Since 1990, Over the Rainbow has been caring for and educating children, infants to 12 years old, in Greater New Haven, Hamden, and Cheshire.
Our Goal
Encourage children to become life-long learners.
We Believe
A healthy and safe child learns best.
We Provide
A creative, stimulating, nurturing, and clean setting for your child Our dedicated
Teachers
CPR, First Aid, and Medication Administration certified
We maintain a system of 12 closed-circuit cameras to keep track of classrooms, the playground, and driveways. A state-of-the-art biometric security system enables us to control access to the facility. All parents and staff are required to enter a code to gain entry.
Our Core Values
FAMILY
EXCELLENCE
We strive for excellence in all that we do, throughout the day, at OTR. Giving every child and parent the best daycare service every day!
FUN
KINDNESS
Our Mission Statement
Meet the Team
Jaime Tessman
Jaime has always known that she wanted to work with children. While working towards her high school and college diplomas, she worked at a daycare with special needs adults and worked with children with autism as a paraprofessional. She taught Kindergarten for six years and third grade for one year. She left that profession to raise her three children and pursue her dream of having her own school. Building Over the Rainbow into an accomplished learning institution is equal to the joy of raising her children.
Emalee Schilling
Emalee has been working with children of all ages for 15 years. She started out babysitting for family and friends until she stumbled upon a daycare center position and found her true passion. She was originally hired in 2016 as a Toddler teacher and moved into the Preschool room for about a year. Emalee was the Assistant Director for more than 2 years, and is now the Executive Director and loves what she does!
Carol Yale
Carol joined the OTR family in July of 2021 as our Program Coordinator and in September 2022 she was promoted to Regional Director. Prior to that, she worked at Stop & Shop Supermarkets for 25 years as a Cash Office Manager, Receiver/Billing clerk, and Payroll clerk. She retired in 2021 so her children could continue playing travel softball and baseball. Carol has a Bachelor’s degree in sociology from Southern Connecticut State University. She is happily married and has two children. She loves scrapbooking, making greeting cards, cooking, playing board games, traveling, and spending time with her family. Carol loves working with the children and staff at all of our locations.
Tammy Vertucci
Tammy is the mother of 3 wonderful adult children. She was a Pre-K teacher for 16 years, the last 4 of which were at Over the Rainbow. Tammy was promoted to Assistant Director in 2022. Tammy loves working with the families and children at the Cheshire center. She has a great rapport with the staff and families.
Chineal Thorne
Chineal is a passionate child development professional who is also committed to supporting neurodivergent individuals. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, and with family roots in the beautiful island of Barbados, Chineal brings a unique perspective to her work. She holds a Master of Science in Child Development Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from UCONN. With years of experience as a behavior therapist, assistant teacher, and residential staff for neurodivergent children, adolescents, and adults, she is dedicated to positively impacting the lives of those she works with. Outside of her professional life, Chineal is a loving mother to two children and enjoys exploring new foods, cooking, dancing, and traveling. Family is incredibly important to her, and she cherishes the time spent with them. Chineal’s passion for helping others and her vibrant energy make her an invaluable part of our team!