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Director
Georgia Gray Georgia Gray is our Director. Mrs. Gray has eight years experience working with children in a registered home daycare and nine years experience working with people with developmental disabilities. Mrs. Gray has a Bachelor of Psychology degree from St. Mary''s College of Maryland. She lives in Hollywood with her husband and two sons. Both of her boys are graduates of Little Seedlings Preschool and Kindergarten. Mrs. Gray enjoys reading, scrapbooking, gardening, playing soccer with her boys, and vacationing with her family. She is very excited to be part of the Little Seedlings team! |
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Music
Kristen Whittington Kristen Whittington is the Music Teacher at Little Seedlings. Mrs. Whittington has a Bachelor of Arts degree from West Virginia University in Visual and Performing Arts. Mrs. Whittington taught Music for the St. Mary’s County Public School system before joining Little Seedlings. Music classes will have wonderful songs about God and the Bible along with songs of life. She has already brought to the school various musical instruments in the classroom for the enjoyment and exploration of the students! Your student will be arriving home with some toe tapping songs to sing for you. She is excited about our music program and is planning our pageants for Christmas and Easter! Mrs. Whittington resides in Leonardtown with her husband and three daughters. Her middle daughter is in our three year old afternoon class. |
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Three-Year-Old Tree House
Jennifer Collier Jennifer Collier teaches the Three Year-Old class on Tuesday and Thursday. This is Mrs. Collier’s sixth year with Little Seedlings Christian Preschool and Kindergarten. She has taught the three year old class the past 3 years and taught the afternoon 3&4 class in 2003-2005. Mrs. Collier possesses a Masters in Education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She also has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Family and Child Development and Biology. She currently holds a teaching certificate in the state of Maryland to teach K-8. This past year she completed courses in a Staff Development Resource Course with music by Dr. Jean and a Masters level course Conflict Resolution in Child Care. She is active with the Brownies and with the Chesapeake Charter School. Mrs. Collier was a Sunday School Teacher for the 3 and 4 year olds as well as for 2nd graders at my current church St. John''s Catholic Church. From 1994-1997 Mrs. Collier taught at Margaret Brent Middle School as a biology teacher and served as the Supervisor of the Student Council. After leaving the full-time teaching position to become a full-time Mom, Mrs. Collier became a Home Hospital Teacher for the St. Mary’s Public Schools. Mrs. Collier lives in Leonardtown with her husband and three children. Mrs. Collier is energized to teach the Three Year Old class! |
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Three-Year-Old Tree House
Therese Bergen
Therese Bergen, “Rese” will be a long-term substitue in the Three Year-Old class on Tuesday and Thursday. Rese’s College Education consists of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from Mary Washington University, and in recent years (2006 and 2008) two Early Childhood Education classes were taken through the College of Southern Maryland. Rese has taught at Little Seedlings Christian Preschool and Kindergarten for five years and is entering her sixth school year with the preschool. She enjoys using her Geography knowledge to enhance her class’s curriculum. Previously, she worked as a substitute teacher at Leonardtown Elementary School, and has spent many years volunteering at her children’s schools. Rese has been a Sunday school teacher for the past several years at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and has coached girl’s youth lacrosse for many years. Her personal hobbies include playing tennis regularly, walking her dogs, and being an avid reader. She has two children and is married, and she and her family live in the Breton Bay area of Leonardtown. |
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Three & Four-Year-Old Farm Room
Jamie Jameson Jamie Jameson is excited and happy to be part of the fun and learning at Little Seedlings, she will be teaching the Three and Four Year-Old Monday/Tuesday & Thursday/Friday afternoon class. Mrs. Jameson comes to us with an extensive education background. She has a B.S. in Psychology from James Madison University, a Masters in Arts in Teaching from the University of Pittsburgh, and Post Graduate Studies from Towson University with an Administration I Certificate. She has maintained a 4.0 GPA. She started her teaching experience in 1995 working her way up to Assistant Principal of Dynard Elementary School. She left this position to raise her three children (her first little one just graduated from Little Seedlings and her twin boys will be attending Little Seedlings this school year. The baby will hopefully come to Little Seedlings in a few years!) She is active in her church, St. John’s Catholic Church and is an avid runner and experienced gardener. Mrs. Jameson resides in Hollywood with her husband and four children. |
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Three & Four-Year-Old Farm Room
Courtney Smith Courtney Smith is looking forward to teaching an exciting year with Mrs. Jameson in the Three and Four Year-Old Monday/Tuesday & Thursday/Friday afternoon class. Mrs. Smith has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Services with a minor in Psychology from Elon University. She is interested in obtaining her teaching credentials while working at Little Seedlings. She has been the Youth Director for two years at her previous church and a substitute teacher at the Stratford Preschool teaching three and four year olds. As a volunteer, Mrs. Smith was a counselor at LaJolla United Methodist Church, camp counselor at San Diego Jr. and Sr. High Summer Camp, Dean of the San Diego District Senior High Camp, and a reading mentor at Leonardtown Elementary School. Ms. Smith is active with the Vacation Bible School at First Saints Community Church in July 2009. She enjoys reading, scrapbooking and running. Mrs. Smith lives with her husband and two children in Hollywood. |
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Four-Year-Old Farm Room
Virginia Latyak Virginia Latyak (Ginger) is teaching the Four Year-Old Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday morning class. She has been teaching with us for three years. Before Little Seedlings Mrs. Latyak had been teaching preschool with Our Savior Lutheran Nursery School in New Jersey since 1981. She served as Head teacher for the two and half year old program, the three year old program, and the four year old program. As Head teacher she set up curriculum and activities along with annual progress reports for the three and four year old students. She served as Preschool Director from 1994-1997. Mrs. Latyak attended the Central Technical Institute receiving a certificate in Business Automation; William Patterson College attending programs in continuing education; and the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association conferences and seminars in early childhood education. This past year, Mrs. Latyak took courses in Children and Science: A Natural Fit; Cultural & Linguistic Competence Training; Sensory Integration: Understanding the Over & Under Stimulated Child; Color Me Healthy; Getting a Life: Transition to Competent Adulthood for Young People with Autism; and Importance of Play for Social Emotional Development. Mrs. Latyak works as the Co- Sunday School Superintendent/Teacher; she is on the Board for Rays of Light Pre-School, and a Member of Stitching Saints, Choir, and Vacation Bible School art coordinator at Good Samaritan Lutheran Church. Mrs. Latyak is looking forward to teaching. She likes to read and enjoys her grandchildren. She crochets, sews, does crafts and enjoys cooking. Mrs. Latyak makes some of the outfits that our “Door Goose” wears during the year! She moved to Wildewood with her husband in August 2006 to be near and be able to enjoy her daughter & son-in-law and grandchildren. |
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Four-Year-Old Farm Room
Cyndi Scheffler Cyndi Scheffler will be teaching the Four Year-Old Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday morning class. (Mrs. Duff met Mrs. Scheffler when she was teaching Mrs. Duff’s daughter at Hollywood Elementary School.) Mrs. Scheffler has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from California State University, Chico. She went on to California State University, Fullerton to receive her Teaching Certification for Preschool thru 12th grades. She is currently enrolled at Towson University in their Masters Degree program for Early Childhood Education where she has maintained a 4.0 GPA. She has also taken Color Me Healthy and Getting a Life: Transition to Competent Adulthood for Young People with Autism. Her husband had been in the military (and is retired) and she traveled extensively with her family and taught at various schools during his duty stations such as Virginia Beach. She and Mrs. Latyak are co-superintendents of Sunday School at Good Samaritan Lutheran Church. Mrs. Scheffler teaches Sunday School and is active on various committees in her Church. Mrs. Scheffler has two daughters who attend college at Northeastern University in Boston. Mrs. Scheffler resides in Wildewood with her husband. |
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Four-Year-Old Tree House
Therese Bergen Therese Bergen, “Rese” will be teaching the Four Year-Old Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning class. Rese’s College Education consists of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from Mary Washington University, and in recent years (2006 and 2008) two Early Childhood Education classes were taken through the College of Southern Maryland. Rese has taught at Little Seedlings Christian Preschool and Kindergarten for five years and is entering her sixth school year with the preschool. She enjoys using her Geography knowledge to enhance her class’s curriculum. Previously, she worked as a substitute teacher at Leonardtown Elementary School, and has spent many years volunteering at her children’s schools. Rese has been a Sunday school teacher for the past several years at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and has coached girl’s youth lacrosse for many years. Her personal hobbies include playing tennis regularly, walking her dogs, and being an avid reader. She has two children and is married, and she and her family live in the Breton Bay area of Leonardtown. |
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Four-Year-Old Tree House
Brenda Miller Brenda Miller will be teaching the Four Year Old Tree House Class on Monday/Wednesday/Friday morning class this year. Mrs. Miller began teaching at Little Seedlings during the 2005-2006 school year filling a vacancy in the Three Year Old morning class. Mrs. Miller holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Marycrest College with a minor in Psychology. This past year she completed courses in Color Me Healthy and The Importance of Play for Social Emotional Development. In 2004 Mrs. Miller completed the St. Mary’s County Public School Substitute Teaching class and has been a substitute teacher for the Pre-K and Kindergarten classes in the public school system. (Mrs. Miller adds to our wonderful program by sharing what she teaches in the Public Schools.) She has taught Sunday School at St. Paul’s for eight years and is currently the Children’s Ministries Team Lead on the Church Council. Mrs. Miller worked as a teacher with the Mother’s Day Out program for five years on Monday and Wednesday. She enjoys reading, listening to music, and volunteering in her children’s schools. Mrs. Miller resides with her husband and two children in Callaway. |
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Kindergarten
Laurie Swain Laurie Swain is our Kindergarten teacher. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a concentration in Psychology and a Master of Science in Reading Education. Mrs. Swain just completed three more college courses in her field in 2008 while working with us. She also attended the class for “Children and Science: A Natural Fit”. Mrs. Swain has taught school for 20 years. Her teaching experience has ranged from New Hampshire, Maine, Alexandria, Virginia, and lastly the Hollywood United Methodist Church Preschool in Hollywood, Maryland. Mrs. Swain is educated in Language Development and Reading, Diagnosis and Remediation of Reading, Advanced Diagnosis and Remediation of Reading, and Contemporary Issues in Reading Research along with other knowledge in concepts related to reading. Mrs. Swain has a son who attends Leonardtown High School. She is married and lives with her husband and son in Breton Bay. Mrs. Swain is very energized to teach this class! |
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Kindergarten
Carmel Chick Carmel Chick is the Paraprofessional in the Kindergarten class. She has worked with Mother’s Day Out for 4 years and has been a permanent substitute teacher for Little Seedlings for four years. She has been an active volunteer with the MOMS Club of Southern Maryland. She currently serves on the board of the PTA at Banneker Elementary School, where she loves to volunteer. Her two sons attended Little Seedlings. Mrs. Chick and her family attend the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church where she teaches CCD classes. She is also involved with the Gabriel Project through her church. Mrs. Chick loves to cook, bake, read, walk and travel. Mrs. Chick resides with her husband and two children in Mechanicsville. She is excited to be working with the Kindergarten class! |
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