About Park Street Academy

Park Street Academy preschool in Montclair, New Jersey, has been a fixture in the community since we opened our doors in 1996. Our student population and staff are as diverse as the surrounding community and we pride ourselves on recognizing the importance of celebrating both our similarities and our differences.

At Park Street Academy, we believe that each child is a special individual with different abilities and strengths. Our students come to school eager to learn and integrate new information into their everyday lives. We help our children to become responsible and caring by helping them understand risks and opportunities, to see beyond themselves, and to appreciate the concerns of others. To understand more about our approach to early childhood education, visit Learning the PSA Way.

Why Choose Us

Park Street Academy families quickly learn that they are a part of a community that is welcoming, nurturing and sincerely concerned about them. This can be seen in the loving way we interact with our students, the pride we take in our facility and the families that continue to be a part of Park Street Academy long after their children graduate from our program.

A Day at PSA begins in Cubby Cove, where you and your child will meet friends and store belongings. From here, it’s quick good-byes as children are greeted and welcomed into their home-base classroom.The school day starts with “Circle Time,” a time to discuss matters of importance, share thoughts and plan the day. Daily Circle Time activities include the alphabet, phonemic awareness, numbers, shapes, calendar and weather. Song and movement are used to express and reinforce these concepts. Pre-K and Kindergarten classes may incorporate higher level skill building in reading, math, current events and geography.

Following Circle Time, classes will rotate throughout the school to our theme-based classrooms. Students may have a science lesson in Newton’s Orchard, or create an artistic masterpiece in Picasso’s PlaceImagination Station, our dramatic play area, provides an opportunity to role-play grown-up jobs as well as explore the world through the art of pretend. Learning Lab is the perfect place for cutting, drawing, puzzles and other manipulative that help to develop fine motor skills. Music and dance classes take place in Beat Street, which is also home to our computer lab. Our balanced program provides ample time for free play and physical activity in our spacious, fenced-in play yard, or in our full-sized gymnasium! Our multi-purpose playroom, Jellystone Park, provides space for special presentations and gatherings. The children sit down together to eat snacks and lunch and to socialize, while our full-day students will also have time for rest or nap. Our exciting afternoon program is filled with structured enrichment activities, organized games, free play and story time.

Meet Our Staff

Sandy Weber

Business Director

Sandy joined PSA in 2000 after years in the fields of women’s...

Lisa Raphael

Director

Lisa is the Owner and Director of Park Street Academy and is...

Brianne Gerne

Professional Development Coordinator

Brianne joined our Freshman team in 2001 after attending Montclair State University...