Former Vandergrift YMCA preschool teacher branching out with new program

Joyce Hanz, The Valley News-Dispatch, Tarentum, Pa.
·3 min read

Feb. 5—A longtime educator and former Valley Points Family YMCA employee is opening a new preschool program after a drama-­filled departure from her previous teaching post at the West Vandergrift Early Learning Center in Vandergrift.

Andrea Bennett was a YMCA employee for 35 years before cleaning out her classroom at the West Vandergrift location and taking paid time off

Sept. 26.

She developed the facility's Explorer Educational Programs in 1986. The preschool curriculum was influenced by the Montessori and Reggio Emilia methods.

Her departure fueled rumors that the program was being dismantled and that Bennett had been terminated.

Kelli McIntyre, CEO of Valley Points YMCA, responded to the rumors and said at the time that Bennett had not been fired but had taken several accrued paid-time-off days.

The Tribune-Review reported Oct. 3 that the Explorers preschool program experienced a significant decline in enrollment amid Bennett's departure, with McIntyre confirming that nine students had dropped out.

Since then, it remained unclear when, or whethere, Bennett would return to her teaching post in Vandergrift — until Friday.

The news of Bennett not returning to the YMCA and instead announcing plans to open a new preschool program was posted online Friday in a private Facebook group called "Miss Andrea's Explorers Program Supporters."

"Exciting news ... It's what we've all been waiting for!" wrote Emily DePanicis Saxion, the group's administrator. "Miss Andrea will be opening her own program on March 1st."

The post said Bennett soon will move to a local classroom with plans to hire a teacher's assistant and offer summer programs.

The name of the new program is unknown.

When reached for comment Friday, Bennett confirmed she is opening a program but declined to comment further, referring all questions to her attorney, Vincent J. Quatrini Jr. of Greensburg.

Contacted last week for this story, McIntyre had no comment.

Quatrini confirmed that Bennett has an open claim in the worker's compensation courts in Westmoreland County against the YMCA.

"Her employer has never called her back to work, and, as a result, Bennett is embarking on resurrecting this very popular program on her own," Quatrini said. "I'm proud of her."

The new preschool will be in the Vandergrift area, but a specific location has not been announced, Quatrini said.

"She has a strong following of parents," Quatrini said. "They (YMCA) eliminated her popular class."

Nicole Paolo of New Kensington welcomed the news of Bennett's upcoming venture.

Paolo said she plans to enroll her 4-year-old son in one of Bennett's summer day camps.

"Knowing my son would be able to go back to a program that has brought so much joy, laughter, exploring, creativity and so much more, not just into his life but the lives of so many other children in the community, is extraordinary," she said.

Jenn Petrilla of Oklahoma Borough enrolled her son, Cooper, now 12, in the Explorers program when he was 3.

Petrilla praised Bennett's teaching style, describing her as an amazing teacher.

"I'm so excited to see her open her own preschool. Her style of teaching is not like any other teachers around the area. My son, Cooper, loved her classes and camps," she said. "She taught Cooper to read in four weeks. Any child that gets to be in Miss Andrea's class is a very lucky child. They will forever remember her."

Paolo described Bennett's customized preschool program as irreplaceable.

"The way Miss Andrea teaches is special, and she treats your child like her own," Paolo said. "It makes kids love school and learning. Hearing Miss Andrea would be back in action was the best news ever."

Joyce Hanz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joyce by email at jhanz@triblive.com or via Twitter .