Hope Christian School
Our Team.
At Hope Christian School, we believe the foundation of exceptional education lies in the dedication of our staff. Our team of experienced and certified educators is the heart of our program, continually going above and beyond to create a nurturing and stimulating learning environment. Each teacher brings unique skills and a personal commitment to ensure every child is well-prepared for their educational journey. From shaping young minds to fostering the spirit of curiosity, our staff is committed to instilling Christian values and academic excellence, making Hope Christian not just an educational institution but a home away from home for your child.
Meet Our Staff
Judy Canfield
Director
I am proud to be the Director of Hope Christian School. I have been in the Early Childhood field as teacher and director in New Jersey for over 40 years. I have my Bachelor of Arts degrees in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. I have my Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and my New Jersey State School Supervisory Certificate. It is an honor to be part of this family of wonderful teachers and staff and in a school with a 60+ year tradition of excellence in offering quality educational programs to the children of the community!
Jennifer Bandilla
Assistant Director
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I have been in the Early Childhood Education Field for over 20 years as a Teacher, as well as an Assistant Director. I have my Teaching Certification through Rasmussen College. I believe that all children deserve to have a happy and safe Educational Environment in which they can learn and thrive! I am very happy to be a part of Hope Christian School! When I am not at school, I enjoy spending time with my husband and 4 children.
Cheryl Hurd
Office Administrator
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Cheryl started at Hope in 2017, taking over for the very well known and loved former Administrator, Wanda Nebiolo.
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She lives in Freehold NJ with her daughter, Adalyn, and a few rescue animals. Outside of work, Cheryl has a huge passion for animals, tattoos and travel, a love for word games, puzzles, sunrises, waterfalls, the beach and spending time with family of course!
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Cheryl plans to be part of the HLC team for a long time, so stop in and say "Hi" if you haven't already!
Ed Kropa
Pastor of Hope Lutheran Church
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Pastor Edward Kropa (Pastor Ed) is the Leader of Hope Lutheran Church. Pastor was raised here in Freehold Township before moving out of state. The pastor has fond memories of Hope Christian School as his mother, Gloria Kropa, was the first-ever teacher of Hope Christian School! During his 32 years of pastoral leadership, Pastor Ed and his wife Jeanette have served 6 churches and raised 3 daughters. He is excited to be back in Freehold and to be helping keep Hope Christian school anchored in Faith!
Eileen Flohr
Teacher
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I teach 3 year olds and 4 year olds at Hope Christian School. I graduated from Seton Hall University with a BS in Education. I am a NJ Certified Teacher with certification in Early Childhood (Pre-K) as well as Elementary Education (K-8). I am a certified Catechist and have been teaching CCD for over 30 years.
I am happily married with 3 children. I have taught primary grades in addition to teaching for over 25 years at HCS. My favorite color is RED and my favorite book is the Giving Tree. I love collecting sea glass at the beach and listening to Christian music. During the summer months, you can catch me reading, gardening and cuddling with my dog, Buttercup. Thank you, God for allowing me to joyfully teach children at Hope Christian School.
Kelly Stefanacci
Teacher (semi retired...stepping into Assistant Teacher role this year!)
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I teach 3 year olds and 4 year olds at Hope Christian School. I graduated from St.Peter's University with a BA in Elementary Education and a concentration in English Literature. I am a NJ certified teacher. I have previously taught 3rd grade, Pre-K, and more recently 1st grade at St. Jerome School in West Long Branch. I hope to instill a love of learning that will last through your child's years of schooling. I want to provide an atmosphere that enables every child to grow closer to Jesus and to live the Gospel values. I enjoy reading. I love to travel to Ireland to visit with my family. I reside in Freehold Township with my husband, our two children, and our dog Tara.
Melissa Tempest
Teacher
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Mrs. Tempest teaches the 3 year olds at Hope Christian School. She has a Bachelor's Degree from the College of Staten Island in Psychology and her Master's Degree in Education. Mrs. Tempest and her husband have two daughters and a son. Mrs. Tempest has been with Hope Christian School as a parent since her daughter's Mommy & Me days over 12 years ago. Her classroom is full of her boundless energy and creativity!!
Rachel Colbert
Teacher
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I am happy to be teaching at Hope Christian School. Prior to coming here, I taught Pre-K for the past 20 years and was also a tutorial Phonics Teacher. I have my teaching certification from Rasmussen College.
When not at school, I enjoy spending family time at home with my husband and 5 children.
Shannon Imregi
Teacher
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I come to Hope Christian with a Master's of Arts in Teaching from Simmons University in Boston and almost 15 years of teaching experience specifically in early childhood and literacy development. I've served as a classroom and resource teacher, an adjunct professor, and most recently a literacy coach, working with teachers to implement Best Practices in K-3 classrooms. In my free time, I enjoy gardening, and spending time with my ten year old son, husband and very energetic dog, Maggie!
Erin Hydrusko- Substitute
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I am excited to be a teacher at Hope Christian School. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Special Education. Previously, I taught kindergarten for 11 years. While this is my first year teaching at Hope Christian, I am very familiar with the school. I have been a lunch volunteer for two years while my son was attending preschool here. I’ve also participated in the Mommy & Me program with my daughter, who is now currently enrolled. As your child’s teacher, I’m looking forward to creating a special love of learning where your child can feel safe, and happy each day they walk into our classroom.
Dana Tabone
Teacher
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Hope Christian School has a special place in my heart as both my children attended here and I
was very grateful when I was given the opportunity to also work here. I have my Bachelors from
Ramapo College and Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential. I believe that the most
important thing I can do as a teacher is provide a safe and loving environment for the children
while also teaching them. In my free time you can catch my husband Joe and I at the soccer
fields cheering on my son or dance competitions cheering my daughter on
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Christina Labrit
Teacher
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I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Dance from The College of Staten Island. Afterwards, I received my Masters Degree in Special Education from Grand Canyon University. I am a New Jersey certified teacher originally from New York, where I taught for 9 years. I moved to Freehold a few years ago with my husband and three little girls. I am so excited for another great school year of fun and learning here at Hope Christian School, while making lasting memories!
Assistant Teachers
Kim Dato
Leslie Rifenburg
Jade Goswick
Kimberly Mazan
Zama Soto-Valdes
