Early Care & Education in Napa Valley California

 

Miss Yasmin is the Director of both the Infant Center & Preschool Program at Children's Cottage.  She earned her Associate Degree in Child Family Studies from Napa Valley College and has been in the early care & education field for over a decade.  She speaks fluent Spanish and English, and knows sign language as well. Sign language is especially helpful when communicating with infants, since they cannot speak and wish to convey their needs and wants to their care-givers.  She is a member of the Professional Association for Childhood Education and attends their annual education conference in California each year.  She recently attended the annual Latina Women's Conference in Napa.  Yasmin and almost all the other staff at Children's Cottage have completed an intensive Program for Infant Toddler Care.  This collaboration with WestEd, The Center for Child & Family Studies, and the California Department of Education is a responsive, relationship-based approach to infant/toddler care and is based on sound development research, theory, and practice.  Yasmin has a daughter Mirella who went through the Children's Cottage Preschool Program and is now attending elementary school in Napa. 

 

Mary Welch founded Children's Cottage Child Care in Napa in 1993.  She has over 25 years of experience in early care & education and has 3 aldult children of her own who all attended preschool at Children's Cottage.  Mary has twice been a delegate to the World Forum on Early Care & Education and visited preschools in France, Greece, and Reggio Emila, Italy.  She completed a training practicum sponsored by Harvard University to learn more about brain development and the newest approaches to engaging children to beocme life-long learners.  She completed training in the Leadership Napa Valley program and is a member of the Professional Association for Childhood Education.  Mary is enthusiastic and passionate about educating young children and it shows.

 

 

Miss Kendall is the lead Preschool teacher.  She is an expert on reading readiness and the Integrated Total Language "ITL" program.  She teaches pre-Kindergarteners to become effective readers, writers, and communicators.  She also brings social development and math readiness to our program.  Kendall sings and plays the piano and offers voice and piano lessons to her students by arrangement after hours.  She is a passionate and engaging teacher.  When she was a little girl Kendall attended Children's Cottage preschool and now she is giving back all of the wonderful knowledge she has learned to her students.                       

 

Miss Susana is a patient and understanding teacher of some of our youngest children, the Caterpillars. She completed a Licentiate in Pre-School Education and two years towards a Master in Pedagogy in Mexico. This is equivalent to 2 years of post-baccalaureate education in the same field completed at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States.  She speaks Spanish and English and loves to paint and decorate.

 

 

Miss Lisa is the teacher of the Ladybug class.  She has a BA from Chapman University in Orange, California. She is very excited about working with the 2 year olds.  Lisa has taught every age group at Children's Cottage and she enjoys the Ladybugs the most.  She will help your child through potty training!  We supply the baby wipes and you provide the diapers.  Lisa will work with parents so that the potty training is consistent so that your child is on the same page at preschool and at home.

 

 

 

Miss Susie is a Preschool  teacher in the auditoriumalong with Miss Kendall. She speaks Spanish and English and is consistent and gentle with the children in her care.  She has baby girl Angelina who is adorable and in the Caterpillar class.

 

 

 

 

Miss Angelica is a teacher who has experience with the infants, toddlers, and preschool children.  She is bi-lingual and has a special love and respect for all of the children in her care.

 

 Miss Jessica is an Infant teacher who has had experience with all the children from ages 6 weeks to 6 years.  She is artistic, creative, bi-lingual, and loves helping all the children grow into life-long learners.

    

Miss Jenny is a co-teacher in thCaterpillar room.  She has her own baby Juan Carlos, who was born at the end of 2010.  She is a loving natural teacher who knows how to meet the needs of the toddlers.

 

      Miss Reyna works along with Miss Jessica in the Honeybees room.  She loves the babies and constantly interacts with them.  Reyna speaks Spanish and English.

 

Miss Daisy is a senior in high school and she is an aid at Children's Cottage in both the Infant Center as well as in the Preschool.

 

 

Ray Welch is the administrator for Children's Cottage and handles the website, billing, and other administrative functions at the center.  He graduated from the University of Connecticut school of Business and has three successful adult children with his wife Mary Welch, the founder of Children's Cottage in 1993.