Faculty and Staff
Preschool of the Arts is a tax-exempt organization governed by their staff, faculty, and a volunteer Board of Directors .
To directly contact our staff please see their email links below.
Sojin Chi, Executive Director
Lynne Yudice, Director of Administration and Finance
Debbie Hemb, Parent Coordinator
Cheri Daugherity-Knight, Curriculum Director
Meg Shelly, Administrative Assistant
Terry Bell, Afternoon Administrative Assistant
PSA’s diverse and talented teachers are active learners themselves, implementing the Reggio-inspired curriculum by sharing the children’s delight in exploring ideas. Whether it means digging in the dirt for worms, building a circus for squirrels, or arranging a visit to a water treatment plant, teachers and children follow ideas wherever they may lead.
Each PSA classroom is led by a team of two full-time co-teachers and one afterschool assistant. Supported by our Faculty Coordinator, classroom teachers meet and collaborate with the art and music specialists and other staff to facilitate classroom projects.
Our teachers come from diverse cultural backgrounds and have a wealth of teaching experience. Co-teachers average over twelve years of total teaching experience, with several having taught for decades. And, once hired at PSA, teachers tend to stay; the average tenure of a co-teacher is over six years. This longevity allows teachers to develop the long-term relationships with children that are at the heart of the Reggio philosophy.
PSA’s teachers all meet or exceed the requirements of the Academy of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Co-teachers must have at a minimum an associate’s degree in child development. Most of our teachers have four-year degrees in early childhood education, child development, elementary education or a closely related field and five have Master’s degrees. PSA’s assistants, many of whom also have four-year degrees or are education majors in college, are carefully selected for their nurturing qualities as well as the diverse curriculum experiences they add to our school.
Finally, in keeping with Reggio’s emphasis on life-long learning, PSA’s teachers enjoy rich opportunities for professional development. Monthly staff meetings often feature a speaker from outside the preschool or a presentation by a faculty or staff member on a topic relevant to all. PSA has also hosted weekend conferences, which teachers attend, on topics related to early childhood development and education. The preschool has even sent several teachers to Reggio Emilia, Italy.updated: July 27 2009