parent or PTO Function.  Dineen loves seeing the smiles and joy that each child has when they learn something new. She enjoys cooking for all of her loved ones as well as taking trips to the Beach. 

Teacher's Associate

Kathryn Lepore graduated from William Patterson with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.  Kathryn is married with two daughters who attend FLHS.  She has been a stay-at-home mom for the last 16 years.  Kathryn is grateful for the time she was able to spend with her girls watching them grow and she is now excited for the chance to be able to watch the students at VRECS grow.

Erin Perrotta is a Fair Lawn resident and has been a stay at home mom to two sons for the past 16 years. She enjoys baking, going to concerts, arts & crafts and spending time with her family.  

Rachel Alicea has experience working with children ages 4-10 as a paraprofessional.    

Rachel loves working with children because of their innocence. She believes early education is the most crucial for major learning skills, and truly finds it rewarding watching children succeed. 

Rachel enjoys dancing.  She was a dance teacher for many years, and believes movement creates happiness.

Sunitha Joseph joined our team as a Subsitute and now is an Associate.  She brings experience as a mom as well as working with children at her church.

Ana Inigo-Metcalfe joined our team as a Substitute and now is an Assistant.  She has her BA in Sociology and Psychology and her Masters in HR.  Annie has 2 kids at FLHS and spends time volunteering with the high school marching arts programs.  She loves arts and crafts and spends her spare time knitting, crocheting and reading!  After over 15 years of corporate life, she finds working with kids to be  a refreshing change.  Annie loves seeing their daily excitement about life and hearing them talk to each other and to the teachers. They are always good for an interesting story and lots of laughs!

Whitney Howell joined VRECS in 2021.  She brings experience as a Teacher's Assistant where her coworkers described her as "reliable, trustworthy and good with children."

Jeanne Kalver joined our staff as an After Care Instructor.  She has worked with us as Substitute, Lunch Aide and a Teacher's Associate.  She has been working with our Before Care children since September 2020.  She has over 15 years of experience working with children.  She has worked as a Special Education Preschool Aide, a Lunch Aide and an After Care Aide. She loves helping children to learn and grow.

Lisa Desiervo joined our staff in 2023.  She is a devoted mother and grandmother who brings experience and enthusiasm to our program.  

Selene Jimenez-Maldonado 

Ariana Esteves is a strong, independent high school graduate who has experience with children through babysitting.  She grew up loving dance and watching others dance.  Dance is her happiness and her peace, especially Portuguese cultural dancing.  Ariana enjoys traveling and has recently gone on a motorcycle trip with her uncle to Tennessee.  She loves working with children because she finds them adorable, they make her happy and she enjoys giving them attention.  

Megan Milchman has been a nurse for over 14 yrs. She has lived in Fair lawn for 18. She has four children. On top of being a nurse, she has a degree in psychology. She's a big Disney fan and has traveled a lot for her daughter's cheer competitions.  She comes in to make sure that our student’s medical records are up to date. 

Danica Ivanoski 

Sung An

VRECS Sponsor