St. Paul's
Nursery School
and
After School Kindergarten
Child Care Program
a non profit organization
65 North Main
Street
Wallingford, CT 06770
Our Staff:
Director: Jeanette Davis
Jeanette is in her fourth year as Director of St.
Paul’s Nursery School and Kindergarten Child-Care program. Jeanette holds a
degree in Early Childhood Education from Holyoke Community College, Holyoke,
Massachusetts. Her first teaching experience was at the Lila Day Nursery School,
Elm Haven branch, New Haven, Connecticut. Jeanette also taught at the Branford
Day Care Center until she started her family. Jeanette first began teaching at
St. Paul’s Nursery School as Head Teacher in 1987. She spent eleven years at St.
Paul’s, which gave her many wonderful memories. When Jeanette’s two daughters
were in college, she found herself wanting year-round employment: she left St.
Paul’s Nursery School to pursue a head teacher position at the Early Learning
Center, at Gaylord Hospital. Jeanette was fortunate enough to be a part of the
development of the Early Learning Center’s pre-school program for three and four
year olds.
Jeanette became director of St Paul’s in 2003, and also started the Kindergarten Childcare program which provides after-school childcare to children who attend morning kindergarten. One of the things that Jeanette loves most about teaching is how excited children can be while being introduced to something new. One of her favorite activities is circle time, where she enjoys singing and reading stories to the children. Jeanette says, "I just love it when a child says "read the story again!"
Jeanette has been married to her husband Frank for 30 years. Frank is a training instructor for a HP printer company. She and her husband have lived in Wallingford for the past 22 years. Jeanette’s oldest daughter Kate graduated from Salve Regina University, in Newport, Rhode Island in May of 2001. Kate teaches English Literature at Holy Cross High School in Waterbury. Jeanette’s younger daughter Laura graduated from Albertus Magnus College, in New Haven in May of 2003. Laura is a sales representative. In the past, Jeanette has served on the board of directors for St. Paul’s Nursery School, and in 2001, and 2002 was president of the board. Jeanette is also member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where she is a Sunday school instructor.
Head Teacher: Louise Friedland
Louise Friedland is a Certified Head Teacher with the state of Connecticut. She has taught at St. Paul’s for the past twenty-three years. Louise is both CPR and First Aid certified. Louise truly enjoys all the aspects of her job. She says, "I love the innocence of young children and being able to watch each child’s growth and development throughout the school year." One of Louise’s favorite things to do in the classroom is Science experiments. She says that when she watches the children learning, "the wonder in each child’s eye is so exciting."
Louise has been married to her husband Bob for 36 years. Bob teaches electronics at Henry Abbott Technical High School, in Danbury, Connecticut. Louise has three grown children: her oldest son, Keith who is a graduate of Unity College, in Maine, and his wife Kathy, live in Vermont were they have built a log cabin home. Her second son, Greg and his wife Natasa are both graduates of Franklin Pierce College, in New Hampshire; they settled in Manchester New Hampshire, were they both work. Their daughter Natalie will be three years old in February. Louise’s youngest child, Amy is a graduate of Mitchell College, in New London, Connecticut and Green Mountain Collage, in Vermont. Amy and her husband Jon have built a house in Upper State New York. Louise and Bob have been residents of Wallingford for the past 27 years. They are thoroughly enjoying their first grandchild!
In addition to teaching, Louise has been involved in Girl Scouts and in Christen Education. Louise spent many years volunteering at Highland Elementary School while her children were young. Some of the things that Louise enjoys doing in her free time are hiking, snow shoeing, gardening, cooking, photography, and taking long walks on the beach. Louise and Jeanette have worked together for many years. Louise says, "our teaching techniques compliment each other."
Teacher: Lori Holda
This is Lori’s eighth year as teacher at St. Paul’s. She has had a long time relationship with the Nursery School. Her three daughters are all graduates. As a parent Lori was always available to help out. This included volunteering for field trips, special events and substituting.
Lori and her husband Rich have been married and have lived in Wallingford for the past twenty-two years. Rich is a manager of a local distribution center. Their oldest daughter Theresa is a freshman at the University of Hartford. Their daughter Kristen is a sophomore at Lyman Hall High School and their daughter Stephanie is in eighth grade at Dag Hammarskjod Middle School
Lori teaches CCD at St. Peter and Paul Church and spends a great deal of time volunteering for many community organizations in Wallingford.
Lori loves interacting with the children at St. Paul’s Nursery School and Kindergarten Childcare program. She enjoys working in small groups, spending time reading stories, block building and playing board games. She has contributed wonderful curriculum ideas and enjoys creating colorful bulletin boards.
In Lori’s free time she enjoys cooking, early morning walks and reading.
Teacher: Jamie Mercuri
This is Jamie’s third year with St. Paul’s Kindergarten childcare program. She rides on the van and helps with picking up the children she also comes in at three o’clock four afternoons a week. Jamie is a student at Gateway Community College where her major is Early Childhood Education.
Teacher: Kayt Messina
This is also Kayt’s third year with St. Paul’s Kindergarten childcare program. She helps out on the van and then comes in at three o’clock one afternoon a week. Kayt is a student at Central Connecticut University majoring in Elementary Education. Kayt and Jamie are good friends and will work around each other’s school schedules. If someone needs a day off the other can usually fill in. Kayt loves to play board games with the children and she enjoys large motor activities like relay racing and outdoor play.
Teacher:Sue Geis
This is Sue’s second year as our fourth teacher in the three-year-old class, she also helps out with substituting in the four-year-old class when needed. Sue has an early childhood education degree from Mattatuck Community College in Waterbury Ct. Sue is a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and serves as a member of the board of directors for St. Paul’s Nursery School.
Sue and her husband Gerry live in Wallingford and have been married for seventeen years. They have a ten-year-old daughter Christina who is in fourth grade at Rock Hill Elementary School.
Gerry is a computer programmer at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford Ct.
After working in a bank for eighteen years and then being a stay at home mom, Sue is very happy to have the opportunity to work with pre-schoolers. Building individual relationships with each child is what she enjoys the most about teaching at St. Paul’s
Leslie Williams
Leslie is the van driver for the Kindergarten Childcare program she has a
public service license. She taught at kinder-care in Branford and Rocky Hill
before her two boys were born. At that time she also drove a van for
kinder-care. She lives in Wallingford with her husband Larry and their two sons.
Tucker is in third grade, and and Andrew is in kindergarten. The boys attend
Mosses Y. Beach elementary school. They are both graduates of St. Paul’s Nursery
School.