Staff Round-Up
Say hello to our wonderful staff of talented and compassionate educators!
Anita Graham
Owner
A NOTE FROM THE OWNER…
“I have spent many years at the administrative level, and there are two things I’ve learned. The first is that it’s important to find quality teachers who love their jobs. If they love their jobs, they’ll go above and beyond to educate and care for the children in their classroom.
The second thing I’ve learned is to respect and treat those teachers well, avoiding the revolving door of inconsistency in staff found at most corporate daycare centers. At our school, you’ll find that our experienced teachers take pride in what they do with our children daily. There is a close relationship among the staff. A level of support for each other that is hard to find.
We’re hard-working. We’re compassionate. We’re loving. We’re different…We’re 5-Star Learning Ranch!”
ABOUT ANITA
Anita has a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with a specialization in Early Childhood Development. She also has a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and currently holds a Principal’s Certificate. Her work experience includes holding the position of a Director & District Manager for a corporate daycare company, the Director of a Head Start Program, teaching at the elementary level, an Assistant Principal of an elementary & middle school, teaching at the college level, and owning a Teacher Alternative Certification business. Overall, her experience in the education field spans over 25 years.
MS. KATIE
Director
ABOUT MS. KATIE
Ms. Katie has worked for our school since its opening in 2011. Ms. Katie attended Waubonsee Community College. She is First Aid/CPR Certified and holds a Food Sanitation Certificate. She is Lead Teacher and Director Qualified. Ms. Katie has been through an additional year of training in Early Literacy. She currently passes this training along to teachers, allowing them to academically prepare children for Kindergarten.
MS. ASHLEY
Assistant Director
Lead Teacher
ABOUT MS. ASHLEY
Ms. Ashley earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Eureka College in Physical Education (K-12). She has been with 5-Star Learning Ranch since July, 2014. Ms. Ashley has been a nanny for 3 years and officiated soccer for 7 years. She is Lead Teacher and Director Qualified and she is also First Aid/CPR Certified and holds a Food Sanitation Certificate. Ms. Ashley is a vivacious teacher who mixes in well with the children when it comes to active learning. She loves her job and it’s obvious through her personal interest in each child.
MS. KERRY
Lead Teacher
Director Qualified
ABOUT MS. KERRY
Ms. Kerry received her Associates Degree from the College of DuPage in Early Childhood Development. She has over 18 years of experience in the Early Childhood field. She is Lead Teacher and Director qualified. She is also First Aid/CPR Certified. She currently works in our Infant/Toddler classroom where she brings our weekly themes to life through several methods, including art and “Baby Signs” sign language. Ms. Kerry’s patience and understanding of infants/toddlers allows for this classroom to be above and beyond a parent’s expectations.
MS. PEGGY
Lead Teacher
Director Qualified
ABOUT MS. PEGGY
Ms. Peggy has her Associates Degree in Early Childhood from Waubonsee Community College. She has been working with children for approximately 11 years. Ms. Peggy ‘s experience includes working with children who have special needs. She is First Aid/CPR certified. She enjoys volunteering at Landmark Education where she assists children and young adults in seminars. Ms. Peggy is Lead Teacher and Director Qualified. Little ones adore Ms. Peggy, as she loves them as her own.
MS. MARY
Lead Teacher
Director Qualified
ABOUT MS. MARY
Ms. Mary attended Waubonsee Community College and the College of DuPage. She has an Associates Degree in General Studies. She has been a preschool teacher at Creative Beginnings for 2 years, then joined 5-Star Learning Ranch in October, 2014. Ms. Mary has volunteered at St. Galls in Elburn and Blackberry Creek Elementary School in Elburn. She has also been a nanny for several years. Children absolutely adore Ms. Mary, as she does not hesitate to get silly to get an educational point across! She is quick to bring unique teaching ideas to the classroom on a daily basis, making for a fun, rich learning environment. Ms. Mary has a patient and gentle, caring nature. Her teaching skills are stellar, which is evident in our end-of-the-year assessments.
MS. COURTNEY
Lead Teacher
Director Qualified
ABOUT MS. COURTNEY
Ms. Courtney is currently attending Aurora University majoring in Early Childhood Education with special education and ESL/bilingual certification. She plans to graduate in December, 2019. She has been working at our school as a lead toddler teacher since September, 2017. She volunteers at The DuPage County Convalescent Center assisting residents in recreational activities. She is first aid/CPR certified. Ms. Courtney’s compassion and specialized knowledge carries over in her classroom daily. Children quickly grow attached to Ms. Courtney due to her caring, fun and entertaining nature.
MS. STACY
Lead Teacher
Director Qualified
ABOUT MS. STACY
Ms. Stacy graduated from Augustana College with bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She was an elementary teacher for 5 years and taught in a preschool setting for 4 years. She volunteered as a troop leader in girl scouts for 5 years and was a preschool gymnastics instructor for 3 years. She has been at our school since September, 2017. She is first aid/CPR certified. Ms. Stacy is a hands-on teacher. . Her love for teaching and children is evident daily in her classroom. She is patient and loving as she teaches our weekly curriculum. Although children can be challenging at times, Ms. Stacy’s patience and
MS. KINGA
Lead Teacher
ABOUT MS. KINGA
Ms. Kinga attends Waubonsee Community College. Although major is Dental Hygene (for children), she began taking education and early childhood classes which peaked her interest and led her to teaching at our school in August, 2017. She is first aid/CPR certified. She has volunteered for Feed My Starving Children and church activities. Ms. Kinga has a very humorous, sweet and caring personality which her students love!
MR. DENNIS
Lead Teacher
ABOUT MR. DENNIS
Mr. Dennis currently attends Northern Illinois University. He is majoring in Early Education with a minor in Art Education. He teaches at our school as often as his college schedule allows. He volunteers with the Jimmy V Cancer Foundation and NIU cares. He has been working at our school since April, 2016. It’s not surprising to see Mr. Dennis out on our nearly 6 acres of property playing a football, baseball or even a good kickball game with the children. His attentiveness to children continues in the classroom as he enjoys interacting one-on-one with children in problem-solving and creativity. Children are disappointed to see him go back to school, but they’re also excited when he returns to nurture those teacher/student relationships.
MS. PAYTON
Teacher Assistant
ABOUT MS. PAYTON
Ms. Payton has been working with children for the past 3 years. She volunteers for The Special Olympics and she’s very involved with gymnastics herself. She also volunteers at local elementary school fun fairs, where she’s able to show off her talents as a face-painter. Ms. Payton’s sweet, kind nature fits right in with our school.
MS. JESSICA
Teacher Assistant
ABOUT MS. JESSICA
Ms. Jessica is an Early Childhood major at Waubonsee College. She volunteered at Horse Power Therapeutic Riding for 7 years where she assisted children with disabilities who wanted to learn to ride horses. She is first aid/CPR certified. Ms. Jessica adores the children she works with, and the feeling is mutual. Her patience with children is to be admired.
MS. CHRYSTAL
Teacher Assistant
ABOUT MS. CHRYSTAL
Ms. Chrystal has worked for 4 years in childcare and has a strong background in the medical field. She has been an ENT and worked as a surgical tech for 8 years. She has done some volunteer work at local elementary schools and with the Jaycees. Ms. Chrystal wears many hats at our school. She assists in the classroom, she drives our school bus, and she runs our kitchen (Whew!). Her willingness to be flexible, her great work ethic, and the wonderful relationships she has with the children and her colleagues, makes Ms. Chrystal a true asset to our school.