Meet the Staff

Teacher Credentials

River Road Church Preschool has a highly dedicated, professional staff. RRP teachers are degreed educators in the field of early childhood education and Instructional Assistants have early childhood coursework. The staff exceeds the qualifications set by the Virginia Department of Education for teaching young children and, at all times, maintains the high standards set by Virginia’s Quality Rating and Improvement System, which is the state accreditation organization.

All staff at RRP maintain professional development hours yearly that go above and beyond both Virginia licensing and accreditation requirements. Every year, the staff is required to have 20 hours of in-service education on topics pertaining to the field of early childhood. In order to stay abreast of new trends, thoughts and practices in early childhood education and related issues, staff members attend early childhood conferences and trainings throughout the year. As lifelong learners, staff set a professional goal yearly that they work towards through professional development, mentoring, reflection and goal planning.

Our Administration

 

Danielle Simone, Director

Beth Howe, Assistant Director

 

Administration

Learn More About Danielle and Beth

With a master’s in Early Childhood Education, Mrs. Simone has been in both the private and public sectors of education for 27 years.  As she starts her fifth year as Director at RRP, she continues as co-chair of Richmond Area Directors for 40+ preschools in the area.  Also with a master’s in Early Childhood Education, Mrs. Howe was a lead teacher in the twos classes for 12 years at RRP. This is her fifth year as Assistant Director and her previous experience in the private business sector helps the business and financial aspects of RRP run smoothly. Both Danielle and Beth are proud to be the administrative team leading the preschool into it’s 51st year!

Our Teachers

Manya Saunders & Mary Virginia Merithew

Pre-Toddler Lead Teacher
and Instructional Assistant
Mon-Fri

Learn More About Manya and Mary Virginia

The youngest learners at RRP benefit from the 25+ combined years of experience that Mrs. Saunders and Mrs. Merithew bring to their room.  Mrs. Saunders holds a Masters of Teaching and is a licensed educator. She works to build a firm foundation for each and every student in her care. A former RRP parent, this is her ninth year as a staff member at RRP. Mrs. Merithew, who is also a former RRP parent, holds a Bachelor’s of Arts and and Early Childhood Certificate and has 20 years experience working in early childhood here at our preschool and this shows in her patience and love for each and every child.

In their free time, Mrs. Saunders enjoys boating, reading, running, watching her children’s sports and spending time at the river and Mrs. Merithew enjoys traveling, reading, music and baking.

christy davis, cabell harvey & denise saunders

Toddler Instructional Assistant Tues/Thurs, Lead 5 Day Teacher & Instructional Assistant Mon/Wed/Fri

Learn More About Christy, Cabell and Denise

Mrs. Harvey starts her fourth year as the Toddler lead teacher at RRP.  She holds a Bachelor’s degree, has participated in the Infant Toddler Training program along with a speech development program called LENA Grow with the state, and is a former RRP parent. Mrs. Saunders is the Mon/Wed/Fri instructional assistant. This is her first year on our staff, and her children are going through our program. She holds a Masters in Education, a teaching license in Virginia and has 5 years of teaching experience. Mrs. Davis is the Tues/Thurs instructional assistant and this is her third year at RRP. She has over 30 years of child care experience.

 

shannon pendleton & sarah wade

Toddler Class Instructional Assistant & Lead Teacher

Tues/Thurs

Learn More About Shannon and Sarah

This is Mrs. Wade’s first year at RRP, but she has been a parent here for several years (and still is). She holds a Bachelors Degree and has been a contributer on children’s activities for NBC12, RVA parenting and Richmond Mom, and she teaches a music and movement class for toddlers.  Mrs. Pendleton is in her 10th year at RRP. She holds a Bachelors of Education degree, taught in the county for 10 years and has spent her years at RRP in PreToddlers, Toddlers and Three Year Old classes!

 

kristen vaught & seble judah

twos lead teacher 
and instructional assistant

Mon-Fri

 

Learn More About Kristen and Seble

Mrs. Vaught starts her first year at RRP as the lead Teacher in one of our five day Two Year Old Classrooms. She is a current RRP parent, holds a Bachelors degree and has 8 years expereince in education! Mrs. Judah also starts her first year at RRP, but comes to us with more than 15 years experience working with toddlers and two year olds!

debbie temple, blair barkley &
ellen mallette

twos instructional assistant

Tues/Thurs, lead teacher

Mon-Fri and instructional assistant

mon/wed/fri

Learn More About Debbie, Blair and Ellen

Mrs. Barkley starts her fourth year as a lead teacher and is also a former RRP parent. She hold a Masters of Arts and an extensiveHer early years in early childhood education were spent working in a center with students age 3-6.  Her Montessori background merged with RRP’s developmental curriculum encourages children to do their very best even at a very early age!  She has two assistants she works with—Mrs. Mallette (Mon/Wed/Fri) and Mrs. Temple (Tues/Thurs). Mrs. Mallette, a former RRP parent, holds a Bachelors degree and has several years experience teaching prior to being at RRP. With her degree in Education, Mrs. Temple rounds out this team with almost 40 years of Early Childhood Experience, six of which has been with RRP. This is this team’s 4th year together!

holly burke & wendy hope

twos instructional assistant and lead teacher
Tue/Thu

Learn More About Holly and Wendy

Mrs. Hope is a former RRP parent and this is her 3rd year on our staff. She has a degree in art history and has even illustrated a children’s book! Mrs. Burke starts her fifth year at RRP as an instructional assistant and holds a Early Childhood education Certificate.

harrison ravn & tammy brickley

twos lead teacher
and instructional assistant
Mon/Wed/Fri

Learn More About harrison and tammy

Mrs. Ravn, a former RRP parent, has been working at RRP for six years. During that time, she has worked with multiple age groups and is excited to be not only be leading in the Twos, but also to be the RRP Art Teacher.  She holds a Bachelors in Fine Arts. Mrs. Brickley has been at RRP for two years as an instuctional assistant, is a former parent, and a former pediatric nurse!

carlene white & gwen tilley

mon/wed/fri threes instructional assistant and lead teacher

Learn More About Gwyn and Carlene

Mrs. Tilley is in her second year at RRP as the lead Teacher in one of five day Two Year Old Classrooms. She has experience from teaching at other local preschools and being a nanny for several RRP students while they were here!  She hold a Bachelor of Arts in Religion. Mrs. White is her instructional assistant, for the second year. Her three children attended RRP; when they had all graduated onto elementary school, she missed the loving community here and came back to substitute. She holds a Bachelor’s of Art.

jennifer didlake, chari bush &
Mariko Yamaguchi 

three Year instructional assistant mon/wed/fri, lead Teacher mon-fri
and instructional assistant tues/thurs

Learn More About Jennifer, Chari and Mariko

Mrs. Bush joins RRP this year as a lead teacher in our Three Year Old Program. She has been a parent her and has over ten years of experience in the field of education. Mrs. Yamaguchi has 32 years of early childhood education experience at RRP.  Mrs. Didlake has worked for the preschool for 3 years now, the church for over twenty years and also teaches art in a private school.

kristen burden & joanna prohn

Three Year Old instructional assistant and lead Teacher
Mon-Fri

Learn More About Joanna and Kristen

Mrs. Prohn starts her third year as a three-year-old lead teacher. She is a former RRP parent who has a master’s in Education and a teaching license. Her instructional assistant this year is Mrs. Burden who is also a former parent at RRP. This is her fourth year as an assistant on our staff!

Sheri Word & carey rowland

three Year Old lead Teacher
and instructional assistant
Mon-Fri

Learn More About Sheri and Carey

Mrs. Word starts her fourth year here at RRP on our Threes team; this is her second year as a Lead teacher after she earned her Early Childhood certificate to add onto her Bachelors degree.  Her assistant, Mrs. Rowland, is a licensed educator who taught Kindergarten for 13 years. This is her fifth year at RRP and has worked in the 2’s and 3’s classes. She is always busy behind the scenes making transitions seamless in their room

Liz Thacker & Lindsay Adamson

Pre-K Instructional Assistant and Lead Teacher

Mon-Fri

Learn More About Lindsay and Liz

With a communications background and 8 years of experience in early childhood education at RRP, Mrs. Adamson’s four-year-old room is full of print awareness concepts that spark pre-reading skills.  Her assistant, Mrs. Thacker has six years of work at RRP with a variety of age groups makes her the perfect fit in the fours.  Both Mrs. Adamson and Mrs. Thacker are former RRP parents!

cherylene hammer & Melanie Butterworth 

Pre-K Instructional Assistant

and Lead Teacher
Mon-Fri

Learn More About Melanie and Cherylene

Mrs. Butterworth has been at RRP for six years and is also a former RRP parent. This is her fourth year as a PreK lead. Her background in sociology has her putting her families first in building school relationships and creating a firm foundation for each student in her class. Ms. Hammer is the behind the scenes assistant that keeps all running smoothly and without interruption in the class.  With over twenty years of experience in early childhood education with a variety of age groups, she is patient and understanding with all.

Amber McClain & Katherine anthes

Pre-K Lead Teacher
and Instructional Assistant
Mon-Fri

Learn More About Amber and Katherine

With a master’s in education, Mrs. McClain (who is also a curriculum and instruction certified reading specialist) starts her second year at as a Lead Teacher at RRP!   She intertwines needed academic and emotional skills with a variety of learning approaches. Mrs. Anthes holds a master’s in Education and has twenty-seven years of experience (25 at RRP) working in early childhood education in both the public and private sector.

Laura Murphy & Jenny Rennie

Junior Kindergarten Lead Teacher
and Instructional Assistant
Mon-Fri

Learn More About Laura and Jenny

The Junior Kindergarten team of Ms. Murphy and Ms. Rennie eagerly welcome their students each day to RRP!  With a teaching license, experience in both the public and private sectors, Ms. Murphy understands the skills needed for her students to not only successfully enter Kindergarten, but to be confident and successful learners as they start their next journey in education.  This is her fourth year on our staff and she is also a former RRP parent. Ms. Rennie has been at RRP for seventeen years and has earned her early childhood education certificate. She has experience working with all ages. She works to ensure students have the scaffolding necessary to work on academic skills, motor movement, and building relationships!

anne boyd

Special Projects Coordinator
Mon-Fri

Learn More About Anne

Mrs. Boyd has been an Instructional Assistant and Lead Teacher for RRP for 13 years. In 2022, she took on the role of Special Projects and Afternoon Coordinator for the preschool. Having worked in all ages of the school over the years, she has a great working knowledge of the school as a whole. She hold a BA in Communication and an Early Childhood Certificate.

kelsey fort

Music & Creative Movement Teacher
Mon-Fri

Learn More About Kelsey

We are thrilled to have Mrs. Fort as our Music & Creative Movement Teacher! She is a current parent and is starting her 3rd year on our staff. She holds a BA in Psychology, has been a lead teacher in our Twos classes in the past, and has built a great music program combining her new ideas with the strong music program that we have taught here at RRP for many years!

kay starke

Life Teacher for PreK and JK
Wed

Learn More About Kay

The best always comes back to RRP! Kay Starke returns to our staff this year as our Life Teacher for the PreK and JK classes. In 2021, she retired after 28 years on the staff after holding a variety of positions including Lead Teacher and Life Teacher. We are so thankful that she is back with us this year to share her unique energy in story telling, connecting to children and guiding behaviors.

coach will

Fun Fitness Teacher
Tues/Wed/Thurs- 3’s, PreK, JK

Learn More About Coach Will