MSDE License #71228 Mont. Cty. PEI License #27677
Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church Nursery School - 6601 Bradley Blvd., Bethesda MD 20817 301.365.2909 (office) - 301.469.6784 (fax) - info@bhpcns.org-
Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church
Nursery School
Liz Allen, A.K.A. Miss Liz, is a lifelong resident of Bethesda and attended BHPCNS in the 60’s! She graduated with a legal secretarial degree but when her son, Andrew, was born (24 years ago) she opened her own licensed childcare which she continues to run. A Friday Stay and Play teacher for 8 years, Liz has happily subbed in almost every classroom at Bradley Hills. She is a member of Bradley Hills Church and has been part of many committees including Children’s Ministry, Bible Music Camp, and an after school complement program. She was also a senior high advisor for several years. Liz is very active in the Wyngate neighborhood and enjoys coordinating and hosting block parities and assisting elderly neighbors. She also served on the Montgomery Childcare Assoc. as regional director and advertising coordinator. In her free time she loves to work in her gardens, with and without children! She also enjoys her daily walks with neighbors and entertaining friends. This is Liz's fourth year as a lead teacher in our two-year-old program.
Donna Barnett is originally from New Jersey and has lived in Potomac for 22 years. She and her husband, Larry, have two children, Elizabeth (26) and Emma (23) both of whom are BHPCNS graduates. Donna is a graduate of Bloomsburg University. She started at the nursery school as an assistant in the two-year-old program and then the four-year-old program. Donna enjoyed working with children so much she returned to school to get certified in Early Childhood Education. Most recently Donna earned the Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate. She is currently a teacher in the four-year-old program.
Christy Beck was born in Washington, DC, currently lives in Kensington, MD. She is a graduate from the University of Maryland. Christy and her husband, Steve, have four children, daughter Alex (30), sons Scott (28), Brady (24), and Brett (21). She enjoys walking her golden retriever, reading, yoga, Bethany Beach, and the Redskins! After being an assistant for 10 years in the MWF 4's program, Christy is in her sixth year as a teacher in the MTWThF 4's program.
Gail Brown grew up in Bowie, Maryland and has lived in Bethesda for thirty-two years before moving to D.C. with her husband, George. They have three adult children, Allison, Matt, and Caroline, all of whom attended BHPCNS. Gail is the Coordinator of Spiritual Life at Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church where she facilitates spiritual formation groups. She is also a spiritual director to seminarians at Virginia Theological Seminary. Her love for children has brought her to the nursery school as an assistant in the four-year-old program. This is Gail's ninth year at BHPCNS.
Anne Marie Cardoni grew up in a military family and lived all over the midwest, east coast and Spain. She is a graduate of the US Naval Academy where she earned a BS in Oceanography and a minor in Spanish. While serving in the military she met her husband, Wayne, a fellow Navy Officer. They have four children, Alexa (22) currently in her third year at the US Naval Academy, Paul (18) a senior at The Heights School, Olivia (15) a 8th grader at North Bethesda MS and John (12) a 6th grader at Ashburton ES. All three of her younger children are graduates of BHPCNS. She recently earned the 90 hour Early Childhood Certificate and is interested in continuing her education. She loves the beach, working out and spending time with her family. This is her 5th year at Bradley Hills where she teaches in the three-year-old program and the Spanish curriculum to the three &four-year-olds.
Ara Casey is a local singer/songwriter energized by the connection music sparks between people. She performs solo, with her INDIE band, and in various collaboration projects throughout the area. Her sons (now 16 and 18) attended BHPCNS when they were much shorter and the school still occupies a cozy corner of her heart. One of Ara’s simple pleasures is instilling a love and appreciation for contemporary and classic music in small people. She recommends playing everything on Mom & Dad’s playlist, turning it up to 11, and dancing around the living room in your jammies with your little ones.
Moon Jung Choi was born and grew up in Seoul, Korea. She received a BA in Korea and earned her M.Ed in University of Manchester, UK. She met her husband there and then moved back to Korea for her Ph. D. Then, she followed her love and moved to Maryland for her husband's work. This Korean and Italian couple love to cook and spend time with friends. They do various volunteer work to support the community in this area and in Tilghman Island located in Chesapeake Bay. Moon also has a passion for travel and art. She likes to make a mess with her only daughter doing art projects. Her daughter, Tao, is a BHPCNS graduate! This is Moon's fourth year in BHPCNS where she is currently an assistant in both the two & three-year-old programs
Allison Delfin is a California girl having been born in San Diego. She graduated from the University of Delaware where she majored in both Women's Studies and Anthropology. In her spare time she likes to stay fit by running. Allison's association with the school began ten years ago when her oldest of four children first began to attend BHPCNS. Allison's love of preschool education is genetic (her Mom is a preschool teacher!). This is her sixth year on staff at the school where she is a Science Instructor.
Jennifer Ferrara is originally from Connecticut and has lived in Bethesda for 12 years. She grew up helping out in her parents’ nursery school, so teaching at BHPCNS feels like coming home. She has two sons, Luke (age 15) and Colin (age 12), who is a BHPCNS graduate. Jennifer loves to knit, hike, bake, do yoga and spend time in her garden. This is her fifth year as an assistant teacher in the two-year-old program.
Amanda Frid is a Michigan girl, born and raised. It is here that she found her calling and began her life-long journey of love for the youngest of our future. After reading and loving every book in Ann M. Martin's 'The Baby-Sitters Club' series, a neighbor that ran an in-home daycare program asked her for help after school. She was eleven-years-old. By thirteen, she had cornered the neighborhood baby-sitting market. This passion has never left. Her heart has known the joy and love of many children over the years through families as baby-sitter or Nanny, Daycare programs and her own two daughters, Daniella, 9 years and Arianna, 7 years, both graduates of BHPCNS. She is currently a Nanny for a Bethesda family with four children, three of which are also BHPCNS graduates and the fourth currently attending. September 2018 marks her eleven year anniversary with the family. She worked as an assistant and then as lead teacher in the 2s', class before taking a hiatus after her work family had baby #4. She is thrilled to be back playing with the 2s' class once again.
Victoria Gleeson is from Laredo, Texas. She attended the University of Notre Dame, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Anthropolgy. After meeting her husband, Tim, at Notre Dame she moved to the Washington, DC area where she began working in the psychiatric clinical trials and social science research fields. Victoria decided to focus full-time on raising her three children - Maggie (14), Ryan (12), and Shannon (7) - all of whom attended Bradley Hills. Victoria's hobbies include photography, baking, and spending time with her family. This is Victoria's second year working at Bradley Hills as an assistant teacher in the three-year-old program.
Jenavieve Grazzini, a proud alumni of Bradley Hills, is a woman who is driven by her passion for children and their early development. Her first teachers were her younger siblings as she watched them grow and learn so rapidly. She then became a mothers helper, babysitter, full time nanny, multi family nanny and now is taking great pride in being a teacher's assistant here at Bradley hills! She hopes to continue to teach and learn all of the life lessons that come from Nursery school. Her plan is to have an in home day care as she starts a family of her own one day. This is Jenavieve's second year on staff, where she is an assistant in the three-year-old and Young 2s' program, as well as admin support.
Janice Hansan grew up in Great Falls, Reston area of Virginia and attended West Virginia University majoring in psychology. Prior to having children, she worked in social work as a runaway overnight counselor and then intake overnight group home counselor. She moved on to weight loss counseling and then sales in cellular phones (yes the Brick)! From there, she went to HTC. All three of her boys attended Bradley Hills! She has worked at the nursery school for four years before leaving for health reasons. She has now been back for three years. She recently published a children's book (available on Amazon) titled Be in The Moment! Janice is an assistant in the four-year-old program and a Science Instructor
Jan Hauck grew up in northern Ohio and has lived in the D.C. area for more than 30 years. She and her husband Ed have three young adult sons: Marty, Ryan, and Colin. Marty and his wife Ewelina welcomed a baby boy in November 2017. Jan has a B.A from Wittenberg University (Springfield, OH), an MLS from the University of Maryland, and holds the Certificate in Early Childhood Education. Jan is a member of Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church. In her free time she enjoys traveling, reading, and cooking This is Jan's tenth year at the nursery school and sixth year as a teacher in the four-year-old program.
Elizabeth Jacob grew up in South Africa. She has lived in Bethesda with her family for 39 years. Elizabeth completed her Early Childhood Education (ECE) training at Montgomery College and Howard University. She holds a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential and a Preschool Childcare Credential with the Maryland State Department of Education. She completed ECE coursework in Child Development, Curriculum Planning, and Administering Childcare. Elizabeth has participated in over 350 Continuing Education Hours in Early Childhood Education. Elizabeth also holds a Certificate in Management with the American Management Association (AMA). Elizabeth enjoys gardening, walking, reading, and yoga. This is her twenty-ninth year at Bradley Hills. She is the teacher in the MWF 3s and the T/Th 2s in Room 107.
Anne Karpinski is a lifetime resident of Maryland. She attended Mount St. Mary's College, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Educations. Anne taught at Our Lady of Mercy for ten years in different capacities. She was a first-grade teacher, science teacher for the lower school and a collaborative consultant for the inclusion program. Anne has been married to her husband, Kevin, for 25 years and they have three wonderful sons--Jack (22), CB (20) and William (18). Anne's favorite hobbies are spending time with her family, playing tennis and walking her dog. This is Anne's third year at BHPCNS where she is an assistant teacher in the four-year-old program.
Chrissy Lucchesi Leon moved back to her home state of Maryland in 2015, after spending 13 years in Queens, NY. She has a degree in Anthropology from Towson University, and an MSW from Adelphi University, as well as holds the Certificate in Early Childhood Education. After holding positions in the field of museum education at the Central Park Zoo, the Queens County Farm Museum, and the National Zoo, she decided that her calling was to work in a school setting. Chrissy has two children, ages 9 and 11, and in her free time, she loves to read, hike, and see concerts. This is Chrissy's third year at BHPCNS where she is currently a lead teacher in the two and four-year-old programs.
Garine Magary is a native to the area and graduated from Whitman. She holds a bachelors degree in art history fro Colgate University and lived in New York City working among priceless pieces of art. She has been married to her husband Drew for 16 years and their three children are BHPCNS alums. Garine is a landscape and portrait painter (find her on Etsy!) In her spare time she good novel. This is her second year as an assistant teacher.
Kirsten Martin is a native of Chevy Chase, MD and has worked at Bradley Hills for four years as an assistant and lead teacher in the TTh two's class. She has a BS in Family Science in Public Health. She has four children, Taylor (Bucknell Univ.), Carter (Berklee College of Music), Noah (Georgetown Univ.) and Piper a 12th grader at Holy Child. She is an equestrian and loves spending time on the water with her family in St. Michaels.
Carolyn McCauley grew up in New Jersey, relocating to this area when she attended George Washington University, graduating with a degree in Biology. She worked in the Cytopathology Lab of the GW upon graduation. Her "nursery" career began when she took a position in a greenhouse growing plants. Carolyn joined the Bradley Hills family in 1996 when her youngest son, Petey, enrolled in the three-year-old program. Petey, now 25, lives in Denver, CO! Carolyn and her husband, Ken, have two other sons--Patrick & Nicholas, as well as 4 grandchildren. When she's not at nursery school, Carolyn enjoys hosting house concerts, volunteering at the USO, camping, and going to auctions. This is Carolyn's 22nd year at BHPCNS as, what she fondly calls, the 'school secretary', but is officially the Assistant Director.
Nancy McCullough, aka Mrs. Mac 'n Cheese, has worked at the nursery school for eighteen years. She is the lead teacher in room 201, MWF 3's. She has earned both the 90-hour Early Childhood Certificate and nationally recognized Childcare Development Associate Certificate. Downtime is spent with her husband Brad and sons (both of whom attended Bradley Hills!). Nancy is also an avid knitter in her free time and a beginner golfer.
Dorene Michael graduated from Trinity University in Washington, DC with a BA in Business. While earning her MBA degree from UMUC, she worked in the finance departments of an Advertising/Marketing firm and an Energy company. She is a Jersey girl, but has lived in Bethesda for 20 years with her husband Marc. They have four kids, Olivia(15), Sydney(12), Gabby(10) and Tad(5); all are BHPCNS graduates. She loves spending time with her family, especially baking and gardening together. Dorene officially joined the staff in 2018 after volunteering as a substitute, assistant teacher, and all around jack of all trades. She is currently working in the office and one of our "fairy godmothers."
Marybeth Myers is native to the Washington, DC area. Born and raised in Maryland, she has not ventured far since her days as a preschooler at BHPCNS. Marybeth attended Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart and Georgetown University, receiving her BA in Government. She and her husband, John, have four children, Jack (28), Charlie (25), Will (23) and Lee, (17), each of whom attended BHPCNS. Starting as substitute teacher during the 2015-16 school year, this is Marybeth's third year as being a regular in the classroom where she is an assistant in both the three & four-year-old programs.
Kate O'Neill is in her 13th year at Bradley Hills with the Monday, Wednesday, Friday 3's. Her parents were from New York City, but she was born in California, as a "military brat". After being educated in the Midwest, she moved east to join Marriott HQ, and meet future husband Jerry. Jerry retired a few years ago, but is very active with the McKenna Center in D.C. and is an avid golfer. Son Jack graduated from Notre Dame and works at NIH. He is a volunteer fireman/EMT in Bethesda, and is applying to med schools. Kate enjoys annual family reunions at different locations around the country, Bethany Beach, New York City history, and most things Irish (including good music, good stories, and good laughter). Her Mom did all the research, and now also has an Irish passport. Kate may get one too.
Sue Reidy was born and raised in the Bethesda area. She has an undergraduate degree from Duke and an MBA from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Sue and her husband, Denny, of 36 years reside in Damascus, MD. She has a son Matt and a daughter Megan. Megan has 4 sons. Two of their sons, Luke and Cole are BHPCNS graduates and the third, Drew, is currently enrolled in the four-year-old program. Matt is recently married and lives in the area as well. Sue retired from a 36 year career in human resources in the high tech industry. Sue and family spend as much time as possible in South Bethany. This is Sue's fourth year at BHPCNS where she is the Assistant Office Manager.
Eileen Richards, a native Texan, graduated from Spring Hill College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education and History. She taught Second Grade for several years. Eileen took a break from teaching to raise her four children; two of whom attended BHPCNS. As her children grew older, she started as a substitute teacher at BHPCNS for three years, eventually becoming an assistant teacher in the Four's Program. She spent one year as a teacher of the four year old class at Potomac Glen Day School. When the position to teach the "Fours" at BHPCNS became available, Eileen, returned to the school that she loves. Eileen has been married for over 31 years to John. They have four children where two were born in Texas and two in Washington. DC. Cowboy/Redskins games are fun and exciting in the household. In addition to teaching, Eileen enjoys being with her family, cooking, reading and was an avid tennis player. This is marks Eileen's seventh year at BHPCNS where she is currently a lead teacher in the four-year-old program.
Regina Schweitzer grew up in Scarsdale, New York. She attended Fairfield University where she met her husband Frank and earned a B.A. in Political Science. Regina went on to earn a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education from Fordham University. She and her husband moved to Bethesda in 1995 where she taught Kindergarten. Regina and Frank have three children. Caroline is junior in college, Emily is a freshman in college, and Frank is a sophomore at Whitman. Regina enjoys attending her children's lacrosse games, swim meets, and dive meets. In her free time she loves spending time with her family, vacationing at the beach, and going for a run. This is Regina's ninth year as an assistant in the two's classroom with Mrs. Jacob.
Gayathri Senarathne is originally from Sri Lanka and currently lives in Dickerson, MD. Gaya has over ten years experience, holding several several certifications in early childhood education, including the 90-Hour Course for Early Childhood Development & Curriculum and AMI Montessori Certificate. She is credentialed at a level 3 with the Maryland State Department of Education. In her spare time, Gaya enjoys attending her son's sporting events. This is Gaya's third year on staff at BHPCNS where she is teacher in the three-year-old program.
Bowden Skoff was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, where she met her husband, Mike, and earned a BA in Psychology and Spanish. She moved to the Washington, DC area in 1988. She and her husband, Mike, have two children, Willie, a sophomore at Highpoint University, and Ally, a senior at Whitman. They are both BHCPNS alumni. In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis, traveling, going to exhibits at the Smithsonian, and mostly spending time with her family and friends. Bowden currently teaches science and geography in our Stay & Play program and is an assistant teacher in the four-year-old program. This is her 16th year of being part of the Bradley Hills' staff.
Liz Sobrino is originally from Toronto Canada. She has lived in New York, Barbados, Connecticut, Washington DC, Texas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and lived in Carderock Springs in Bethesda, Maryland for 18 years and now in Chevy Chase, DC. Liz has a BA in Elementary Education, from Catholic University. Her work experiences include, the American Cafe, American Society for Training and Development, RSA & Associates, St. Frances Creche Preschool Teacher, and the Alliance for Workplace Excellence. Liz and her husband, Ray, have three daughters--Jessie, Alex and Trisha. Liz is the Director of BHPCNS.
Heather Stevens has lived in Maryland almost all of her life. She attended high school at the Academy of the Holy Cross and college at St. Mary's College of Maryland. She holds a BA in Economics. At St. Mary's College, she met her husband, David, and they have been married for almost 25 years. Heather and David have two children, Austin and Shea. They are both graduates of BHPCNS. Austin is a senior at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC. Shea is a junior at East Carolina University. Heather enjoys spending time in Ocean Pines, Maryland where she likes to go boating and beach combing. Her hobbies include reading, shopping, and exercising. This is her 16th year at BHPCNS. She has worked with the 4s, the 3s, and the 2s! Heather is currently an assistant in the MTWThF 4's program, as well as BHPCNS' Creative Movement instructor.
Vanessa Vargas is a parent of a past student with previous child care experience. She joined us over 2 years ago and her son is currently in first grade. Vanessa is currently an assistant in the MTWThF 3's program.
At the heart of BHPCNS is its staff. BHPCNS is extremely proud of our staff of teachers, assistants and administrators They all have one goal in common--to make your child's experience at BHPCNS the best it can be. They truly love our jobs and believe that caring for young children is one of the most, if not the most, important job in town. A diverse group of women, they each bring their own unique backgrounds and experiences to the school making it such a special place.