We have an extraordinary team of teachers here at St. Mark’s Preschool. Each teacher comes with a unique set of experiences and educational backgrounds, but they share a passion for helping young kids learn and grow in a way that inspires a life long love of curiosity and learning.
Miss Kristine
Miss Kristine has been involved in Early Childhood for over 20 years in both teaching and administration roles and is always striving to improve her methods for understanding and connecting with young children.
She loves that at St. Mark’s Preschool she can help children express their wonders, think deeply and find the joy in the world around them.
Miss Carey
Miss Carey has lived in Glen Ellyn for almost 20 years. She taught kindergarten and Jr. High before having her 3 children. When her youngest was in school full-time, she went back to her teaching days as a substitute teacher for the Glen Ellyn Park District. Several years ago, she joined the staff at St. Mark’s Preschool. She is very excited to begin another year at SMP. She truly loves talking with the children throughout their day here.
Miss Jessica
Miss Jessica comes to us with previous experience in both classroom and household early childhood settings as well as experinece as a Registered Behavior Technician. She has a BA in Psychology and is currently pursuing her Masters in Early Childhood Education at St. Xavier University. Miss Jessica likes to create a warm environment with a variety of materials to explore creativity. She feels it is important to highlight children’s strengths and encourage children to be confident. She is excited to join in our Reggio-inspired practice!
Miss Beth
Miss Beth has a passion for helping children thrive and succeed. She joins us with an exrtensive background in Education and Early Childhood, most recently directing a Head Start program in Wisconsin. She holds a Masters in Education fro National Lewis University and has completed early Childhood coursework at Northeastern. Miss Beth believes it is important to support social/emotional learning at this age in a calming, soothing envirenment. She promotes problem-solving and encourages open-ended learning to let the child take the lead.
Miss Jen
Miss Jen feels so fortunate to be part of St. Mark’s Preschool. She spent much of her time teaching at the elementary and middle school level. After a break to raise her children, she decided to focus on early education. She believes in our preschool mission and the Reggio Emilia philosophy and knows that St. Mark’s is where she should be teaching. She is a positive and devoted teacher who focuses on the whole child, and she loves fostering children’s curiosity and learning through play.
Miss Lindsay
Miss Lindsay has a BA in Elementary Education from Michigan State University, an M.Ed. in Instructional leadership and is a certified yoga teacher. She has taught yoga at Lifetime Fitness and Essencia Yoga. Her kind, gentle spirit centers children. She enjoys empowering young people by teaching them how to connect with themselves through mindfulness and play.
Miss Tracy
Miss Tracy joins us with over 10 years of experience as an Early Childhood educator and director. Tracy attended Elmhurst College and has a BA in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Art. Miss Tracy feels that the most important thing a teacher can do is make a child feel important and valued and is committed to the growth and developmentof every child by creating a classroom atmosphere that is stimulating, supportive and safe
Miss Amy
Miss Amy is a native of Glen Ellyn and currently lives here with her family. She feels strongly that young children should be free to play and develop at their own pace, which makes the Reggio approach a good fit for her. She holds a BA in Music Education from the University of Illinois and taught music at the elementary level. In addition to teaching preschool class here at SMP, she is also our Music Specialist!
Miss Latasha
Miss Latasha believes it is important for every child to know they are safe and loved. She joins SMP with an Early Childhood Education and Care Degree from College of DuPage and has taught at several Early Childhood Centers throughout her career. Miss Latasha recognized the importance of speaking to young children in a way they can understand, she supports developmentally appropriate practice, and believes in a strong parent/teacher connection. Her joy is in building connections with each child in her class.