Readers' Choice: The Connection Preschool

The Connection in Summit recieved an astounding 1333 votes in our .

was called "a nurturing and friendly environment" by Erica Cucciniello, the organization's preschool enrichment director who commented on Patch.

And Readers agreed. Shanayah Miles called the preschool program "great." Another reader, Marcela Chinchilla commented that she voted for The Connection, "because they [teach] more socialization skills and special classes." 

"CPC has incredible, caring teachers and has taken care of our 3 daughters over the past 5 years," commented Anne Kelligrew St.Clair. "One on one attention allows the kids to thrive!" she wrote.

The Connection Preschool began its pre-k registration last month with sessions from 9am-11:30am, 9am-1pm and 9am-2:30pm. Classes max out at 18 students each. Enrollment is still open.

In all this week's Patch Readers' Poll garnered 2961 votes. Coming in a very close second to CPC was  St. Teresa's Pre-School which received 1261 votes.

The neck-in-neck competition between the two programs was a hallmark to the support each receives in the community.

Patch reader Francesca Marquis summed it up by writing:

This was a fun competition between two QUALITY Pre School Centers. Congratulations to the staffs and the parents who voted with "Pride" for their centers. Good Job 

The children are the winners here with the fine education provided. You are both winners in our eyes!

Christine Monaco who is expected to take over as director of  said what makes her program special is that the staff "provides a loving, nurturing, educational environment for children," she wrote in an email. "And every child knows that they are a child of God."

St. Teresa's accepts preschooler applications on an ongoing basis and currently has 177 children enrolled. The school follows the core curriculum of Archdiocese of Newark.

Other Summit preschools getting honorable mentions include:

• Summit Jewish Community Center Nursery School with 144 votes. 
• Central Presbyterian Church with 106 votes.
• The Learning Circle with 40 votes.

For the complete list of area preschools .