Our Teachers
All teachers at Erdman Preschool have standard professional credentials, most with advanced degrees, and are licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. All teachers participate in a minimum of 20 hours of professional development each year.
Our teachers create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere that is structured enough to offer security, but open enough to foster creativity and independence. This is how children:
- develop strong, healthy social skills
- gain self-direction
- learn resiliency and coping strategies
- experience satisfaction from expressing their own ideas, completing tasks, and learning to care for and about others
WHAT'S
HAPPENING
Fundraisers, PAC Meetings, Open Houses - there's a lot happening at Erdman.
Mark your calendars and don't miss a thing.
LEARNING
BY DOING
Children at Erdman paint, cook, build, sing, clean, share and play with others, and much more.
Why do we do certain activities?
Why are they important?
2025-2026
REGISTRATION
Applications for the 2025-2026 School Year are available now. Placement will begin in January.
We have all the info for both new and returning families.
ADDRESS
330 First Parish Road
Scituate, MA 02066
GET IN TOUCH
781.545.9309
erdmanpreschool@verizon.net
FOLLOW US
Jenn Franklin joined the Erdman family in January 2022 as the Director. She has been in the early education field for over 20 years. She started her teaching career as a toddler teacher and worked her way up to administration. She grew up in Quincy and has lived in Scituate since 2007. She lives with her husband Eric, son Remy, and two dogs, Norman and Margie.
Tricia Berlo is a seasoned and passionate preschool teacher with over 27 years experience at Erdman Family School. Before joining Erdman, Tricia taught at Hingham Public Schools but took a break to focus on raising her three children in Scituate, where she and her husband reside. Her connection to Erdman began when her oldest child started preschool and what initially felt like home for her family also became home for her professionally. Tricia teaches the 4-Day classroom as well as Stay and Play on Wednesday and Friday.
When not teaching, Tricia enjoys spending time with family and loves being on the water.
Nancy Santiano has been teaching at Erdman Preschool for the past 18 years. Before that her three children attended Erdman. She lived in Scituate most of her life starting as a young child spending all her summers on Sand Hills Beach and later settling a bit more inland where she raised her family. She now lives in Marshfield.
Nancy's favorite thing in the whole world is hearing a young child laugh with joy!
Nancy teachers MWF 4s and Stay and Play on Wednesday and Fridays.
Sue Duff lives in Scituate with her husband Jim, her dog Scout, and her cat Winston. She has two children, Jack and Lily. She has been involved in Early Childhood Education for almost 30 years. She started her career as a family child care provider and then as a teacher at Erdman. She teaches the MTTH 4s class and the WF 3s class along with Bookworms on Thursday afternoons.
Beth Schwarz grew up in Scituate and lives in Sandhills with her husband Paul. She has 3 grown children who all are Erdman alumni. She and her kids met their lifelong friends during their years here. Beth started teaching at Erdman when her youngest was in the 4-day class...17 years ago!
Beth loves going to the beach and spending time with her family. She shares Erdman's philosophy of learning by doing and getting outside as much as possible! Beth teaches MWF 4s and Explorers on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Meet Our Team
Tanya Makaitis has been teaching the WF 3s classroom at Erdman for seven years. She grew up in Kittery, Maine and has a Bachelor's in Finance from Bentley University. She lives in Scituate Harbor with her husband, two sons, and two cats. Tanya loves hiking, glamping, watching her kids' sports, and listening to audio books in her spare time.
Carol Dwyer
Jenn Franklin
Tricia Berlo
Sue Duff
Beth Schwarz
Nancy Santiano
Tanya Makaitis
Kathleen Podurgiel has been teaching at Erdman Preschool for three years. After enjoying a career in advertising, she chose to focus her creative energy on bringing joy and wonder to the Erdman preschoolers. She is happily married and has two adult children who are Erdman Alumni!
Kathleen Podurgiel
Debra Peterman
Lisa Leonard
Lisa Leonard joined Erdman in 2020. She grew up in Hingham and received her Bachelor of Arts from Fairfield University. She lives in Scituate and has a son, Will, who attended Erdman and is now in middle school.
Debra Peterman lives in Marshfield with her husband Dave and their yellow lab, Lottie. She has two grown daughters as well! She has been working as a preschool teacher for over 25 years. Her favorite activities include yoga, hiking, the beach, and downhill skiing.
Debra teaches MTTH 3s and Thursday Stay and Play.
Rebecca Fawcett
Rebecca Fawcett has been at Erdman since 2022. Her degree is in Art History and she loves incorporating art and local history into her lessons. Rebecca has 3 adult daughters and two new grandbabies that she hopes will grown to be as kind and eager to learn, as our Erdman children!
Rebecca teaches Monday Imagineers and Thursday Stay and Play.
Carol Dwyer has been teaching for over 30 years. She has been at Erdman since 2022. Carol has two teenage daughters and a dog names Bella. She teaches MTTH 3s. When not teaching you can find Carol going field to field to watch her daughters games.
