Director
Hope Anderson (director) is beginning her twenty-first year as director of our school and her thirty-seventh year on the staff at PPNS. She received her bachelor’s degree in English literature from Rutgers College and earned her preschool through eighth grade teaching certificate through the Graduate Teacher Certification program at Rider University. Prior to entering the teaching profession, Hope held management positions in the systems division of an international container leasing company. Hope began her career here as an assistant two-year-old teacher and has worked with all ages, including three-year-old classes between 1992 and 2005. Hope resides in Hopewell Township. Her daughter Caroline, her husband Charles and their two children live in Washington DC. Son David and wife Li reside in Lacey, WA, with their son and daughter. Hope is a member of Pennington Presbyterian Church, where she serves as an elder and is involved in ongoing clean water projects in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. In her spare time, Hope enjoys reading, traveling, gardening, and relaxing with her family.
“I am blessed to be able to spend my days with the wonderful students, families, and teachers of PPNS. There are no greater joys than seeing the world through the eyes and minds of children and fostering an environment where each individual is loved and valued for their special and unique personality.”
Music Teacher
Norah Wasden (music teacher) is beginning her fifth year on the staff of PPNS as the Music Teacher. Norah has a Master of Arts in Teaching from Georgetown University. This is her seventh year as the Early Childhood Music Teacher at Princeton Montessori School. She also teaches for the organization Music Together in the area. Norah has three boys who all attended PPNS, so she is thrilled to be part of the wonderful PPNS community. Besides enjoying teaching and time with her family, Norah also sings with Princeton Pro Musica, enjoys working with her church community, and loves traveling and the Bent Spoon.
Two-Year-Old Teachers
Kristin Fechter is the lead teacher of our two-year-old classes. This is Kristin’s ninth year as a staff member at PPNS, and she has been a school parent since 2010. Kristin holds the Child Development Associates credential through the Council for Professional Recognition and earned her Bachelor of Arts from Rider University. Kristin and her husband are the parents of Frankie, who is a graduate of PPNS and a senior in high school, and John who is entering seventh grade at Timberlane Middle School. Kristin loves swimming, hiking, and enjoying life with her family.
“I love working with the children at PPNS because they inspire me every day! I love watching them discover new things and use that knowledge to be extraordinarily creative!”
Bethany Hopta is beginning her third year on the PPNS staff as the Tuesday/Thursday/Friday assistant teacher in the two-year-old class. A native of West Virginia, Bethany attended West Virginia Wesleyan College and earned a master’s degree in physical therapy from West Virginia University. She and her husband, Karsten Hilpert, are the parents of twin daughters, Jocelyn and Nicole, 2023 graduates of PPNS. The girls attend second grade at Johnson Park School in Princeton. In addition to spending time with her family, Bethany enjoys reading, practicing yoga, and attending cultural events and performances.
Maggie Schwirck is in her fourth year assisting Kristin Fechter in the Monday/Wednesday two-year-old class. Maggie earned her bachelor’s degree from Boston University, majoring in Biology. She holds two master’s degrees, one in science instruction at the secondary level, and the other in teaching students with learning disabilities. Maggie taught biology for 11 years before taking parental leave. She and her husband live in Pennington with their son and daughter who attend Toll Gate. During her free time, she enjoys time with family, gardening, and getting to the beach.
Three-Year-Old Teachers
Lori D’Avanzo is beginning her 17th year on the staff of PPNS. She has been the head teacher for our three-year-old class since September 2015, before which she served as an assistant teacher with all age groups. Lori holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and American Studies from Rider University. She is married to Mike, and they reside in Hopewell Township. Their son Andrew, 26, is a global sales manager, daughter Amy, 25, is a nurse in New York City, and son Alex, 20, is a senior at Rutgers University. Lori enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and playing with her dog Ellie.
“I believe that PPNS is a wonderful place for children to begin their education both academically and emotionally. We are a great team with incredible passion for each child. I feel very proud to be part of such a great group of teachers.”
Priyashree Chandrababu is beginning her third year as the three-year-old class assistant teacher. Priya holds a master’s degree in business administration and served as a frequent classroom assistant / substitute in our classes prior to March 2020 when her younger son was enrolled in our five-day Pre-K class. Priya lives in Hopewell Township with her husband and two sons. In her spare time, Priya likes to garden and go for long drives with her family. She enjoys working with our three-year-olds!
Pre-Kindergarten Teachers
Kate Andrew is the lead teacher of the three/four morning Pre-Kindergarten class. Kate is beginning her 15th year on the staff of PPNS, but she is no stranger to our school because all three of her children are graduates of our program. Kate earned her BA in Early Childhood Education from Hood College and previously taught preschool for two years. She lives in Lawrence Township with her husband Mark. Daughter Hailey, 28, is an ESL teacher at Slackwood Elementary School, Tyler, 245is an audit associate for Grant Thornton, and Ava, 20, is a junior at Rutgers University. Rounding out the Andrew Family is their dog, Oliver. In her spare time, Kate likes to read, play tennis, travel, and spend time with her family.
“Why PPNS? From the first moment, when I walked into PPNS with my first child, I knew it was a special place, a loving place, a place for her to grow and explore. Fast forward and I’ve spent over ten years 19 years as a teacher at PPNS.. In those years, all three of my children have attended PPNS, each of them learning, growing, and exploring the world around them. As a teacher, those are the building blocks I use each day in my classroom, knowing with the right amount of encouragement, support and caring, our students can start their journeys into the world confident and excited learners.”
Alisia Hernandez is beginning her first year as an assistant teacher. She was a dedicated substitute for the 2024-2025 school year and is happily looking forward to officially assisting the three/four morning Pre-Kindergarten class this year. She has a bachelor’s degree in business management at the University of South Florida with Cum Laude Honors. Currently, Alisia is a mother of two energetic boys, Levi and Adam. She enjoys going on easy hikes with her husband and boys as well as reading daily on her kindle.
Laure Radice Law is the lead teacher of our Monday-Friday Pre-K class and beginning her 28th year on the staff of PPNS. Prior to 2020, Laure taught our two-year-old classes. She also serves as the head teacher for the school. Laure graduated from The College of New Jersey with a degree in Early Childhood Education and English. Laure resides in Columbus, NJ with her husband Mike, and their two children. Her son Michael works and attends Rowan University and daughter Emma is a consultant at Sephora. Laure’s free time, she enjoys going to the beach, reading, and spending time with her family.
“There is a sense of community at PPNS that has kept me teaching here so long (25 years!). We care about the children and the teachers with whom we work.”
Fawn Halko is in her third year on the staff of PPNS and assists Laure Law. She is the mother of four children, age 9 through 21, three of whom attended our school when they were young. Fawn has years of experience working with children as a visual therapist. Fawn and her husband Andy Halko have lived in the Pennington area for 18 years and opened a personal training studio Hopewell Valley Fitness in December 2021 on Main Street in Pennington.