About Us
We offer half-day options for children between the ages of 3 and 6 years. Special days and programs are offered throughout the year.
Our caring teachers are educated and experienced in developmentally appropriate practices. Class sizes are kept small so that the needs of all children are met and learning is at an optimum level.
Serving the Elkhorn, Millard, Gretna and West Omaha areas, The Hearth Academy Preschool is proud to offer a curriculum that is based on the best early childhood practice and linked to local school district expectations.
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We have two scheduled conferences per year, and encourage open communication throughout the year, with regular newsletters, classroom volunteers and private class websites
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Our parent volunteer club, or HAPPY club (Hearth Academy Preschool Parents for our Young), is active in fundraising and planning fun family/school events throughout the year
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Our building has been constructed to the highest standards for the safety of our children and includes biometric fingerprint scan for entry to the building, an on-site tornado shelter and fully fenced playground area
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Each classroom has it's own toilet, sink and drinking fountain and all of our staff are CPR/First Aid certified
Our Staff
Linda McGuire: Owner/Director/Pre-K Teacher
Linda McGuire graduated with a Child Development Associate in 1993 and later received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. She began her teaching career with the Head Start Program teaching preschool ages 3-5 years of age. She has also owned her own in-home preschool and child care while her children were young. Her experience extended to teaching Kindergarten in both public and private schools. She holds a current State of Nebraska Teaching License and has worked with Pre-Kindergarten children for many years.
It has been Linda’s dream to open her own quality preschool for many years and she has enjoyed this new journey in her life. She is the happy mother of two daughters, one son, three granddaughters and two dogs that keep her very busy when she’s not in the classroom or at our school. She loves to read, dance, scrapbook, listen to music and spend time with family and friends.
Susie Hart: Owner/Director/Preschool Teacher
Susie Hart graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1990 and later received her Masters of Education in Elementary Education with an Early Childhood emphasis. She taught young children in London, England for the first 9 years of her career alongside her duties writing curriculum as Geography and Math coordinator. She later taught Kindergarten in the Los Angeles area and acted as Art coordinator and new teacher mentor. Upon moving to Omaha, she enrolled her youngest child in Linda McGuire’s Pre-K class and ended up teaching with her. They have successfully worked together since then, sharing the same standards and passion for early education.
Susie loves working with the children and families in Elkhorn and the surrounding areas. She lives with her husband, son, cats and dogs and has a daughter in college in Minnesota. In her spare time she likes to read, dance and travel.
Jennifer McMurchie: Administrative Assistant
Jennifer McMurchie graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education in 1995. She was an elementary teacher in the Bellevue Public Schools and has taught preschool in the Omaha area.
Jennifer has worked at the Hearth Academy since it opened as our Administrative Assistant. She loves interacting with the children and parents as they enter our school.
About Us
Mission
We believe each child is a unique and special individual that should be encouraged to develop at his or her own rate, in a rich and engaging environment. Our programs and teachers nurture all aspects of development including: social, emotional, physical, cognitive and language.
We believe children learn best through hands-on experiences that allow them to grow and make sense of their world. We believe our safe, positive environment encourages children to explore, imagine and develop confidence and a love for school.
We encourage family involvement and believe that a strong, positive relationship between school and home enhances a child's education.
We offer half-day options for children between the ages of 3 and 6 years. Special days and programs are offered throughout the year.
Our caring teachers are educated and experienced in developmentally appropriate practices. Class sizes are kept small so that the needs of all children are met and learning is at an optimum level.
Serving the Elkhorn, Millard, Gretna, Bennington and West Omaha areas, The Hearth Academy Preschool is proud to offer a curriculum that is based on the best early childhood practice and linked to local school district expectations.
-
We have two scheduled conferences per year, and encourage open communication throughout the year, with regular newsletters, classroom volunteers and private class websites
-
Our parent volunteer club, or HAPPY club (Hearth Academy Preschool Parents for our Young), is active in fundraising and planning fun family/school events throughout the year
-
Our building has been constructed to the highest standards for the safety of our children and includes biometric fingerprint scan for entry to the building, an on-site tornado shelter and fully fenced playground area
-
Each classroom has it's own toilet, sink and drinking fountain and all of our staff are CPR/First Aid certified
Our Staff
Linda McGuire: Owner/Director/Pre-K Teacher
Linda McGuire graduated with a Child Development Associate in 1993 and later received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. She began her teaching career with the Head Start Program teaching preschool ages 3-5 years of age. She has also owned her own in-home preschool and child care while her children were young. Her experience extended to teaching Kindergarten in both public and private schools. She holds a current State of Nebraska Teaching License and has worked with Pre-Kindergarten children for many years.
It has been Linda’s dream to open her own quality preschool for many years and she has enjoyed this new journey in her life. She is the happy mother of two daughters, one son, three granddaughters and two dogs that keep her very busy when she’s not in the classroom or at our school. She loves to read, dance, scrapbook, listen to music and spend time with family and friends.
Susie Hart: Owner/Director/Preschool Teacher
Susie Hart graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1990 and later received her Masters of Education in Elementary Education with an Early Childhood emphasis. She taught young children in London, England for the first 9 years of her career alongside her duties writing curriculum as Geography and Math coordinator. She later taught Kindergarten in the Los Angeles area and acted as Art coordinator and new teacher mentor. Upon moving to Omaha, she enrolled her youngest child in Linda McGuire’s Pre-K class and ended up teaching with her. They have successfully worked together since then, sharing the same standards and passion for early education.
Susie loves working with the children and families in Elkhorn and the surrounding areas. She lives with her husband cats and dog and has a son and daughter in college. In her spare time she likes to read, dance and travel.
Jennifer McMurchie: Administrative Assistant
Jennifer McMurchie graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education in 1995. She was an elementary teacher in the Bellevue Public Schools and has taught preschool in the Omaha area.
Jennifer has worked at the Hearth Academy since it opened as our Administrative Assistant. She loves interacting with the children and parents as they enter our school.
Nicki Nutter: Pre-K Teacher
Nicki Nutter has been an Early Childhood Educator for 40 years, graduating from LaCrosse University in Wisconsin, with my Associates Degree. She has been with the Hearth Academy staff since the school opened in 2012.
Nicki's favorite part of teaching Pre-Kindergarten students is watching them develop into competent, confident little learners who love coming to school. It gives her so much joy to see them learning and building friendships.
Melissa Eisma: Pre-K Teacher
Jamie Driffill: Preschool Teacher
This is Jamie Driffill's 7th year teaching preschool at the Hearth Academy. I’ve also taught Pre-K for 8 years and 4th grade for 7 years in Texas . She has a teaching degree with a specialization in mathematics as well as a coaching degree.
She loves teaching preschool because everything is so exciting and the kids are full of joyful energy.
Terri Ziemba: PDO Teacher
Terri Ziemba graduated with a BS in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Spanish. She taught Kindergarten in Virginia and 40 years of preschool and substitute teaching for various districts here in Nebraska. Throughout her career, she’s worked in many facets of Early Childhood. But her absolute joy comes from working with children as a classroom teacher. “It’s so gratifying to watch them grow from your teaching! Everything is new, exciting, and fun!”
