Highly Qualified & Trained
The quality of the program is due to the quality of the staff. It is vital to attract staff that is experienced and knowledgeable in the field of early childhood.
Each classroom is staffed with a certified full-time teacher. Additional part-time staff float between cohorts to offer additional support or coverage where needed.
Step With Purpose strives to hire educators with the following qualifications:
-
Lead Teachers serving children ages three and up - Must be licensed or be in process with the Department of Public Instruction with a Birth-Kindergarten License
-
Lead Teachers serving children under age 3 – Must have a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field.
-
Teachers - Must have or be in the process of obtaining an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Development or related field.
Each staff person must receive 30 hours of continuing education in child development or special education each year. This requirement is over and above what state licensing regulations require and is crucial in maintaining qualified teachers for the ongoing success of the Step With Purpose program.
.jpeg)
All teachers must have some level of experience with young children and demonstrate a genuine interest in children. All staff members must have an initial physical, TB test, criminal records check, and a reference inquiry before employment begins.
Director & Founder
Mrs. Shannan Ramsay
For 21 years, Mrs. Shannan has been creating safe, loving places where children can grow and families feel at home. She started Step With Purpose in Brooklyn, NY in 2005 with six children and a whole lot of heart. Today, Step With Purpose serves families in Brooklyn, NY and Blackwood, NJ.
Mrs. Shannan holds a bachelor's degree in communication, a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, and New Jersey ESL teacher certification. But ask our families, and they'll tell you what really matters: she treats every child like her own.
"It's a community," she says, and she means it. Here, children feel valued, families feel supported, and teachers feel empowered. Families who started with us years ago come back with their younger children, and children who grew up with us still come back to say hello.
Step With Purpose was built from the heart, and it keeps growing because of the families who walk through our doors.
