Meet The Highly Qualified Teachers of Christian Pre-K Prep
Its been said that the art of teaching preschool is to nurture the curiosity of life. In order to awaken our students' curiosity, we only hire teachers that have the highest qualifications and the most unique life experiences. The combination of formal education, classroom experience, and unique life experience add up to the very best teachers ever! Among our teachers, they have 9 advanced degrees, experience teaching across 4 continents, and a deep and long-lasting love for nurturing young minds. They also are all certified in first aid and CPR to ensure your children are taught by the very best preschool teachers ever!
Mrs. Gilland
Melissa founded Christian Pre-K Prep in 2014. Since then she has taught hundreds of children and fell in love with each and every one of them. She has her Masters in Education from DePaul and has been teaching for over 30 years. The diversity of her teaching experience in inner city neighborhoods, affluent suburbs, and in Africa, has given her a great appreciation that all children have their own unique set of circumstances and they all deserve unconditional love. She has dedicated her life to teaching children and wouldn't change that for anything :-) Melissa has lived in Arlington Heights for over 20 years with her husband. She is the mom of two wonderful boys and two (crazy) dogs.
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Ms. Alissa
Alissa is both the school director and one of our teachers. She has been teaching children for 30 years and has loved every minute - especially the "aha moment" when a student learns something for the very first time. Her experience growing up on a farm in Iowa gives her a true appreciation for nature and all its gifts. She lives in Wheeling with her husband and daughter. And, if she weren't teaching, you'd find her hiking in Wyoming.
Ms. Betty
Betty grew up in Italy and brought with her all the passion and culture Italy is so famous for. Her teaching career spans 25+ years, two countries, and preschool to high school. Betty's undergraduate degree is in psychology, and she also holds a masters degree in Developmental and Educational Psychology. She truly has a wealth of experiences! Mrs. Betty is LOVED by all the children for her unwavering patience and understanding that all children are truly special. Mrs. Betty also is a tutor teaching Italian to children and adults. She lives in Arlington Heights with her husband and son.
Ms. Krista
Ms. Krista’s background as a kindergarten teacher, ESL teacher, and a camp counselor is the perfect combination for a preschool teacher. Also, her international experience teaching kindergarten in Thailand, has given her an appreciation of different cultures that she shares everyday with our students. Krista’s degree is from Loyola University, and she also holds a qualification as a pediatric behavior technician. Best of all, Krista is an accomplished performer, singing anytime and anywhere she can. Her favorite part of teaching preschool? You guessed it . . . singing to the kids.
Ms. Lesley
As a former science teacher for many years, Ms. Lesley truly understands how to bring STEM alive to our students! She is a graduate of Rutgers and has two masters’ degrees – one in Education and the other in Educational Leadership. While her degrees are quite impressive, her favorite part of teaching is the hugs she gets from her students. She lives in Wheeling where she raised two children, both of whom are now doctors. A fun fact about Ms. Lesley . . . she’s a former equestrian, competing in show jumping events.
Mrs. Paalbalog
Mrs. Paalbalog has lived in Arlington Heights for 45 years. Her background with the Northwest Special Recreation Association has given her a unique perspective and understanding of children living with disabilities. She has 5 grandchildren - ALL BOYS - so don't be surprised if you see her showing the boys at the school the finer points of playing with the trucks :-)