Nursery school an early step on the learning ladder

KENT — Toys, cookies and “Tanta Sue†drew children and parents to the Kent Community Nursery School during its open house Tuesday, April 6.

Sue Vizzari, or Tanta Sue as she is better known, is director and head teacher of the program (she and her staff are looking to fill a few remaining spots for the fall of this year and will take registration through the summer). The maximum capacity for the 3-year-old class is 14, and 16 for the 4-year-old class. Both classes have been full for the past three years.

The nursery school, which has operated since 1968, focuses on teaching children social and language skills and prides itself on being a “community-based nursery school.â€

The curriculum includes math, science, pre-reading and pre-writing, free play, group activities and daily playground time outside. A music teacher comes once a month. The 4-year-olds take field trips to the firehouse and the library, and police officers and firefighters visit the 3-year-old class throughout the year.

The program is operated by three staff members: Tanta Sue, the head teacher; full-time assistant Deborah VanKeuran, who also works part-time as an assistant librarian at the Warren Public School and part-time assistant Jennifer Rux.

Many of the 14 members of the board of directors who oversee the policies of the nursery are mothers of enrolled children. The admissions director, Julie Saxton, said that the mothers pick up tasks such as organizing immunization forms.

Saxton said many parents are quick to enroll because of the engaging program and Tanta Sue, who has beenwith the school since 2001.

“Tanta is magic,†she said. “People call and ask, ‘Is this the program with Tanta Sue?’ She really has a knack for it.â€

A Kent resident of eight years, Tanta Sue has been teaching children for more than 30 years in Kansas and Connecticut and has an associate’s degree in early childhood education. Having taught for this long, Tanta Sue said she knows what the children want.

“I like teaching preschoolers because of their willingness to learn and their curiosity,†she said. “We only tweak behavior so they get along with themselves and their peers, and by the time they leave they are confident in their own personality.â€

After 40 years in operation, the nursery school is now enrolling children of parents who once attended the school.

Metta Delmore went to Kent Community Nursery School when she was 4 years old and said she has recently transfered her middle child to the nursery because of the class size, academic program and staff.

“Tanta Sue is great,†Delmore said. “She has a soft soul that the children really do well with.† She went on to say the social interaction the children get from working in a group and learning to share with peers as well as dealing with emotions is an essential life lesson that cannot really be taught at home.

The nursery school is currently accepting donations to repair the playground slide. The old slide is the same one Delmore’s father, Harry Rehnberg, bought and built 30 years ago when she attended the school.

The program runs concurrently with the Region One school schedule, from Labor Day in September through June.

The 3-year-old class, which meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon, costs $145 per month. Adding a Friday class increases the cost to $190 per month.

The 4-year-old class meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., which includes time for lunch, and costs $200 per month.

For more information about the program or how to get involved, visit kcns.org or call 860-927-1294.

Latest News

Cornwall board approves purchase of two new fire trucks following CVFD recommendation
CVFD reaches fundraising goal for new fire trucks
Provided

CORNWALL — At the recommendation of the Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department, on Jan. 20 the Board of Selectmen voted to move forward with the purchase of two new trucks.

Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, located in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, was chosen as the manufacturer. Of the three bids received, Greenwood was the lowest bidder on the desired mini pumper and a rescue pumper.

Keep ReadingShow less
Robin Lee Roy

FALLS VILLAGE — Robin Lee Roy, 62, of Zephyrhills, Florida, passed away Jan. 14, 2026.

She was a longtime CNA, serving others with compassion for more than 20 years before retiring from Heartland in Florida.

Keep ReadingShow less
Marjorie A. Vreeland

SALISBURY — Marjorie A. Vreeland, 98, passed away peacefully at Noble Horizons, on Jan. 10, 2026.She was surrounded by her two loving children, Richard and Nancy.She was born in Bronxville, New York,on Aug. 9, 1927, to Alice (Meyer) and Joseph Casey, both of whom were deceased by the time she was 14. She attended public schools in the area and graduated from Eastchester High School in Tuckahoe and, in 1946 she graduated from The Wood School of Business in New York City.

At 19 years old, she married Everett W. Vreeland of White Plains, New York and for a few years they lived in Ithaca, New York, where Everett was studying to become a veterinarian at Cornell. After a short stint in Coos Bay, Oregon (Mike couldn’t stand the cloudy, rainy weather!) they moved back east to Middletown, Connecticut for three years where Dr. Vreeland worked for Dr. Pieper’s veterinary practice.In Aug. of 1955, Dr. and Mrs. Vreeland moved to North Kent, Connecticut with their children and started Dr. Vreeland’s Veterinary practice. In Sept. of 1968 Marjorie, or “Mike” as she wished to be called, took a “part-time job” at the South Kent School.She retired from South Kent 23 years later on Sept. 1, 1991.Aside from office help and bookkeeping she was secretary to the Headmaster and also taught Public Speaking and Typing.In other times she worked as an assistant to the Town Clerk in Kent, an office worker and receptionist at Ewald Instruments Corp. and as a volunteer at the Kent Library.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rafael A. Porro

SALISBURY -— Rafael A. Porro, 88, of 4 Undermountain Road, passed away Jan. 6, 2026, at Sharon Hospital. Rafael was born on April 19, 1937 in Camaguey, Cuba the son of Jose Rafael Porro and Clemencia Molina de Porro. He graduated from the Englewood School for Boys in Englewood, New Jersey and attended Columbia University School of General Studies. Rafael retired as a law library clerk from the law firm of Curtis, Mallet Prevost in 2002 and came to live in Salisbury to be nearer to his sister, Chany Wells.

Rafael is survived by his sister, Chany Wells, his nephew Conrad Wells (Gillian), and by numerous cousins in North Carolina, Florida, Wyoming, Arizona, Cuba and Canada. He was the eldest of the cousins and acknowledged family historian. He will be greatly missed.

Keep ReadingShow less