Here at Pre-K-Kidz, LLC we pride ourselves on having a diverse, quality teaching team for our children and families. Frequent staff meetings, Educators with many years of teaching experience and degrees in Early Education and Care, high quality professional development, team building activities, expectations for higher education, certifications and training help us achieve this goal. We believe that one of the biggest parts of an amazing preschool program is the quality of its staff, from teacher assistants all the way to directors. All staff are involved in the decision making of the program, and are expected to reach their highest potential in education and state certifications.
My name is Rebecca David (Lanoue). I am the Owner and Licensee of Pre-K-Kidz LLC, and Director/Lead Teacher at Pre-K-Kidz.
I have been an early educator in the North Quabbin area for over 20 years. I started my early education career in 1999, in my father's preschool center Sugar & Spice. From 2002-2007, I owned and operated my own successful preschool/childcare center. In 2007 I decided I wanted to spend more time with my six children, and closed my preschool center and became a family child care provider until 2013.
In 2013, I took a preschool teaching position at a large family child care in Athol, where I stayed for 3 years. I worked for the Athol Royalston School District from 2016-2019, mostly in special education and ABA services within the early education classrooms.
After many years of varied teaching opportunities and valued experience, I knew it was time to open a new preschool center. Preschool is where my heart is, it’s where I belong. I knew I wanted to build a community school, so I chose downtown Athol for the location of Pre-K-Kidz LLC. The center focuses on community awareness and involvement.
My personal teaching philosophy is as follows:
I feel that every child is unique, in terms of life experiences, developmental readiness, and culture. I also believe it is important to provide a safe and nurturing environment, which promotes health and physical, social-emotional, language and communication and cognitive development. I truly believe, a young child who is nurtured to reach for his or her educational goals from an early age, will continue to pursue educational goals throughout their lives.
I view children as capable, competent, co-contributor’s and acknowledge them as active participants in their own learning. My program is based on a combination of child initiated learning, adult enriched learning, child interests, the local community and intentional teaching.
I aim to provide an effective early childhood environment that fosters creative expression, social and emotional interaction, child-adult communication, child-child communication, physical expression, risk-taking, and personal independence.
Early childhood learning happens through play. I believe that play is essential and should be fun, exciting, spontaneous, hands-on, comforting and challenging. I aim to provide opportunities for children to discover, explore, create, investigate, solve problems and express ideas with others. I will encourage and support children to find and explore their own interests.
Education is a lifelong process and the building blocks of learning are developed in the early stages of life. Equally important to self-discovery is having the opportunity to study things that are meaningful and relevant to one's life and interests.
For myself, teaching provides an opportunity for continual learning and growth. One of my hopes as an educator is to instill a love of learning in my students, as I share my own passion for learning with them. I feel there is a need for compassionate, strong, and dedicated individuals who are excited about working with children. In our competitive society it is important for students to not only receive a solid education, but to work with someone who is aware of and sensitive to their individual needs. I am such a person and will always strive to be the best educator that I can be. My role as a teacher is to give children the tools with which to cultivate their own gardens of knowledge. To accomplish this goal, I will teach to the needs of each child so that all learners can feel capable and successful.
I have been an early educator in the North Quabbin area for over 20 years. I started my early education career in 1999, in my father's preschool center Sugar & Spice. From 2002-2007, I owned and operated my own successful preschool/childcare center. In 2007 I decided I wanted to spend more time with my six children, and closed my preschool center and became a family child care provider until 2013.
In 2013, I took a preschool teaching position at a large family child care in Athol, where I stayed for 3 years. I worked for the Athol Royalston School District from 2016-2019, mostly in special education and ABA services within the early education classrooms.
After many years of varied teaching opportunities and valued experience, I knew it was time to open a new preschool center. Preschool is where my heart is, it’s where I belong. I knew I wanted to build a community school, so I chose downtown Athol for the location of Pre-K-Kidz LLC. The center focuses on community awareness and involvement.
My personal teaching philosophy is as follows:
I feel that every child is unique, in terms of life experiences, developmental readiness, and culture. I also believe it is important to provide a safe and nurturing environment, which promotes health and physical, social-emotional, language and communication and cognitive development. I truly believe, a young child who is nurtured to reach for his or her educational goals from an early age, will continue to pursue educational goals throughout their lives.
I view children as capable, competent, co-contributor’s and acknowledge them as active participants in their own learning. My program is based on a combination of child initiated learning, adult enriched learning, child interests, the local community and intentional teaching.
I aim to provide an effective early childhood environment that fosters creative expression, social and emotional interaction, child-adult communication, child-child communication, physical expression, risk-taking, and personal independence.
Early childhood learning happens through play. I believe that play is essential and should be fun, exciting, spontaneous, hands-on, comforting and challenging. I aim to provide opportunities for children to discover, explore, create, investigate, solve problems and express ideas with others. I will encourage and support children to find and explore their own interests.
Education is a lifelong process and the building blocks of learning are developed in the early stages of life. Equally important to self-discovery is having the opportunity to study things that are meaningful and relevant to one's life and interests.
For myself, teaching provides an opportunity for continual learning and growth. One of my hopes as an educator is to instill a love of learning in my students, as I share my own passion for learning with them. I feel there is a need for compassionate, strong, and dedicated individuals who are excited about working with children. In our competitive society it is important for students to not only receive a solid education, but to work with someone who is aware of and sensitive to their individual needs. I am such a person and will always strive to be the best educator that I can be. My role as a teacher is to give children the tools with which to cultivate their own gardens of knowledge. To accomplish this goal, I will teach to the needs of each child so that all learners can feel capable and successful.
Trever Curtis is a certified lead preschool and infant/toddler teacher in our Pre-K-Kidz classroom as well as our Tots rooms. He graduated from Athol High school, and is currently attending Greenfield Community College in the early childhood education certificate program. Mr. Curtis brings us an important male role model and his enthusiasm is contagious. It wasn’t until after he started this job that he realized he loves working with children. "These students teach me something everyday, they inspire me to be a better person and father. Most importantly I want to see your children grow and succeed in life and become little humans using the tools I give them to aid their lives! "
Ashley Tarr is a lead preschool and lead infant/toddler teacher certified, as well as Director certified and works in our Pre-K-Tots 2 year old classroom. Ashley graduated from Mount Wachusett Community College in 2021, with her degree in early education and care. She graduated from Fitchburg State with her BA and is now working on her Masters Degree. We were lucky to have her here with as as a student teacher, and we loved her so much we asked her to stay! Ashley is a great asset to our team with her contagious smile and fresh new ideas. Ashley is very excited to be a lead teacher at Pre-K-Tots and is looking forward to growing and learning from her students and their families. Some of her favorite things are baking, eating pizza, and Autumn. 
Veronica Rathburn is a certified preschool teacher in our Pre-K-Kidz classroom. The children call her Miss. Keke. She has worked in the Athol Royalston Public School District for the last 10 years. About working with children, she says... "Besides the fact that kids are hilarious and just fun to be around, I love working with kids because everyday is different from the last. Children can teach you just as much as you teach them if you listen." Joining us at Pre-K-Kidz early in 2021, she says: "I love being a part of the Pre-K Kidz team and thoroughly enjoy helping your children be the best version of themselves!" Miss Keke is a wonderful help for us as she loves to organize and clean the center, and she is really adept at it! She also is a very good asset to have working with children one on one, her public school skills are appreciated and noticed every day.
Miss Keke has two children of her own. She says she has way too many animals, but her family are big animal lovers. Some of her favorite hobbies include eating, scrap booking, decorating, and taking her children swimming. 
Anahbel Anderholm works in our Tots 2 room as a certified preschool and infant/toddler teacher. We are very excited to have her as she is a natural working with children and has a creative and expressive presence in the classroom. Here is her message to you!
Hi! I’m Miss Anah, and my passion is working with children. I am currently working towards attaining my degree in social work and a minor in early child development. I have a special place in my heart for children with special needs and look forward to working with this community. I aspire to be a strong and resounding advocate and hope to one day help these families obtain available resources they are entitled to with the thoughts that this will help them better integrate into their communities with both ease and social acceptance. |
Alina Timchenko is a certified Lead preschool and Lead infant/toddler teacher in Pre-K-Tots, working in our one year old classroom. She was born and raised in a small town in Russia where she graduated from a pedagogical academy with her Masters degree in Psychology and Pedagogy (the art and practice of teaching). She has four years of prior experience teaching in Montessori based early education programs in the Boston area before coming to us. Alina has always been very interested in the comprehensive development of the personality of the child and also loves to incorporate her love of drawing and singing with the children. She enjoys working with children and helping them grow happy, kind, successful and healthy. We are very lucky to have found Alina, as she adds a wonderful diversity to our team and has a great knowledge base in toddler care and education. Alina has three children of her own and her hobbies include riding her bicycle, long walks and listening to books on tape.
Denise Rix is a certified Preschool and Infant/Toddler teacher who works in both programs. She worked in the Athol Royalston School District for 22 years. She worked mostly with elementary age children in Special Ed . "I love working with children, to me it it is one of the most rewarding jobs you could have. I love spending time with my family. I have 3 amazing children and 4 amazing Grandchildren. I enjoy gardening."
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