Sterling House Preschool

ESTABLISHED IN 1932

The First Preschool in Stratford

NAEYC Accredited since 2011

Licensed by the State of Connecticut

Our Mission

To provide and maintain a classroom setting that is safe, emotionally secure, supportive, and planned for independence.

Looking to register? Join our waitlist - please send an email to info@sterlingcc.org with your interest so we can set up a information session!

We want each child’s experience to be positive; filled with activities that are both challenging and rewarding.  Our goal is to support the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of our children, while igniting a love for learning. Our preschoolers are encouraged to observe, predict, explore, discover, experiment, and to take pride and responsibility in their work. Our space is bright, vibrant, stimulating, rambunctious, and spirited.

We believe that happy students, happy families, and happy teachers can create one terrific school!

Together, we strive to make:

  • students, families, and teachers feel safe, comfortable, and accepted.

  • healthy and respectful relationships that are promoted by all members of the school community.

  • students feel encouraged to be leaders and positive role models.

  • parents and community members actively engaged.

  • a setting in which positive behavior is reinforced.

  • a culture of high expectations in which the improvement of learning outcomes for all students is emphasized. 

Sterling House Preschool supports and nurtures the growth of the whole child through the following 4 domains: social/emotional, physical, cognitive, and creative. This is done through the guidance of the Early Learning and Development Standards within a play-based environment.

Family Resources

Sample Class Schedule

The daily schedule establishes a consistent sequence of activities that help young children to predict the order of events to feel more secure and in control of their day. The following is a typical daily schedule the class follows:

8:00 - 9:00am | Children arrive/Table Toys and Centers

9:00 - 9:45am | Whole Group Meeting Time

9:45 - 10:00am | Snack

10:00 - 10:30am | Free play/Center Time

10:30 - 11:00am | Small Group Instruction

11:00 - 12:00pm | Large Muscle Movement/Outside Play

12:00 - 12:30pm | Lunch/AM Students Dismissal

12:30 - 1:00pm | Large Muscle Movement/Outside Play

1:15 - 2:45pm | Rest Time

2:45 - 3:00pm | Snack

3:00 - 3:20pm | Story Time or Special Activity

3:20 - 3:30pm | Prepare for Dismissal

  • Amy Kapitan

    DIRECTOR & HEAD TEACHER

    Miss Amy has been teaching at Sterling House Preschool since 2010! She has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and psychology from Southern Connecticut State University. In our classroom, Miss Amy introduces students to many new experiences throughout the school year to help prepare them for success in Preschool as well as Kindergarten. During the summers, Miss Amy is our Assistant Camp Director. When she’s not at Sterling House, Miss Amy can be found loving all things DISNEY!

  • Linda Douglass

    CLASSROOM TEACHER

    Ms. Linda has joined Sterling House Preschool as a classroom teacher in 2019. She has been a part of our team for over 6 years, first as a volunteer and then as a classroom assistant. Miss Linda began her teaching career in her home country of England UK, where she was both an assistant and head teacher. Ms. Linda has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from The Manchester Metropolitan University in Manchester, UK. In her free time, Ms. Linda loves to bake, sew and look after her chickens and ducks with the help of Iris the Golden Retriever and Lionel the cat.

  • Jeremy Oliveras

    YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COUNSELOR

    Jeremy joined the Preschool Team at Sterling in 2024 and has been a kid-favorite ever since! Jeremy is working toward his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from University of Bridgeport and has been part of our Camp and After School Teams since 2018. He loves to play with the preschoolers and his favorite part of the job is making them smile.


  • "We love Sterling House and as a first time preschool parent, I have always felt comfortable leaving my sweet girl with the staff at Sterling House. They are warm and friendly, and my child has grown in so many ways socially because of their compassionate approach. Thank you!"

    -Alison B.

  • "They are incredible! I wish I could keep my son with them forever!"

    -Brianna G.

  • "The teachers and staff at Sterling Community Center are friendly, communicative, informative, and clearly deeply invested in the development, growth, and wellbeing of our children, and they actively engage with us and them in the journey of the school year. We are so grateful to be able to give our boys this experience, and are also grateful for the amazing growth we see in them, and the friendships they are making."

    -John C.

  • "Sterling House Preschool has been such a wonderful experience for both my daughter and me. She loves going to school every day and gets so excited about all the fun lessons and activities they do each week. Ms. Amy, Ms. Linda, and the whole team are amazing! It’s so heartwarming to see how well they connect with the kids and make learning so fun. Thank you for being like an extended part of our little family and for giving our daughter such a great start to her school journey!"

    -Kelsey C.