The Sproutlings Team
Sproutlings is owned by the Shaheed family, long-time residents of New Providence. Mo Shaheed and his daughter, Mira, and son, Jon, oversee the daily operations.
Mo has an educational background and worked with school-age children prior to opening Sproutlings. Mira worked in the area for nearly 20 years as a preschool teacher. Jon was a high school teacher when he served in the Peace Corps in West Africa.
The Sproutlings Story
Mira’s experience serving young children and their families evolved into her vision for Sproutlings. She understands the variety of needs that families with young children have, and she recognizes the growing need for more childcare options in the New Providence area. Mira has completed several teacher education programs for teachers of young children, including a High Scope lead teaching and a CDA (Child Development Associate) Credential for Infants and Toddlers. She frequently attends conferences at Kean University on early childhood education topics.
Our Teachers and Staff
Jon Shaheed
VP of Operations
Jonathan was raised in New Providence and graduated from New Providence High School. He holds a BA in Biology from Bucknell University and a Master's in Health Administration from Columbia University. Jonathan taught biology, chemistry, and physics while serving in the Peace Corps in West Africa. Before joining Sproutlings, he worked as a Forecast Analyst for several years and later in Care Transitions at a New York hospital system. Jon enjoys playing soccer in his spare time and recently coached the NPHS Boys Freshman Soccer team to an undefeated season. He lives in town with his wife, Sydney, his son, Kieran, his daughter, Layla, and their dog, Kodak.
Madeline Espinal
Director
Maddie has over 15 years of experience in education, working with children of all ages, from toddlers to school-aged kids. At Sproutlings, she has spent the past three years teaching Pre-K 4 and is now transitioning into her role as Director. Before joining Sproutlings, Maddie lived in Pennsylvania, where she worked as a youth services librarian and a lead preschool teacher. Maddie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Penn State University – Harrisburg. She currently lives in Bridgewater with her husband, Marco, their two daughters, Daisy and Lily, and their cat, Jack.
Amanda Smith
Assistant Director
Amanda moved to New Providence from the UK with her husband and 2 children in 2004. She has a BSc. in Diagnostic Radiography from the University of Portsmouth in the UK and obtained her Preschool CDA certification in 2015. Amanda joined Sproutlings in 2020, as a lead teacher in the PreK 3 class. Prior to joining the Sproutlings team, Amanda worked as an assistant teacher and then a lead teacher at St. Andrews Preschool and Kindergarten in New Providence. In her spare time, Amanda loves to knit, read, and spend time with her family.
Donna McHugh
Lead Teacher — Peapods
Donna has worked as lead teacher of infants for over 10 years. Prior to that, she worked as an assistant teacher and then lead teacher with both toddlers and preschoolers. Donna’s experience with caring for infants and working with families of our youngest clients prepares her well for this position. Donna enjoys spending time with her three children, Joseph, Courtney and Bridget, and four grandchildren.
Emily Shattle
Lead Teacher – Peapods II
Emily is from Middlesex, NJ and graduated from Middlesex High School in 2015. She attended Raritan Valley Community College and American Academy McAllister Institute. Emily has been around children her entire life, from having a daycare in her childhood home, to babysitting, working summer camps, as well as spending two years in a preschool classroom at a local daycare. During her free time, she spends her weekends at the shore with her friends.
Bridget Nobile
Lead Teacher — Seedlings
Bridget has been working with young children for over fifteen years. She grew up in New Providence, graduated from New Providence High School and obtained her degree in Communications from Farleigh Dickenson University in 2006. She recently completed Creative Curriculum training and is in the process of finishing her CDA. Bridget’s enthusiasm and creativity make her a perfect match for the young toddler classroom.
Emmy Wilson
Lead Teacher — Little Sprouts
Emmy grew up in Mountainside, NJ and graduated from Governor Livingston High School in 2020. She attended Raritan Valley Community College and is in the process of obtaining her infant/toddler CDA. Emmy has experience in childcare, including babysitting and working in the nursery at church. She worked as an assistant teacher in the Seedlings room at Sproutlings prior to taking on the lead teacher position in the Little Sprouts room. Emmy enjoys spending her free time with family, friends and her dog, Sofi.
Alex Amory
Lead Teacher — Beanstalks
Alex was born and raised in Rahway, NJ. In addition to a background in clinical healthcare from Union County Vo-Tech High School, she has experience in childcare. After working as an assistant in several different classrooms at Sproutlings, Alex is thrilled to be the lead teacher of the Beanstalks classroom. When she is not at Sproutlings, Alex enjoys baking, sewing and playing with her two cats, Sage and Pepper.
Alice Smith
Lead Teacher — Saplings
Alice grew up in New Providence and attended New Providence High School. She graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. In 2022, Alice joined Sproutlings and worked as an assistant teacher in a variety of rooms. She is thrilled to now be the lead teacher of the Saplings room. In her spare time, Alice enjoys spending time with her family and friends, baking, and reading.
Pam Boemio
Lead Teacher — Pre-K 3
Deanna Gomez
Lead Teacher — Pre-K 3
After leaving human resources in the corporate world, Deanna has dedicated over 20 years to working with young children. Deanna joined Sproutlings in 2021, initially serving as a maternity leave substitute for Little Sprouts. She then moved into the Pre-K 3 program as an assistant teacher and later transitioned into the role of lead teacher for Pre-K 3. Before joining the Sproutlings team, Deanna spent 15 years at the Summit Area Y in Berkeley Heights, where she held various roles, including teaching various age levels and member services representative. In her spare time, Deanna enjoys reading, working on puzzles, playing with her cats, Sammie and Hunter, and spending quality time with her family and friends.
Jennifer Shattle
Lead Teacher — Pre-K 4
Kelly Whittaker
Lead Teacher — Kindergarten Aftercare
Kelly grew up in New Providence and graduated from New Providence High School in 1995. She joined Sproutlings four years ago as the Pre-K 4 assistant and is also the lead kindergarten aftercare teacher. Kelly enjoys spending time with her three kids, Haakon, Kathleen, and Liam, and going to the beach.
Jenna Melkowits
Lead Teacher — After Care Program — Summer Camp Coordinator
Jenna has been working in childcare for over thirteen years. She grew up in New Providence, graduated from New Providence High School and attended Caldwell University. Jenna is the aftercare program coordinator and helps run the Sproutlings Summer Camp program. In her spare time, Jenna enjoys reading, baking, being at the beach, playing with her dog, Trixie, and spending time with her friends and family.