Ellie's Academy

Ellie's Academy is a preschool in Somerville, New Jersey. The childcare center serves children from as young as 6 weeks up to 5 years of age, with programs for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, pre-k, and kindergarten students. The academy uses the HighScope curriculum, a research-based approach built on hands-on experiences and active exploration in which children ask questions, make choices, and take responsibility for their own learning. Classrooms maintain low teacher-to-student ratios, with one teacher for every four to six children in the infant and toddler programs and one teacher for every ten to twelve children in the preschool and pre-kindergarten programs. The academy offers part-time and full-time options and partners with state-run programs that provide financial assistance to eligible families. Ellie's Academy was founded by Tirusha Dave, an educator with over 15 years of experience in early childhood education. The school describes itself as a home away from home, and staff work closely with parents to meet each child's individual needs. The academy operates three locations, in Somerville, Monroe Township, and Edison, New Jersey. Ellie's Academy is located at 250 US-202 in Somerville. Families who have enrolled their children describe the teachers and owners as warm, patient, and attentive, and several note that the academy has become a second family to them. Parents highlight the director's involvement, regular updates on their child's progress, family activities throughout the year, and an app the staff update frequently during the day. One family credits the academy with preparing their daughter so well that she confidently embraced new educational challenges after a relocation. Another notes that the staff placed their daughter in the toddler class slightly ahead of the age mark so she could learn from older children, and that she has developed immensely and is thriving.