Terry Haggerty loves being part of the Summit community where he and his family have lived for the past eight years. The father of two, coach, and teacher, who grew up in nearby Short Hills, recognized that the thriving Hilltop city was the ideal location to open his business, College Nannies & Tutors, in 2013 and I couldn’t have been happier to assist him in building out the space that houses his J venture.
In a very short time, the business, located at 458 Springfield Avenue, in the heart of the charming downtown, has blossomed into a go-to resource for students and families.
“This is a competitive area and students really take pride in their grades,” Haggerty says. “It’s very rewarding to watch relationships grow between these hard-working kids and their very talented tutors.”
Tailoring sessions to each child’s needs rather than tying lessons to the curriculum makes the instruction personalized and productive and just one reason College Nannies & Tutors is such a valuable asset to the community. Helping families get through those daunting SATs and ACTs, College Nannies & Tutors offers a range of preparatory services, including free testing. After grading the exams, parents and students can come in and discuss strengths and weaknesses, alleviating some of the pressure and setting high schoolers on a path for success.
Committed to Giving Back
In his free time, the devoted dad sits on the allocation committee of the Summit Education Foundation, a volunteer organization committed to raising funds that go toward ensuring the public school system flourishes by encouraging creative and innovative programming for students of all grade levels. After reviewing grant proposals, Haggerty and fellow committee members consider how to best allocate those contributions throughout the year.
Invested in seeing not only Summit’s capable youth succeed, the Haggertys lend their support to as many charitable endeavors as possible. Their desire to pitch in and help the community they love has led them to donate to schools and churches in the area and partner with other local businesses.
“We’ll offer an hour of tutoring or several hours of child care and a restaurant will donate a dinner and a wine shop will provide a bottle of wine and you have a ‘A Night Out on the Town’ package. It’s been a big hit at local fundraising auctions. It’s a great way to give back. Anything we can do to help and cement our ties within the community, we’re happy to do it,” Haggerty says.
Specializing in Peace of Mind
What the Haggertys and I believe really sets their business apart is that residents know they’ll find a friendly voice on the other end of the phone whenever they’re in need of assistance.
“We do have an online presence but at the same time, we’re here and we’ve got your back,” Haggerty says. “If your nanny calls in sick, we’re ready with a back-up. We do full reference, background, and driving checks. We’re all about ownership and accountability. People feel much more reassured knowing we’re very hands-on and if they’re in a jam, we’re ready to help.”
His passion for helping others and desire to support the community he treasures have not only helped Terry Haggerty’s business succeed, they also illustrate why I view the entrepreneur as an integral part of the spirit of Summit.
