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At Primavera, we believe that each child deserves to be healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. Primavera has a long and rich history of using a “whole child” approach to educating our students. A whole child education prioritizes the full scope of a child’s developmental needs to advance educational equity and ensure that every child reaches their fullest potential. A whole child approach understands that students' education and life outcomes depend upon their access to more profound learning opportunities in and out of school and their school environment and relationships.
Research and education practice confirm that a whole child approach to education will develop and prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of today and tomorrow by addressing students' comprehensive needs through the shared responsibility of students, families, schools, and communities.
At Primavera, we believe that children who are actively involved in their learning, through play and exploration, make good choices and take responsibility for their learning. We provide developmental materials for each child in our classrooms and encourage them to make choices and pursue their individual interests. Our goal is to help children become self-directed learners.
Our Preschool offers two distinct classrooms: a Montessori and a Reggio inspired community classroom environment where children are free to explore and engage with their environment based on their unique curiosities. Both classrooms incorporate child-led learning programs that follow each child at their own pace to explore their interests. Children engage in various weekly enrichment classes, including P.E., French, Spanish, and Music. The Preschool teachers present lessons of inclusion, cultures, planet care practices, language, mathematics, science with nature-based play to engage the whole child and encourage the lifelong learner in each child.
We emphasize social and emotional growth, where education is a natural process experienced by the child in a prepared environment with guides to independence and care of self and community.
Preschool Assistant
Ms. Aubrey joined the Primavera staff in Fall 2023, after various recommendations from friends and family. She had always worked jobs with kids in the past so Primavera automatically felt like home. Ms. Aubrey currently works as a preschool aide to Ms. Sue- who she is constantly trying to learn and grow from.
Before Ms. Aubrey became an aide at Primavera she worked many different kinds of jobs. She found her love for working with children at a Sunday school; it was there she was able to start forming her skillset. From there she worked as a nanny, an ELA assistant for elementary, and an aide for middle school ceramics. All of these opportunities were more enjoyable than the last; and she can’t wait to add Primavera to the list!
Outside of school Ms. Aubrey likes to read, create mixed media paintings, thrift for vintage clothing, go on camping trips with her friends, press flowers, collect toys, listen to music really loud, crochet, watch scary movies, and sew clothes. Most of the time though, she likes to relax and enjoy the simple things like a nice cup of coffee or a sunny afternoon!
Sue came to Primavera in 2015. She loves the learning environment, the supportive staff, and wonderful families. She is excited to be in the Preschool Montessori classroom with its beautiful space and outdoor creative learning model.
Sue has 20 plus years of early childhood teaching experience in the Prescott area. Her credentials include a degree in Early Childhood Education, a certificate from the National Center for Montessori Education, National Geographic Teacher Certification and several other continuing education certificates.
Her goal is to guide children and enhance their joy of learning with discoveries of the natural world. Introducing them to the wonders of letters and numbers in a self-paced, nurturing environment that fosters the child’s inner need to explore the world.
Laurie began working at Primavera in 2021 after retiring from YRMC as one of our Early Childhood Afterschool Teachers.
Laurie found Primavera through her sister, Ms. Sue. She is happy to share her time working with children after retiring from a long and successful career in healthcare.
She enjoys getting to know the children and working alongside the staff. We are thrilled to have Laurie as part of the Primavera family.
Kala came to Primavera in 2023 as a teacher’s assistant in the TK room. She is now the lead teacher in one of the preschool classrooms.
Kala is currently enrolled at Yavapai College and is working toward earning her Early Childhood Education degree. She has experience as a teacher’s assistant in the classrooms, along with working with young minds.
Kala has been inspired by Montessori and all it has to offer and has recently shifted the classroom to a Montessori environment and can not wait to bring that into the children's lives. Kala was born and raised in Prescott and loves what this charming town has to offer. She is married, loves to be out in nature, and hopes to share that love with the kids!
Transitional Kindergarten or TK is a school grade that serves as a bridge between Preschool and Kindergarten, to provide students with time to develop fundamental skills needed for success in a school setting appropriate to the student's age and development. Eligible children turn five by December 31 of the school year. This program aims to provide an extra year of growth for children to be developmentally appropriately challenged in preparation to transition successfully into Kindergarten the following school year.
Play develops a child's physical, emotional, and cognitive growth. TK curriculum is a unique blend of learning play and structure, including daily center time to practice skills. Children have many opportunities for free and guided play as they grow in communicating with others, expressing ideas, and incorporating reasoning using language. They are beginning to represent thoughts and ideas using written symbols. Children also engage in various weekly enrichment classes, including P.E., Forest Exploration, French, Spanish, and Music. Using an integrated approach to cognitive development, children learn about themselves, their families, and their local communities.
At Primavera, our goal is to help bridge that particular gap between Preschool and Kindergarten, to help make your child's transition as seamless as possible, all the while getting them "ready" to enter the Primary grades in school.
Jenny first came to Primavera 2010 as a student teacher during her Early Childhood program. Upon completion, she opened The Children’s Garden Preschool, where she created a successful outdoor education program for preschool and pre-k students. She is now returning to us as the T-K teacher. Jenny is excited to be part of the Primavera community and to playfully collaborate with other teachers, families, and children alike.
Jenny has been teaching in the Prescott area since 1998. She has degrees from NAU in Elementary Education, Special Education, and Early Childhood Education. She has taught in a variety of settings, including public, private, and charter schools, preschools, and in-home therapeutic settings. Jenny’s passion is play-based and outdoor education for students of all ages. Community involvement is very important to Jenny, so don’t be surprised if she encourages you to volunteer with classroom projects or hiking expeditions!
When Jenny isn’t teaching, she can usually be found in a garden, forest, or ocean. She loves to explore nature with her family and friends and enjoys traveling to beautiful places. She also enjoys artistic expression through music, dance, yoga, and fine arts. Jenny is excited to have adventures with her students on the trails around Primavera, singing, dancing, and learning through play in the classroom.
Kindergarten is a magical time for children. They're still young enough that everything is amazing, but they're old enough to start learning in a more formal setting. Kindergarten is the first year of "real school," elementary school. In the formative years of Kindergarten, our students are offered opportunities to better understand the world around them through individual and shared inquiries. We nurture children's natural curiosity, imagination, and enthusiasm and ensure excitement is cultivated as each child grows and develops. At Primavera, our goal is to set a foundation for a love of learning for the rest of their lives. We strive to teach them to be kind to everyone, be confident in themselves, and succeed in all they do.
Amanda has been teaching at Primavera since 2019. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Educational Studies with an emphasis in Child Psychology from Arizona State University. She began teaching in 2013.
Amanda’s biggest goal as a teacher is to let each and every student know that they are unique, lovable and capable of success. She enjoys communicating and connecting with her students on an individual and personal level to let them know they are important because of who they are, not what they can do.
Amanda’s hobbies include doing art in a multitude of mediums, kayaking and reading any good books that she can get her hands in a variety of genres. Amanda also loves all dogs and spends lots of time with her dog at home. She and her husband have been in the Prescott area for over 9 years and are both from the Phoenix area originally. She is thrilled to be a part of the Primavera family and work among other brilliant minds amidst the incredible community that is the Primavera population.
First Grade is an exciting year of growth! We strive to help each first grader learn as much as possible, make healthy choices for their brain and body, be a kind friend and a capable learner. First graders are eager to learn new things, and they're curious about everything. Your students will go on new reading adventures as they begin to discover who they are as readers. They'll grow into confident writers sharing their own stories and become creative problem solvers and flexible thinkers in math. In first grade, additional enrichment classes are added to expand their studies, including P.E., Music, French, Spanish, and Art. Using a whole child approach, first graders at Primavera participate in community building activities to support their social and emotional growth.
Debbie started teaching at Primavera School in 2013, and she's been teaching since 1994. She has taught in both public and parochial schools, and nearly all of her experience has been in the first grade. She also has experience teaching 2nd grade, kindergarten and reading remediation. Through it all she’s learned that she loves small, community-like schools and first graders!
Debbie has her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from NAU and is a certified reading specialist. She believes education encompasses much more than academic learning. She guides students as they grow academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. She believes all students can learn and it is her privilege to help each student achieve all they can. She loves teaching, learning and the innate beauty of children.
Debbie and her husband have 3 children, who are all proud Primavera Penguins! Outside of school, she love to read, garden, craft and spend time with her family.
Welcome to the wonderful world of second grade, where each child's competence, independence, brilliance, and natural curiosity are nurtured through experience-rich learning opportunities. Second grade is an exciting time for elementary school students! They are no longer the babies of the school, and they are starting to make meaningful connections with the world at large. Second grade is when students become more independent in their learning and application. They have mastered the basics and are moving on to more advanced topics. Second grade students at Primavera are supported with tools and strategies for them to explore and develop independence and individuality.
Miss Jenni came to work at Primavera in 2010 after graduating Summa Cum Laude from NAU. She has a bachelor of science degree in elementary education. She was a Golden Axe Award recipient! She will be teaching 2nd grade with Miss Kelli and Art!
Jenni has been teaching for 13 years. She has taught kindergarten through third grade, and she ran a 21st Century Community Center for Learning grant program for two years at Lincoln School in Prescott.
Miss Jenni lives with her husband, two daughters, and two silly pugs! Her favorite place is the forest. Her favorite foods all start with P! And she’s obsessed with iced black coffee, especially from Dutch bros. She loves to paint, hike, garden, and go to Disneyland!
Kelli came to Primavera in 2020 as a co-teacher in our 1st/2nd Grade classroom. She came to us after a 10 year teaching hiatus and Primavera was the perfect fit. She loves Primavera School, the staff and the families.
Kelli earned an AA in Early Childhood Development in the early 2000’s and spent the next several years teaching in a private school setting. She has experience teaching Preschool and Kindergarten programs. She took a break from classroom teaching when she began her family to stay home and raise her boys.
Kelli has lived in Prescott since 2009 with her husband and two sons. They love all that our community has to offer. She feels honored and privileged to be a part of your child’s early education. Her hope is to help children love to learn in a safe and fun environment.
Children in third grade who have mastered essential reading and math skills are primed to build upon what they've already learned. Third grade students begin to move from concrete to more abstract concepts and understandings and look for explanations of how things work and why things happen as they do. Students make use of reference books and other materials and use third-grade math and science concepts to continue to explore the world around them. Third graders at Primavera begin to think more globally as they learn about the world beyond home and school and become interested in learning new things.
Trish started working for Primavera in 2014, serving the school in many capacities since that time. After seven years working with both Pre-K and elementary students, Trish became the lead 3rd grade classroom teacher in 2020.
Trish has an Associate’s and Bachelor’s in Business and Marketing and earned a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Development and Diversity in 2019. Prior to working at Primavera, her teaching experience includes 6 years being a Teacher’s Assistant in Preschool in Oklahoma and over 10 years of experience working and teaching people with varying abilities. She has a passion for helping all children realize their potential through exploration and hands-on learning.
Trish and her husband have been a part of the Prescott community since 2011, and have enjoyed raising their four daughters, the youngest a Primavera Penguin. Outside of teaching, Trish loves to be outdoors! In her spare time, she likes to hike, bird-watch, garden, swim, and paddleboard. She and her husband are also veterans. Trish is thrilled to be working with such wonderful children, parents, and co-workers!
Fourth and Fifth grade is about finding our sense of place in the community and the natural world! Students practice deeper analysis and critical thinking skills with complex topics, making text to text, text to self, and text to world connections. Students develop an understanding of the relationship between reading, thinking, and reflection. Fourth and Fifth graders continue to experience independent reading, small group literature study and read aloud. They develop their skills in reading both fiction and non-fiction texts. Students continue to extend, refine, and revise their skills as scientists by observing, predicting, categorizing, and organizing data they collect. Students at Primavera start to develop personal responsibility in these grades while preparing them academically for the rise to 6th grade structure.
Heather started with Primavera in 2021 as a substitute teacher school-wide. She is now excited to co-teach 4th grade alongside Mrs. Mia.
Heather earned her B.S. in Elementary Education from WGU in 2020 and her M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from WGU in 2022. Since 2019, Heather has homeschooled her son and tutored within the homeschool community. She is very excited to be a part of the classroom and create a fun and engaging space for children to learn and grow!
Heather is relatively new to the Prescott area. She moved here with her husband and son to be near family. She is a native of Colorado and also loves Utah and South Carolina. She loves calling Prescott home and everything the community has to offer!
Mia has been teaching at Primavera since 2011. She considers herself incredibly lucky to have taught Preschool, Kindergarten, and 2nd through 6th grades. She has been teaching in the 2nd grade classroom since 2021 and is excited to be co-teaching alongside Mrs. Heather in the 4th & 5th grade classroom this year!
Mia received her BSED from NAU in 2012 and taught Integrated Technology to grades K-8 at Mingus Springs Charter School before landing at Primavera. Her teaching strengths lie in her varied educational and experiential backgrounds. This allows her to provide rich, creative, and exciting hands on learning opportunities. She believes the learning environment itself is a powerful teacher.
Outside of the classroom, Mia guides her own forest-based Preschool called The Hundred Acre Wood School. She is also growing a thriving online resale business. Her favorite self-care activities are nature rambles, reading, and drinking tea with milk and honey. Mia and her husband have thrived in Prescott since childhood and have four children; two of them former Penguins and three grandchildren, one a current proud Penguin.
Children in third grade who have mastered essential reading and math skills are primed to build upon what they've already learned. Third grade students begin to move from concrete to more abstract concepts and understandings and look for explanations of how things work and why things happen as they do. Students make use of reference books and other materials and use third-grade math and science concepts to continue to explore the world around them. Third graders at Primavera begin to think more globally as they learn about the world beyond home and school and become interested in learning new things.
John is thrilled to have joined the Primavera Staff in 2021. After a variety of roles throughout his professional career he was fortunate enough to stumble into the field of environmental education. After spending two years teaching science at Aspen Creek Outdoor School in Prescott, he spent three years as the Director of Programs for Backcountry Unlimited, a Prescott based adventure company. He has experience in leading and creating programs for team building, leadership and a variety of outdoor adventures including Rock Climbing, Mountain Biking, Kayaking, Canyoneering and Orienteering.
Having grown up in a small town in New England, John understands how lucky he was to grow up in the outdoor world. As our world changes, too often we lose touch with nature and he would like to inspire the students at Primavera to learn to love, appreciate and protect the amazing place we all live.
The goal John has with everyone he works with is quite simple - To connect people with themselves, others and the natural world. In his free time you will most likely find him in a tent getting ready to explore some part of Arizona or Utah for a new experience.
Becca has a love for life-long learning and wants to share her experiences with her students. She grew up in Vermont with the wilderness and tight knit community. Becca moved out west and graduated from Prescott College in 2018. Becca majored in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Expeditionary Learning and a minor in Wilderness Therapy.
Becca first discovered Primavera when she came to do her student teaching alongside Mr. Dan in 2017. Primavera was the perfect fit for her to continue her education and implement creative and nature-based lessons. After her student teaching she joined the Primavera staff as a classroom teacher and has experience working in many of our grades. Becca has been leading the 4th/5th since 2020.
Becca enjoys elementary grades because she can make a difference and provide a foundation for the rest of a student‘s educational career. She teaches science, math, language arts, and social studies in thematic, relevant, current and fun ways. Her class has an opportunity to play and study in Arizona’s own backyard and cover many themes. Becca weaves in camping trips, hiking, rafting, field trips, ropes courses, etc into the curriculum. She enjoys working at Primavera and being able to focus on the child as a whole.
There are many options for assistance in sending your child to Primavera.
