Erika Gilfether
Hightstown,NJ
Summary
Knowing that children learn best when surrounded by engaged and supported adults, an early childhood administrator who prioritizes relationships at every layer within an educational setting.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Director
UNOW Day Nursery, Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
01.2022 - Current
- Director of 15 classrooms, 180 children, 73 staff members, NAEYC accredited play-based, child-centered child care center affiliated with Princeton University
- Managed the development and implementation of $4.9 million annual budget cycle
- Operated within service agreement with Princeton University, working closely with the Office of Human Resources and Dean of Faculty’s Office
- Supervised enrollment and admissions process for 180 spots annually within priority enrollment system given to university affiliated families
- Maintained relationship with Board of Trustees, including the development and implementation of multi-year strategic plan
- Responsible for the development and annual training of Emergency Preparedness Plan, including the maintenance of a strong relationship and coordination with Princeton University Department of Public Safety
- In conjunction with the Board of Trustees, developed tuition assistance program from inception to implementation including identifying funding sources, developing the application process and awarding the assistance.
- Oversaw the development of all staff professional development activities and policies, balancing the collective needs of staff with a commitment to fostering individual professional curiosity and growth within a constructivist framework of learning from each other,
- Oversaw maintenance of Family and Staff Policy Handbooks, including facilitating staff committees helping to shape policies.
Preschool Program Coordinator
UNOW Day Nursery, Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
01.2017 - 01.2022
- Manage the overall functioning of 7 preschool classrooms with a staff of 29 teachers and 108 children and families
- Directly supervise 15 teachers who in turn supervise 14 teachers, including managing the ongoing performance review process of each.
- Facilitate weekly staff meetings with Lead and Associate Teachers, monthly staff meetings with Assistant teachers and additional monthly meetings with full UNOW staff
- Served as co-chair of the Access Committee of the Board of Trustees working to increase the level of financial aid offered through grants and personal donations as well as streamline the aid application process.
- Recruited and began the first Staff Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force to focus on the needs of the staff, organization and families in regards to fostering the greatest possible environment of inclusion, diversity and equity.
- Together with the Director and fellow Program Coordinator, facilitated the reopening of UNOW after a 5 month closure due to COVID. This process included implementing safety protocols, communicating effectively with staff and families and facilitating the reduction of enrollment to group sizes allowed by licensing. Facilitated the formation of 3 Staff Task Forces that each addressed different areas of need in the reopening process.
- Developed individual professional development plans for teachers as well as implement group professional development experiences.
- Serve as a resource for families about issues of child development as well as helping facilitate communication between teachers and families.
- Maintain program budget and manage ordering and distribution of program supplies.
- Contribute to regular center-wide communications.
- Interface with University Offices of Information Technology, Public Safety and Grounds and Facilities in order to ensure safe and smooth functioning of the physical site.
- Collaborate with fellow administrative staff as well as report directly to the Director.
- Developed and helped facilitate the inception of UNOW & Then, An Oral History Project-an oral history project that interviews past and present teachers, families and administrators who have been a part of UNOW’s 50 years.
Data Collector
National Institute for Early Education Research, Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ
01.2016 - 01.2017
- Administered and recorded observed data from the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS-3) in preschools and early childhood programs throughout New Jersey as part of the GrowNJKids and Abbott Expansion
- Maintained Excel spreadsheets to show flow of data as programs were assessed and completed.
Assistant Director
BlueSkies for Children
Oakland, CA
01.2012 - 01.2016
- Successfully managed NAEYC re-accreditation process including the organization of 6 classroom portfolios and 1 program- wide administrative portfolio
- Working with co-directors and program directors, formulated daily schedule for 26 person staff for 6 classrooms and housekeeping, taking into account illnesses, vacations, and substitute needs.
- Managed hiring process for the filling of multiple teaching positions including conducting interviews and the necessary training processes
- Supervised head teachers from 3 play-based classrooms and collaboratively with those head teachers co-supervised their 10 additional classroom staff.
- Worked with executive board committee to create strategic plan that addressed eventual retirement of long-time directors
- Contributed written essays in monthly family newsletter linking classroom vignettes in topics such as emergent curriculum, attachment theory, early childhood mental health, and early mathematical thinking (writing samples available upon request).
- Assisted with admissions process including managing communication with prospective families from initial inquiry to eventual orientation, giving tours of school, being a part of admission meetings, and giving orientation sessions to new families.
- Served as staff liaison to Parent Services Committee helping to plan supplemental family events with guest speakers and social functions
- Planned and implemented staff development, presenting to 26 person staff on topics such as children’s internalization of rules, temperament and goodness of fit, reflective supervision, and awareness of Early Math Skills within a play based environment
Classroom Teacher
Park West Cooperative Nursery School
Chicago, IL
01.1996 - 01.2012
- Assistant and Lead Teacher in 2/3s, 3/4s, and Junior Kindergarten classroom in parent cooperative, play - based, social constructivist preschool
- Prepared assessments for parent-teacher conferences
- Worked collaboratively on three person teaching teams
- Participated in consensus decision making processes with both staff and children regarding both classroom rules for the children and school wide policies for the staff
- Taught creative movement classes to all classrooms
Education
MS - Early Childhood Education
The Erikson Institute
Chicago, IL01-2014
BFA - Dance
New York University
New York, NY01-1994
Skills
- Relationship building
- Strategic planning
- Verbal and written communication
- Decision-making
- Advocate for play based developmentally appropriate experiences for young children
Timeline
Director
UNOW Day Nursery, Princeton University
01.2022 - Current
Preschool Program Coordinator
UNOW Day Nursery, Princeton University
01.2017 - 01.2022
Data Collector
National Institute for Early Education Research, Rutgers University
01.2016 - 01.2017
Assistant Director
BlueSkies for Children
01.2012 - 01.2016
Classroom Teacher
Park West Cooperative Nursery School
01.1996 - 01.2012
BFA - Dance
New York University
MS - Early Childhood Education
The Erikson Institute