Nurturing curiosity and wonder for more than 40 years.
“Enrichment beyond the classroom”
Call us: 973-744-6521
Email us: info@mmoprograms.org
Open Monday through Friday 7:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Christina Serra
Bumblebees Lead Teacher
My name is Christina Serra, and I am excited to be your child's teacher this year!
I have been working at MMO Programs since October 2004 and have been teaching the Bumblebee program since September 2012. I have also assisted in every age at MMO and spent a year interning in a second-grade classroom at Oak View Elementary School.
I have earned my Child Development Specialist Apprenticeship and my Child Development Associate Certification in 2017. My goal each school year is to help my students grow emotionally as well as developmentally. I believe every child has a voice and are important members of our classroom family.
Outside of work, I enjoy being with my family, and spoiling my two dogs. I love the NY Giants and NJ Devils, and especially Bruce Springsteen. In my spare time, I enjoy reading a good book and spending as much time down the shore as possible.
Take a peek inside our Bumblebees classroom
Themes
Throughout the year, we will focus on a variety of developmental milestones. tailored to our age group. Our goal is to support growth not only physically but also in areas such as vocabulary expansion, peer socialization, and self-awareness.
Through play-based, hands-on discovery, children will engage with our classroom centers, which include a dramatic play area, blocks and vehicles, tactile exploration, and a reading library.
With the guidance of our dedicated and knowledgeable staff, along with a low adult-to-child ratio of 1:5, we will foster children's growth across all developmental domains. Additionally, we will explore a range of themes, which will enhance our learning experiences throughout the year. Those themes may include:
Shapes & Colors
Fire Safety
Healthy Teeth
Apples
Seasons
Feelings
Holidays
Dinosaurs
Pumpkins
All About Me
Insects
Nocturnal Animals
Penguins
Families
Shadows
Important Reminders
Each day, your child should come to school with a backpack, AM and PM snacks, a lunch inside a lunchbox, and a water bottle (filled at home).
These items need to be CLEARLY LABELED with your child's name.
If your child is not feeling well, please keep them home. This helps them to heal faster, but also keeps their peers and teachers healthy. Be sure to send me a message on brightwheel if you know your child will not be attending school.
If your child is sent home from school due to illness, they MAY NOT RETURN THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL DAY. For example, if they are sent home on a Monday, the earliest they may return is Wednesday (as long as they are symptom free for 24 hours without the aid of medication).
If your child is newly potty trained, please speak to me first before sending to school in underwear. More information on our school's toileting policies can be found in your family handbook. Please note, if your child has 2 accidents in a single day, they will be put into a pullup for the remainder of the day.
A small stuffed animal or lovey is okay to bring for rest time. Please no electronic or fragile items. We are not responsible for broken or lost items.
Celebrations
Throughout the year, we take great pleasure in celebrating various events as a community. We invite you to join us for our annual Fall Festival, Thanksgiving Feast, classroom holiday parties, Special Person's Day, and end-of-year celebrations.
Your participation in these events enriches our community and fosters a sense of connection among families and staff.
If you would like to celebrate your child's birthday in class, please feel free to contact me via brightwheel or email. Some families choose to send in individual goody bags for students to take home or provide a treat to share during morning snack. We have also enjoyed pizza party celebrations during lunchtime.
Additionally, if parents, grandparents, or other special adults would like to visit the class to read a story in honor of your child, we can certainly arrange that as well. Thank you for your participation in making these celebrations special!
Daily Schedule
Please note, while we do our best to follow the same structure every day, our scheduled times may vary as necessary to the children's needs.
We will have Music with Miss Deirdre in the afternoon. Please contact the office for more information.
9:00 Free Choice/Centers
9:20 Potties
9:45 Clean Tables
9:50 Morning Meeting
10:00 Snack, diapers, potties, centers
10:45 Clean up
10:55 Circle time
11:05 Potties
11:10 Playground
12:00 Lunch, diapers, potties
12:30 Rest time begins
2:30 Rest time ends
2:35 Snack, diapers, potties
3:00 Afternoon activities
5:00 Dinner