The new school year is upon us and we are thrilled to be welcoming our new and returning families. I am pleased to announce that we have four amazing new teachers, and two fantastic teacher assistants who are joining our teaching team; it is clear that God had his hand in bringing them to First Presbyterian. Their names are Kate Hanson, Emily Prager, Jen Redding, Kelly Stell, Marianne Stride and Katie Thomson and you can read and learn more about them below.
I also want to highlight the launching of our new Extended Day program, which began registration on August 6th. We have had an exceptional response and currently have 64 students enrolled, 47 of them, who are already registered for the STEM/STEAM enrichment classes!
As you can imagine, all of these great additions are not possible without the amazing work and support that our Parent Board members provide. This type of parental participation is an integral part of the school and an excellent help to us teachers; it is also a wonderful point of pride to our students.
We appreciate all the work the Parent Board does for the preschool as well as the parent volunteers that help in making our preschool the best it can be for all the children involved in our program. Chair, Elyse Butler, along with 15 parents and staff are currently working on our Fall Fundraiser, organizing the parent volunteers, assigning a host family program in which a returning family familiar with First Presbyterian Preschool will be paired with helping a new family to transition not only to the preschool but to the community. We appreciate all of their hard work and dedication.
Here are more details of our new staff!
Kate Hanson
“I love watching the children’s eyes light up when they discover something new or realize they can do something all by themselves. I also love the opportunity for my creative side to come out in the planning processes.”
Emily Prager
“I like to teach because I love to watch kids learn and grow in fun and creative ways!”
Jen Redding
“I love teaching and grew up knowing I always wanted to be a teacher. I love listening to my students and learning how their minds work. Watching them explore and nurturing their creativity is the best part of our time together!”
Kelly Stell
“I love teaching because to be a part of a child’s growth is a true gift. I love the process of a child discovering something new. I am very grateful to be a part of this wonderful community at First Presbyterian Preschool.”
Marianne Stride
“After raising four children of my own and serving as a room parent for many years, I know how much I like to actively work with young children on a daily basis.”
Katie Thomson
“I love teaching because children are so curious and excited to explore! I especially love the preschool age group because you get to watch them discover so much for the first time. Their pure happiness and joy is really something special to experience each day!”
We are thrilled to have them alongside our current teaching staff. If you would like to see the rest of our teaching staff, click here!