Our dedicated STAFF provide a caring, safe, and positive place for children to develop a myriad of social, artistic, and academic skills.
DAVID POST:David Post is the Owner and Arts Coordinator of Bellingham Preschool of the Arts, as well as the Director of BAAY!, Bellingham Academy of Arts for Youth. He has a Masters Degree in Choral Conducting from Northern Arizona University, a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music. David has over 20 years of experience as an educator.
TINA OCHELTREE:Tina Ocheltree is the new Lead Preschool Teacher at Bellingham Preschool of the Arts. She discovered her passion for working with young children over 30 years ago while studying Early Childhood Education in high school. Tina graduated from Western Washington University where she was able to combine her love of the arts with her desire to become a teacher of young children. She holds a BA in Ed with a Major in Art Education and a Minor in Elementary Education. Tina worked in childcare throughout college, and has taught grades K-4 in the Bellingham and Mt. Baker School Districts, Grades 1 and 2 at Whatcom Hills Waldorf School, and more than 10 years at Children’s Cooperative Preschool; a part of Whatcom Community College’s Parent Education Program. While at Children’s, Tina developed and taught a kindergarten enrichment program and a toddler program, as well as teaching the 3-5 yr. old preschool classes. During all of this time, Tina continued her own education through courses at Western Washington University, Seattle Pacific University, Whatcom Community College, Rudolph Steiner College in Sacramento, CA, the West Coast Institute for Early Childhood Education in N. Vancouver, B.C., and a myriad of conferences through WAEYC. Tina has been married to her high school sweetheart for 28 years, and is mom to 4 wonderful sons, ages 6-21.
JOHANNA de VRIES:
Johanna is currently our Visual Arts and Spanish Instructor. She has an Associate Degree in Fine Arts from Lower Columbia College and a BA in Fine Arts from the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland. She has taught visual art classes in Seattle and in Bellingham Public Schools for the last 10 years. Johanna will be our new assistant preschool teacher for next Fall.
CARISA CROSBIE:
Carisa is K-8 certified. She received her B.A. from Western Washington University in Inter-disciplinary Child Development with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education and an endorsement in Psychology. She had taught Kindergarten and Kindergarten Enrichment at private schools in Bellingham and Guatemala. She believes that we are life long learners and enjoys learning along with her students. She loves her husband and watching her boys (ages 5 and 8) grow. Carisa also likes hiking, reading all kinds of books, growing good things to eat, riding her bike around town and playing in the sunshine. Carisa is our Kindergarten Enrichment Lead Teacher for Fall 2010.
DAN ERICKSON: Dan Erickson has been working with children for over a decade, and loves every aspect of teaching. After spending three summers as a residential camp counselor, Dan started work with the Pacific Science Center as a teacher and curriculum developer. He has worked for a number of preschool programs throughout Whatcom County, and is proud to call Bellingham home. Dan is a firm believer that knowledge, like all things, is more meaningful when you seek it out yourself. This is especially true for young children, who prefer learning over being taught. Thus, his teaching strategy revolves around fostering a sense of wonderment and encouraging children to ask questions. This method is an exciting and effective way to prepare children for real life, in which facts are rarely presented automatically, but rather achieved through curiosity and imagination.
MOLLY FOGELSONG:
SARAH jANE KEITH: As a Board Certified- Music Therapist, Sarah jane Keith is bringing more than music to the Preschool for the Arts. While music therapy uses musical experiences to achieve non- musical goals, the kids have creative fun while also improving communication and social skills through group work, motor skills through rhythm, and reinforcement of cognitive and pre- academic skills. Sarah jane earned a B.A. in Music, with a concentration in Music Therapy, from California State University- Northridge in 2008, and an A.A. in Music with honors from Santa Barbara City College in 2004. Her specialties are working with children as well as children and adults with developmental disabilities.
Sarah jane is a life long student of music with 14 years of professional training in classical and, more recently jazz, voice, 6 years teaching voice to others, and is a 10 year veteran performer in venues across the country. Her eclectic performance experience includes appearances at Carnegie Hall in NYC with the New England Symphonic Ensemble as well as Disney Concert Hall in LA with Grammy Winner, Diane Reeves, and the LA Philharmonic.
1059 N State St Bellingham, WA 98225
info@artspreschool.com 360.306.1546
