About Us
Our Mission
Our commitment at the Prospect Academy of Westchester is to create a safe and nurturing environment for each child so that he/she has the opportunity to develop a strong foundation onto becoming a lifelong confident and independent learner.
Our Curriculum
We have built our curriculum based on the Montessori method enhanced with learning another language. We believe learning more than one language promotes early literacy. In addition, the children will recognize, understand and adapt to people from different cultures; an important skill to have in our modern global society.
Our Teaching Approach
Our teachers show respect for children when they help them do things and learn for themselves. When children have choices, they are able to develop the skills and abilities necessary for effective learning autonomy, and positive self-esteem. We put the children's play in the center of our teaching approach. “It may be said that we acquire knowledge by using our minds; but the child absorbs knowledge directly into his psychic life. Simply by continuing to live, the child learns to speak his native tongue" (Montessori, 1966). We believe that is natural for our children to grow up in an environment where they hear more then one language every day and their school should be a continuation of this natural environment.
Our Team
Why We're Great
At Prospect Academy our teachers are our main asset. We choose our teachers carefully based on their qualifications, personal approach to teaching, their views on our philosophy.
Elena Fedorova
Co-Founder & Director
Graduated from Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg with specialization in Early Child Education.
«Loves working with kids and favorite activity is cooking with 3, 4 and 5 year old chefs».
Lada Tillmann
Co-Founder & Program Director
Lada received MA in Philosophy and Social Studies form St. Petersburg State University. She has over 20 years of experience in teaching languages (English, German, Russian) to children and adults; taught in Russia, Germany and USA; studied and taught immersion method and situational approach in learning a second language in Germany. She has been working in the USA in the field of early childhood, bilingual education since 2007.
«Is known for her philosophical approach in dealing with temper tantrums of 3 year olds».
Elena Paolercio
Co-Founder & Community
Event Organizer
Elena is an active member and organizer of Russian Speaking Community in Westchester and a strong proponent of multilingual teaching approach in early childhood education. Elena holds MS in Computer and Information Science from Fordham University. At Prospect Academy, Elena takes the role of events coordinator and community organizer. Elena is also a mother of Prospect Academy’s first student, who is perfecting her third language now.
