The Learning Center | Childcare | Programs & Activities | Lakeland Hills Family YMCA

Our Staff

The The Lakeland Hills Family YMCA Preschool & Pre-K teachers are responsible for all planning and programming for the individual needs of their class.

Our Head Teachers are responsible for all planning and programming for the individual needs of their class. Our teachers possess various certifications including: Elementary Education, Group Teacher, P-3, and Child Development Associate. All Head Teachers are CPR, First Aid, and AED certified.

For our Full Day Program, after a full day of learning, the staff transitions the children to our enthusiastic PM Aides who provide the children with a unique “camp” format for the 3-6pm time. Our Aides are high school students and college students pursuing an early childhood experience for their degrees.

April Ryder | Staff | Lakeland Hills Family YMCA

April Ryder (Director)

Miss April graduated from East Stroudsburg University with a degree in Elementary Education and a concentration in Special Education. She has over 20 years experience working with children from birth through elementary school. April has been at LHYMCA since 2007. She started as the Half Day Preschool Teacher and worked the summers as a head counselor in the half day camp. She then took on a new role as the Assistant Childcare Director and in August of 2011, she was promoted to the director role. She is dedicated to making the experiences of children who are in her care fun, happy and safe!

Miss Brinley

Miss Brinley has been working here at the Y for 10 years. She started off working afternoons in the PS1 classroom and has since worked her way from afternoon aid to assistant teacher and is now the head teacher in the full day Pre-K classroom. Miss Brinley is dedicated to making each one of the children in the center smile and is all about making sure each child loves coming to school!

Miss Sue

Miss Sue has worked at the YMCA for 15 years teaching 3 -4 year old children. She finds it very rewarding to see children learn and enjoy their preschool experience. She has a Group Teacher Certificate from County College of Morris.

Miss Taylor

Miss Taylor graduated from Coastal Carolina University with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Taylor has been at the LHYMCA since 2012. She started as a kids club staff and quickly became a site director. During the summers she was a head counselor for school age camp. She took a new role as a head teacher in childcare in 2017. Taylor is very dedicated in preparing the children to be successful while having fun.

Miss Melissa

Miss Melissa graduated from William Paterson University with a degree in Early Elementary Education. She has over 20 years of experience teaching Pre-School through Kindergarten. Melissa has worked as a Half Day Summer Camp Head Counselor and taught Pre-School and Pre-K here at the LHYMCA for over 15 years. She loves to bring the joy of learning through songs, play, and crafts to all of her students.

Miss Dana

Miss Dana has over 25 years working experience across the banking and teaching sectors. She started her career in Hannover, Germany with an International Bank leading credit risk analysis for top accounts, Nordic and Middle Eastern markets. Miss Dana transitioned into teaching in 2013, starting in the UK as a Teaching Assistant for pre-school children. She then moved to an ‘outstanding’-graded elementary school near Oxford, spending four years teaching all ages up to Grade 5. During this time she supported general curriculum and intensively trained on Special Education needs. Miss Dana moved to Mountain Lakes in 2018 and joined LHYMCA in 2019. Miss Dana holds a Bachelors Degree in Finance & Management and has four children.

Miss Nicole

Miss Nicole is currently attending William Paterson University pursuing a double major in sociology and early childhood education with a teacher of student disabilities endorsement. Ever since she was young, she has had a passion for becoming a teacher. She has been at the Y for three years now starting off as an assistant in the PreK full day class and working her way up to having her own class over the summer. She is thrilled to now be a head teacher during the school year and looks forward every day to be able to incorporate safety, learning, and fun with your children!