Lead Teacher: Ms. Mellanie
Class Age: 3½ - 4½ year olds
Class Ratio: 1 Teacher to 10 Children
My name is Mellanie
and I am the Pre-K teacher here at Eatonville Early Learning Center.
Working with children is my
passion!
My career began in 1982 as a volunteer in my son’s Muckleshoot Head Start classroom. This lead to full time employment in 1983. I then earned my CDA (child development associate) Certification in 1986, which I have kept current through attending college courses and workshops. After ten years of employment at this wonderful facility, I moved and changed employment to the Tahoma Co-Op in Maple Valley. Here I developed skills to help me work with many diverse personalities, as parents are the driving force behind a co-op program. I enjoyed my work at this facility from 1995 until 1999, and then once again I moved forcing my find new employment. This is when I heard about a fairly new childcare facility that was looking for a qualified preschool teacher. I worked for Shelley Flippen until she sold the center in 2006. I have continued employment here with our new owner Chris Cox.
I love teaching, especially four and five year olds. My job is to get your child ready to attend Kindergarten. We will work to strengthen your child’s social, emotional, motor, cognitive, curiosity and creativity skills. You child will learn in a structured environment with simple rules and appropriate consequences and of course plenty of love. My simple goal is to work with parents to meet the needs of each individual child so that they can learn in the best environment possible.
~Ms. Mellanie
What You Can Expect in Preschool
We
will be doing very messy projects in our classroom. I have aprons for the
children, but they still manage to ruin their clothes. I suggest sending your
child in play clothes that you won’t mind if they get stained. Second hand
stores or yard sale clothes are best to send your child to school in. There are
times during the year when your child will be expected to dress up, and on those
days we will not do messy activities.
Every now and then a child will get so busy they forget to run to the
bathroom, so accidents happen. Please bring an extra set of clothes for your
child to keep at school. I will put them in a clear plastic bin with your
child’s name on it. If your child has to change their clothes it will be your
responsibility to replace his/her clothes in the bin.
We
will go on field trips during the school year. The van we have can transport
only 13 children so, I will ask for parent volunteers to help by driving their
own child. We have a lot of fun, and it is a great opportunity for you to spend
a special day with your child.
A child’s behavior is determined by many factors. Any kind of change in
the life of a child is a big factor. If there are any changes going on in your
life, please let me know. You don’t have to share details, but it helps me know
in advance how a child might be feeling so
that I might better teach them.
If
your child stays longer than just Preschool class time and needs to take a nap after
lunch, you may bring a small blanket or pillow if you would like. These need to
be taken home at the end of each week to be washed and returned the next week.
