Principal's Corner

Shannon Sharkey

Mrs. Shannon Sharkey, Ed.S. is thrilled to begin her second year as the proud Principal of Hornblower Early Childhood Center (HECC).  For five years, Mrs. Sharkey served as Supervisor of Special Services in Warren Township Public Schools, as well as the district’s Early Childhood Administrator. In her role as Supervisor, Mrs. Sharkey oversaw and evaluated Preschool Programming, curricula, professional development, and staffing.  She coordinated co-teaching and special education programs, including curriculum, assessment, and IEP programming and related services.  In addition, Mrs. Sharkey supported a tiered system of supports and implemented positive behavioral supports and verbal de-escalation strategies, including Non Violent Crisis Prevention Intervention, in special education programs, specifically ABA and LLD.

Mrs. Sharkey began her career as a speech and language pathologist over twenty years ago working on multi-disciplinary teams supporting students of various ages and abilities.  Mrs. Sharkey earned a Bachelor’s of Science and Master’s of Arts degree in Speech and Language Pathology from the College of New Jersey.  To broaden her impact on student success, Mrs. Sharkey attended Seton Hall University whereby in 2015 she earned an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Executive Educational Leadership, Management, and Policy and holds a Standard Supervisory Certificate, a Principal Provisional Certificate, and School Administrator Certificate of Eligibility.  Mrs. Sharkey has also served as an Adjunct Professor for William Paterson University’s Disabilities Studies Department.  She resides with her husband and three children.

As an Early Childhood Education leader, Mrs. Sharkey has overseen many successful changes in preschool programming, including the adoption and implementation of the Creative Curriculum, and monitoring of student progress, through utilization of the GOLD Assessment, to provide exceptional developmentally appropriate instruction based on evidence-based practice. She applies evidence from the ECERS-3rd edition to make informed decisions regarding resources and instruction to foster a high quality preschool program.  Mrs. Sharkey has routinely assessed staffing and scheduling needs, and coordinated and provided various professional development training to support preschool staff confidence and instruction..

As Principal of HECC, Mrs. Sharkey uses her extensive knowledge of child development and language acquisition to collaborate and lead the HECC team in creating an inclusive learning environment and positive school culture that fosters student creativity and grows student capacity to take risks.  She applies her skills and experiences to work with staff, parents, administration, and the Belleville community in continuing to grow a high quality preschool experience that builds a strong foundation for individual student success in the years to come.