OUR TEACHERS

Staff members prepare the school environment and curriculum. They help coordinate parent participation and other volunteers in order to ensure that there is a ratio of one adult for every five children.

Liz Allewelt-Smith, Director, A.M. and P.M. Head Teacher Liz Allewelt-Smith has lived in Davis off and on (a little bit of Napa and Munich, Germany mixed in) for over 20 years. She graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Psychology and then later received her teaching credential with an emphasis on cross- cultural education. Her three boys are all graduates of DCCNS and the family holds many happy memories of friends and experiences here. She has worked with children in many environments, as a camp counselor, soccer coach, Campfire leader, and in the elementary schools, but her favorite place to be is our Nursery School classroom. "It's magical to watch children, parents and families work, play and learn together."

Patty Yeung, Toddler Assistant Teacher Patty Yeung has lived in Davis since 1988. Her main and most important job has been  a stay-at-home-mom raising 3 children (2 are DCCNS alumni) along with her husband, Dave. She attended UC Davis and acquired her bachelor’s degrees in Human Development and Italian Literature. She holds a Masters of Art in Early Childhood Education from Sacramento State University. She feels well connected to families and children in town and has taught religious education classes at St. James Church in Davis to 5 year olds since 2004 and has also been an involved parent on the Board at DCCNS from 2005-2007. After 10 years in her primary role as a mother, she is eager to immerse herself professionally in the field of early childhood education. She enjoys contributing to the Davis community by teaching young children and working with families.

Rosa Gregorio, A.M. Assistant Teacher Rosa Gregorio moved to California seven years ago from Spain. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering and a California Preschool Teacher Permit. She has been working as an Assistant Teacher as well as a Head Teacher for several years in a Parent Cooperative Preschool in Claremont, Ca. She moved to Davis one year ago with her husband Timothy and her son Roberto.

Betsy van Kessel, Teacher on Sabbatical Betsy van Kessel is currently traveling with her husband and plans to be back at DCCNS in January 2009. She has been the director, Head AM and/or PM Teacher at DCCNS since 1997. Betsy is of Dutch origin and received her Bachelor and Master's Degrees in Education with a major in early childhood and elementary education. She taught for many years in the Netherlands, spending eight years as the director of a preschool-kindergarten. In 1983, she moved with her husband, Chris, to Maui, Hawaii, and in 1986, they moved to Saskatoon, Canada. At both locations Betsy worked with young children. In Canada she worked for 9 years at the College Park Parent Co-operative Preschool in Saskatoon. Betsy enjoys working with young children whose enthusiasm and positive outlook she finds to be very contagious. She loves the spirit of a parent cooperative.

Ellen Watkins, Substitute Teacher Ellen Watkins, is a credentialed teacher who has taught kindergarten and nursery school. Ellen has been at DCCNS for over 16 years. She has also been a substitute teacher. Ellen and her husband, Bill, have enjoyed Davis for 20 years and have two children, Megan and Grant.

Mary Cech, Substitute Teacher Mary Cech, has been teaching (as both the Toddler Head Teacher and the AM Assistant Teacher) at DCCNS for more than 20 years. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin in Speech Therapy Education. She has had various experiences in early childhood education as a speech therapist and teacher of both kindergarten and nursery school. In Davis, Mary has aided in various school district programs and was involved in 4-H. Mary and her husband, Joe, have two sons, Greg and Scott.