Our teachers come from a diverse background in their education and experience teaching young children.
They are committed to the highest level of excellence in your child’s preschool education.
Miss Laura, Preschool Director
Miss Laura hails from Maryland where she completed a degree in Elementary Education at UMD, followed by a Masters in School Counseling from Johns Hopkins. After teaching first and third grades in both Maryland and Fairfax County, she had two children. When Miss Laura entered Chantilly Academy Preschool as a parent, she was hit with the fever to teach with us, beginning as a volunteer for one year and now as a teacher. Miss Laura incorporates a solid math foundation into her language arts lessons, a testimony to her seven years as a primary grade teacher. Miss Laura’s educational philosophy is based on the belief the early years are the most important in a child’s development. A preschool teacher is responsible for instilling in children a love of school and learning. Children should be nurtured in a safe, warm, engaging learning environment.
Miss Suzanne
Miss Suzanne, armed with a degree in Marketing and Business from UMD, worked in several diverse business environments, including radio, but her heart was always in preschool. Considering every mother their child’s first educator, Miss Suzanne has been teaching since her sons were born over twenty-six years ago, along with teaching in the classroom for almost twenty years. Miss Suzanne joined our staff twelve years ago when her husband retired from the Air Force and has established herself as the 5 day, academic-centered, last step before kindergarten. Her class participates in task oriented activities while offering equal opportunities for the children to engage in social and dramatic play. Expectations are clear as Miss Suzanne is committed to getting the children “ready to learn” – learn to get along with others, take turns, listen to others respectfully, to follow directions and use their imagination to create and problem solve.
Miss Sheri
Miss Sheri, with a major in General Education is our sunny California girl by way of the ALOHA state. With grown children, she joined Chantilly Academy Preschool over eight years ago. Finding more than a job, Miss Sheri found a home away from home. “Play, play, play is what every child needs to do,” says Miss Sheri. Miss Sheri believes learning how to share is difficult, but knowing how to negotiate is the key to life, a skill she models when she greets each child as they enter the preschool. Her role as the aide is varied, holding them when they miss their mom, running with them in the gym, and even throwing snowballs with them as they come in and out from carpool; spoil when necessary.
Miss Jen
Miss Jen grew up in sunny California and graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing. She moved to Virginia in 2000 and worked as a pediatric nurse for many years. Miss Jen has always had a passion for helping children and sees each child as an individual who needs nurturing and support to be all that he or she can be. Miss Jen lives in Centreville with her husband and 2 children. Her children, ages 13 and 11, both attended Chantilly Academy Preschool! Miss Jen is so excited to be back as a teacher! In Miss Jen’s spare time, she enjoys gardening and considers herself the ultimate soccer mom (a.k.a. shuttle driver who is constantly on the road driving her children to and from soccer games and tournaments).
Miss Annie
Miss Annie is a New Jersey native who’s lived in Northern Virginia since 2006. She holds a BA in English & Psychology from Northeastern University in Boston and has previous experience teaching at a Montessori school and as a special needs aide to a middle schooler with autism. In teaching some of Chantilly Academy’s youngest students, Miss Annie creates a warm classroom environment that fosters the essential foundations of learning: feeling safe and secure, developing curiosity and a love of learning, and practicing social interaction. She lives with her husband and 3 children (a daughter in 2nd grade, and sons in 7th and 8th grades). In her spare time, she enjoys painting, Crossfit, and training her 3 rescue dogs.
Miss Mary
Miss Mary grew up in Maryland and graduated from University of Maryland Baltimore County with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies and Psychology. She worked in commercial real estate then decided to stay home and be the primary caregiver for her two daughters, filling their days with art projects, play dates, books and fun experiments. When her youngest was about to start kindergarten, she wanted to continue working with young children during their important developmental years and loves teaching Enrichment at Chantilly Academy! Outside of teaching, Miss Mary spends her time volunteering at her daughters’ elementary school, working with their Girl Scout troops, and getting her girls to their soccer, lacrosse, basketball, swim, and gymnastics activities.
