About Us
Our mission
At Northern Dutchess Day Care, our mission is to provide nurturing, high-quality early education for toddlers through five-year-olds. Rooted in the principles of Forest and Nature Preschool, we support each child’s unique development while inspiring a lifelong love of learning and a deep respect for all living things—great and small.
Together we grow.
Growth happens best in partnership. At Northern Dutchess Day Care, we foster a warm, supportive environment where children feel safe to explore, take risks, and develop at their own pace. Our experienced staff work closely with parents and caregivers to nurture each child’s curiosity, confidence, and sense of belonging. Through meaningful relationships, play, and connection with nature, we help children grow into compassionate, capable learners.
Meet our Team
Priscilla Gideon
— Executive Director
Priscilla Gideon is a University Scholar Honors Graduate of Princeton University, with two Masters’ Degrees from Columbia. She is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio, an award winning short fiction writer, and, little known fact…an Irish citizen!
Priscilla’s secret to a lifetime working with children is a very active inner child. Joy and a sense of wonder are at the heart of everything she does.
-
Renee Caporaletti Coons
Educator
I love watching children explore nature and light up with excitement as they learn. Teaching is especially rewarding when I see their enthusiasm and growth, whether I’m reading stories aloud or guiding them through new challenges. Outside the classroom, I enjoy reading, walking, and cooking. Cats are my favorite companions—and vanilla ice cream is my go-to treat!
-
Jane Garcia
Educator
I love seeing children’s imaginations expand through nature and creative play. Teaching is rewarding because every day brings a new moment of growth—whether it’s learning a letter, discovering something in nature, or diving into a fun sensory activity. Outside of work, I enjoy reading thrillers and fantasy novels, drawing, and swimming. Dogs are my favorite companions, and vanilla ice cream is my simple indulgence.
-
Kiera Tolli
Educator
-
Michaela Charter
Educator
-
Zoe Scribner
Educator
-
AnnMarie Ross
Educator
-
Maxine Weiss
Educator
Training
All staff complete a minimum of 15 hours per year of New York State–regulated training, including but not limited to CPR, First Aid, Shaken Baby Syndrome, Child Abuse and Maltreatment, and Child Development. Each staff member is fingerprinted and cleared by New York State and serves as a mandated reporter.
Our child-to-teacher ratios are 1:5 for toddlers and 1:7 for our Mixed Age Classroom. All teachers hold at least a two-year degree in Early Childhood Education, with several possessing higher-level degrees.
Our staff’s dedication to the field of early education is deeply valued and widely respected by the families we serve and the broader community.
Our History
Founded in 1970, Northern Dutchess Day Care has served generations of families in Rhinebeck as the area’s first and only non-profit childcare center. For over five decades, we've provided consistent, dependable care to working families—adapting with the times while staying rooted in community values.
In 2025, with the support of parents and local advocates, Northern Dutchess Day Care returned to independent operation. Today, we remain committed to our legacy of nurturing young children in a safe, caring environment—now enriched by a nature-based model that reflects the needs and rhythms of the children we serve.
Location
We are located just outside the Village of Rhinebeck, nestled along the edge of Ferncliff Forest.
26 Mount Rutsen Rd. Rhinebeck NY 12572
Hours
Monday - Friday
7:30 am - 5:30 pm
Maria Montessori
“The main thing is that the groups should contain different ages, because it has great influence on the cultural development of the child. This is obtained by the relations of the children among themselves. You cannot imagine how well a young child learns from an older child; how patient the older child is with the difficulties of the younger.”
Mr. Rogers