Barb Rosensteel has been the Director of Derry Preschool for over 20 years.  She has been a teacher of young children for 30 years.  She attended Millersville University where she received a Dual Certification in Elementary Education and Special Education. Mrs. Rosensteel has been married to her husband Jeff for over 30 years and has 3 daughters, Erin, and twins Mallory and Meghan.  She has been blessed with four grandchildren! She and her husband and are very involved in their church youth group, and are members of the creative ministries team.  They love children of all ages and most of what they do involves trying to encourage and teach them.

Mallory McDermott has been with Derry Preschool since 2013. She is currently the Assistant Director at Derry Preschool where she coordinates the daily enrichment programs as well as summer camp. She also develops the KickStart Curriculum and serves as the tuition and registration manager. Mrs. McDermott’s passion is teaching! She loves watching how the students grow throughout the year and hopes to instill a love for learning in each of her students. She previously worked at the Vista School for four years with both elementary aged and high school aged students. She attended Eastern University and graduated with a degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in reading. Mrs. McDermott is married to Jason and has two young boys, Caden and Jordan. She feels so blessed to be able to be apart of the the wonderful Derry Preschool family!

Julie Achor is starting her 18th year at Derry Preschool.   She has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science from Penn State University. She has four daughters and lives with her husband and her Siberian husky.  Mrs. Achor likes to bake, read, spend time outdoors and go hiking.

Emilee joined Derry Preschool in 2019 as a substitute, but has been part of the Derry Preschool family since 2013 when the first of her two daughters began. She is a graduate from the University of Pittsburgh earning a BSBA in marketing. Emilee enjoys spending time with her family and dogs, going to the beach, and attending art classes.

Julie Beaver is pleased to be rejoining the Derry Preschool family. Before joining the Capital Area Intermediate Unit (CAIU) as an Early Intervention Preschool teacher in 2010, she taught at Derry Preschool from 1996-2009. Mrs. Beaver is a graduate of Penn State, and holds an Early Childhood Teaching Certification and a Master’s degree in Special Education. In 2018, the CAIU and Derry Preschool collaborated to create an inclusive classroom environment where children who have developmental delays learn and play alongside children who are typically developing. Mrs. Beaver and the Derry staff utilize a “co-teaching model” to ensure that preschool curriculum and activities are accessible by all students of varying ability. She believes that all children benefit from inclusion by developing positive social relationships, compassion for others, and confidence to demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of ways. Mrs. Beaver is committed to meeting the individual needs of all children and their families by providing high quality programming with an emphasis on learning through play. Mrs. Beaver lives near Mt. Gretna with her husband and two cats, and enjoys gardening, reading, and spending time with her two daughters and her 2-year old grandson.

Lindsay Bellissimo has been a part of Derry Preschool for the last three years when her oldest son started in the Rainbow Room. She graduated from Millersville University with a Bachelors in Early Childhood and Special Education. After graduation she finished two Masters one in Special Education with a focus on Learning Disabilities and just finished her second degree this past summer in Reading Specialist. Before joining the Derry Preschool team she taught in a variety of different classrooms including third, first, middle school, and kindergarten. This is her first year subbing and teaching the 5 year old extended day at Derry Preschool and she could not be more excited! Aside from teaching she loves spending time with her family and friends, traveling, tutoring, and keeping her three boys active!

Laura obtained her bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Alvernia University. She began her career with Head Start and taught 3-5 year olds for 6 years. Laura was able to learn that early childhood education and development is vital in creating a strong foundation for a child’s future through her experience.

Laura moved to the Hershey area with her husband, 2 kids and 2 dogs in 2017

and is so happy with what it has brought to her life. Searches for preschool for her daughter lead her to Derry preschool and then she was fortunate enough to begin to be involved with the school. Laura was able to join the Derry Preschool board and sub last year and is now very excited to begin teaching at Derry Preschool.

Samantha Gustantino has been part of the Derry Preschool family since 2020. Mrs. Gustantino attended Kutztown University and graduated with a degree in both Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education. Prior to joining Derry Preschool, Mrs. Gustantino taught for five years in the Derry Township School District. She taught 4th grade, gifted support and spent three years as a 5th grade teacher. Mrs. Gustantino is married to Mike and has two young girls, Emily and Maggie. When she is not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her family, working out, reading, going to the beach and baking. Mrs. Gustantino’s goal is to provide a positive atmosphere for learning and for each child to have an exciting and rewarding year!

She is a graduate of Muhlenberg College. Her husband Scott is an ER physician and their teenagers, Kipper and Katie, will be seniors at Palmyra HS. Most of her free time is spent watching her teens play sports, walking her puppy, Norman, and enjoying photography.

Erika Luongo started working at Derry Preschool in 2022 as a teacher’s assistant after her son attended the preschool as a 4-year-old. Watching the children at Derry Preschool learn and grow throughout the year is truly a joy! Erika earned an undergraduate degree in Social Work from Millersville University as well as a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of North Dakota. In her free time, she can be found hiking, baking, traveling, volunteering and spending time with friends and family. Erika and her husband Paul stay busy raising and enjoying their three children Madeline, Eli & Nolan.

Donna Maurer has been with Derry preschool for over 10 years now. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology, health and phys ed, and nursing from Indiana University and Villanova. She currently lives in South Hanover with her husband Bob (an orthopedic surgeon) and her two dogs. She has three children and one granddaughter. Her oldest son Rob is a Neuro surgical resident at Hershey Med Center. Her second son Tim is an orthopedic surgical resident at UPMC and her daughter Steff is a math teacher at Lower Dauphin high school. Donna enjoys spending time with her family, walking her dogs, traveling, and skiing (water or snow).

Carol Mitchell has been with DP since the 2009 school year,* after her retirement from Verizon in 2002 with a career of 35 years and becoming a widow in 2008. She enjoys nurturing ‘little ones” on their learning path and is grateful for this opportunity.

I have been a teachers assistant at Derry Preschool for over 7 years.
I love dancing, singing and trying out new recipes when I have the time!I also run a dance academy where I teach Indian classical dance.

Mrs. Steelman has been part of the Derry Preschool family for last 10 year…serving as mom, a Derry Preschool Board member and now President, substitute teaching and now loves having her own classroom! She has degrees in secondary education and math from Elizabethtown College, has taught both high school and middle school math, coaches field hockey for her daughters’ teams, in the acting Director of CE at Derry Presbyterian Church, and loves being with her family and enjoying the outdoors. Team Steelman lives in Palmyra and have four children who keep them active, busy and always looking for the next adventure.

Mrs. Steelman is super excited to be back teaching again at Derry Preschool. She is looking forward to a year full of fun, new adventure and lots of exploration as our 3 year olds learn to make friends, continue to develop self-help skills, learn to follow classroom rules and have fun exploring their world through their 5 senses.

Colleen Tunnell has been with Derry Preschool for over 15 years.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a specialty in early childhood education from Shippensburg University.  She received her master’s degree in teaching and curriculum from Penn State.  She currently lives in Hummelstown with her husband Matt and their two dogs.  She has two daughters who are both Derry Preschool alumni.  Marley is 24 and graduated from Indiana University and now lives and works in Chicago.   Alaina, 21 is just starting her senior year at Alvernia University studying elementary and special education. Colleen loves spending time with her family, walking her dogs, traveling, and reading.

I have been part of the Derry Preschool staff since 2003.
Prior to joining DP, I was employed by the Lower Dauphin School District for 17 years as an aide in a Learning Support classroom.
My husband, Randy, and I have two children and four grandchildren whom we love to visit in Florida and Georgia.
I am an avid reader and enjoy being part of a great Book Club.

Nancy Walmer is beginning her 8th year at DPS enjoying the “Littlest” kiddos of the DPS Family.  She is a retired Middle School Library Aide.  She enjoys reading, flower gardening, and spending time with family and friends.  She has been married for 50 years, has two grown children and three amazing grandchildren.  She is thankful to be working with the great staff and families of Derry Preschool.

Kem Wilson is excited to be joining the Derry Preschool staff in 2022! She graduated from Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction. She is also certified as a Reading Specialist. She taught first grade for the Lower Dauphin School District for 10 years before becoming a stay-at-home mom and an occasional substitute teacher. She and her husband have four sons, and her youngest son is currently a Derry Preschool student. In her free time, she likes to take photographs, read, run, and have adventures with her family. Mrs. Wilson is looking forward to helping her students love school and grow as learners this year! 

Lisa Zacharia is a passionate art teacher at Derry Preschool. With a Bachelor’s degree in childhood education from Hunter College and a Graduate Degree in early childhood education and special education from City College of New York, Mrs. Zacharia brings a wealth of knowledge to her young students. Her love for art shines through, having minored in the subject herself.

Notably, Lisa taught in the vibrant community of East Harlem, NYC, for an impressive 11 years before joining Derry Preschool. Her dedication to education is a testament to her commitment to nurturing young minds.

Beyond her role as an educator, Lisa is a loving mother to an 11-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter. Together with her husband, Brad, and their rescue dog, Benjamin, they share a joyful household. In her free time, Mrs. Zacharia indulges in her adventurous side by skiing, mountain biking, and hiking. She’s an avid reader and cherishes any moment spent outdoors, immersing herself in the beauty of nature. Art is not just a profession for Lisa; it’s a cherished part of her life’s canvas.

Kristin Zack has been with Derry Preschool since 2018. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Misericordia University. She taught fifth grade language arts for 7 years, and then cared for her daughter while her husband, Chad, finished his cardiology training. She has a daughter, Daniella, and a dog, Fred. She enjoys visiting family in her hometown of Scranton, PA, traveling, drawing, and visiting Hersheypark. She has a passion for teaching and loves watching her students learn new things!