THE OBSERVATION BOOTH
OP / ED BY ANDREA DIALECT
“I always had the desire to work in Early Education, and I wanted to own a childcare center. The very first school that I purchased, my parents took out a second mortgage on their home in order for me to make that purchase. I know that I meant the world to my parents, and when they passed away, they took a piece of me, a large piece, a piece of my heart. They were my solid ground, my foundation.” – Dr. Wright
As I glanced at the signage while passing the newly renovated building en route to work one afternoon, Dr. Wright immediately popped into my head as a worthy candidate for our Women’s Month Feature this year. Once I made that decision, I went on the hunt the very next morning.
When visiting the first site, I was quite impressed by the level of security, the building aesthetics, her staff’s inviting demeanor, and professionalism. But I was even more impressed by the last spot I visited, where the male admin/receptionist promptly got my phone ringing in record time. Like Johnny on the spot, Dr. Wright was on that call, and that was indeed impressive also.
Her dedication to her work, children, community, as a leader, professor, and a businesswoman is indeed worthy of our respect and admiration. Well done, Dr. Wright.
Lynda Lynn-Wright, Ed.D.
Executive Director / Proprietor
THREE STAGES CHILDCARE & LEARNING CENTERS
Website: www.3stageschildcarecenter.com
STAGE 1
Andrea: “Dr. Wright, who are you?”
Dr. Wright: “I am a child of God first. That’s exactly who I am. I think that God has poured so much into me. To whom much is given, much is required! As a child, I was very spoiled. I am the youngest and only girl. I had three brothers, and I grew up in a generational household, with my grandparents, my mother and father, and my brothers. I received something from each generation, and I was sheltered, which wasn’t a bad thing. I couldn’t often go outside, and if I did, it would be on the porch with my grandparents. They really sheltered me, and it was a good thing.”
“I didn’t realize how much I had been sheltered until after I got married. I got married at a young age, twenty-one. I think I got married so young because I wanted to break loose. I saw my friends going out to parties and hanging out, doing things that my parents didn’t allow. I divorced after eight years, and I have been happily married to my current husband for twenty-five years.”
STAGE 2
“Children are very intuitive. They know who cares about them and who’s just there. If you show them love, they are going to give that love back.” – Dr. Wright
“I was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, and I attended Malcolm X Shabazz High School. I went off to college as soon as I got out of high school, but I wasn’t ready for college. The district did not prepare me for college, so I took courses at Essex County College. I then went on to Bloomfield College and got my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. I obtained my Master’s from Caldwell University in Educational Leadership and pursued my Doctoral Degree from Caldwell University with a minor in Special Education. In doing so, I also received my certification as a School Principal and a School Administrator.”
“My story regarding my pursuit of education is this: I had one of the best preschool teachers ever, Mrs. Washington. The way she made me feel, I wanted to make others feel the same way, and I always said I wanted to do what she was doing. When I left my home, that safe environment with my parents, grandparents, and siblings, and entered another world, that person made me feel so safe and secure. That’s what I wanted to give others. From a very, very young age – I want to say I was five – I knew that was something I wanted to do. I feel that this is why I have a passion for what I do.”
“But it was my dad who inspired me. I was a daddy’s girl, and he always told me that I gave him bragging rights. So everything I did, I wanted to do it at its best because I needed my dad to brag about me; he was so proud of me. He was an entrepreneur, and they were homeowners way back in the fifties. He owned a bar, and my parents owned a store, a butcher shop. My father also owned a race car, and he would go and race. I just remember him having all these trophies. He always inspired me, and I was in awe of him. He really pushed me to be the best.”
STAGE 3
“We are all unique individuals. I don’t teach from a quality level; I teach from an equity level.” – Dr. Wright
“I always had the desire to work in Early Education, and I wanted to own my own childcare center. It’s just that simple; there’s nothing behind it. The very first school that I purchased, my parents took out a second mortgage on their home in order for me to make that purchase. I was twenty-five when I purchased my first childcare center. It was an existing school, and once I purchased it, I opened it with very few students. But within a six-month period, I was at full capacity.
“My collaboration with Head Start began around the year 2000. It was 1994 when I opened the first school. When I first started, it was just preschool. After losing my parents, I didn’t trust anyone to watch my children, so I wanted to have infant-toddler care at the facility. I wanted that service to also be available for other women. Also, when I purchased that school, some of the teachers stayed on. I personally interviewed potential teachers and staff, and when I hire a teacher, I am looking for compassion and a passion for what they’re doing.
“You can’t just say, ‘I love working with children.’ Everyone says, ‘I love children, I love working with children,’ but what happens when working with a child you don’t like? So, I have to know that you have a passion for learning and teaching. You can teach, but you have to be teachable. Being teachable means that you want to learn, so you’re investing in yourself. Those are some of the things that I am looking for.
“If a teacher invests in themselves, I know that they’re going to invest in those children. I don’t teach in the classroom, but I do go in to see if they are teaching the curriculum to its fidelity. I need to know that what I am giving you, you’re pouring into these children.
“When I walk into the classroom, I’m looking for certain things. I’m looking to make sure that I can identify different labs in the classroom. Those labs are full of resources. If I go into your dramatic play lab, I need to see dress-up clothes, I need to hear conversation. The teacher must know all the students’ names. A name is very important. I don’t go in to teach, but I go in to make sure that those teachers are teaching those children.
“I completed my Doctoral Degree about five years ago. I wanted to have everything done before I hit fifty. It was my long term goal was to be a doctor in education.”
DID YA KNOW THAT…
Dr. Lynda Lynn-Wright is an accomplished educator leader and school administrator with a passion for transforming and highlighting preschool education. She has a wealth of experience in various roles, including serving as a former school board member and a current Morris County School Board Association Board of Directors member.
Throughout her tenure as a school board member, Dr. Wright demonstrated exceptional leadership skills holding chair positions and advocating for policies that prioritize student success and equity.
Recognizing the importance of early childhood education Dr. Wright founded Three Stages Childcare and Learning Center in 1994. She currently owns and operates four (4) early childcare programs. Three Stages is a high-quality early learning childcare center. It’s innovative approach to curriculum development and commitment to nurturing the whole child has positively impacted countless young learners.
Dr. Wright has dedicated her life to advocacy in making young children a priority and affording them an exceptional early learning education and experience. Her aspirations have always been to close the educational gap amongst children from lower socioeconomic communities and provide equity for all children. Dr. Wright has collaborations with local, state, and federal educational organizations in her work community to help enrich the lives of others.
In addition to Dr. Wright’s administrative roles, she also serves as an adjunct professor, sharing her expertise and passion for education with aspiring educators and students. In her spare time, she enjoys staying updated on the latest research and trends in education, as well as engaging in community service with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Dr. Wright is a wife to a retired police detective, Tommy Wright who is her partner in the childcare industry. Dr. Wright is the mother of three (3) loving young men and a stepmother to two (2) beautiful and talented young women. Family is everything to her. She enjoys family gatherings, being a life-long learner, and spending time at home.
EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS
- Doctoral: Caldwell University, 2019
- M.A., Educational Leadership: Caldwell University, 2005
- B.A., Psychology: Bloomfield College, 2004
- State of New Jersey Department of Education School Administrator
- State of New Jersey Department of Education Principal
- State of New Jersey Teacher Certification of Eligibility Preschool – Third Grade.
ORGANIZATIONS
- DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, Inc. MORRISTOWN ALUMNAE CHAPTER (MAC)
- NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE
- HANOVER TOWNSHIP BOARD OF EDUCATION (Board Member 2021-2023)
- BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT MORRIS COUNTY SBA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (2023 -present)
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