About Us

About Berwyn Early Learning Academy

At Berwyn Early Learning Academy, we are dedicated to meeting the needs of families in our community by nurturing their children’s development and providing outstanding care. In 2024, we began to expand our center to provide a full-time program for children from 6 weeks old to 5 years old. To reflect this growth and our ongoing commitment to excellence, we changed our name to Berwyn Early Learning Academy and began building out a program to continue our mission.

Since our founding in 1994 as Berwyn United Methodist Nursery School, we have been a cornerstone of early childhood education in our community. For over three decades, we have provided a safe, positive environment where learning is fun, and every child feels valued. Our mission has always been to foster self-esteem, create an enthusiasm for learning, and help our children build positive relationships with peers and teachers.

We continue to embrace the whole child approach by addressing the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive needs of young learners through play and engaging learning experiences. Our curriculum, Funny Daffer, is thematically oriented with projects and activities designed to immerse children in learning and to spark curiosity and creativity.

At Berwyn Early Learning Academy, we are more than just a school — we are a community dedicated to building upon every child’s unique potential while empowering them to become strong and curious future leaders!

Our Staff:

Alexander Smith Picture
Alexander Smith
Director

A dedicated father and husband, Alex Smith has spent over 20 years shaping young minds as a preschool teacher. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Administration from Purdue University Global and a Master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Pre K-12 Educational Leadership. As a PA-certified teacher, he brings both expertise and heart into every classroom he leads, inspiring children to grow with curiosity and confidence.

Outside of teaching, Alex is an avid reader who enjoys traveling, going to the movies, and spending time with friends and family. A lover of good food—especially sushi and pizza—he also collects vinyl records, always on the lookout for the next great addition to his collection. 

Tamar Fremont Picture
Tamar Fremont
Infant Room Lead Teacher

Hi! My name is Tamar Fremont. I’m 23 and I was born in Roanoke, Virginia but have lived here in PA for almost three years now. Caring for babies is truly one of the greatest joys in my life. I love being part of their early growth, helping them learn, explore, and feel safe as they discover the world around them. Watching those little milestones, from first smiles to new words, is what makes this work so special to me.

Outside of work, I enjoy reading, writing, and singing, activities that not only bring me joy but also inspire creativity and patience that I love to bring into the classroom. Music, stories, and expression are such powerful ways to connect with children, and I enjoy weaving those into the care I provide.

Looking ahead, my goal is to become a therapist so I can continue supporting children and families in even deeper ways. For now, I’m grateful for the opportunity to nurture, teach, and grow alongside the amazing little ones I care for every day.

Gianna Bagola
Preschool Lead Teacher

Gianna has just graduated with her Bachelor’s in computer science from West Chester University. In her free time she enjoys concerts, adventuring with friends, and playing with her cat Felix. Throughout college, Gianna worked in the childcare division at the YMCA in their BASE program and Summer Camp at the Spring Valley location. While at the Y Gianna focused on designing and running a STEM program for different age groups in addition to her regular duties! During that time she realized she might want to center her career around working with children. "Being in the classroom and feeding off the kids energy is my favorite part of teaching!"

Gianna is very excited to begin her journey as a preschool teacher at BELA and help our kiddos grow, learn, and thrive in her classroom!

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