Early Childhood

I started my teaching career by majoring in Lower Elementary Education and began teaching in a kindergarten classroom, moving on to first grade a few years later. When my son was small, I opted to start a preschool with another friend of mine. We designed a Montesorri type curriculum and our classes were filled to the brim with 3, 4, and 5 year olds. I have continued this interest by serving on the Building Directions for Families Empowerment and Decat board serving Buchanan, Delaware, and Fayette Counties.

I have been most pleased with the state adoption of Quality Preschool Program Standards (QPPS) . and the Early Learning Standards. When my friend and I began our preschool, we discovered, much to our dismay, that the state was very interested in the safety of children - as they should be - but didn't pay much attention to the curriculum we were offering. Things are looking better now. With the adoption of standards, preschool education has made a big leap forward

It is my hope that I can help develop collaborative relationships between BDF, preschools and the schools. Leaving the "nest" can be exciting and a growth opportornity for children as well as a source of anxiety. Our preschools and the teachers need a strong support system that will help them make the preschool experience one the children look forward to each day.