Teachers

Wendy Shambra

Director

 

Wendy Shambra-Katragadda is a graduate of the University of Southern California with a BS degree in Accounting and Business Administration. She worked many years as a business consultant. When her oldest child arrived she became very interested in early childhood development and enrolled in graduate classes in education. She joined ECDS as a parent in 2001 and established our pre-school and daycare program in 2005. She has taught our two year old class and has also been the managing director of Little Phoenix, our pre-school and daycare for the past fifteen years. Wendy emphasizes loving kindness in her work and in our preschool and daycare. She is the mother of four children, all of whom attended ECDS.

Head Teachers

Kim Glezer

Head Teacher, Infants

 

 

Kim is a mother of an adult child and loves working with children. She brings a wealth of Early Childhood experience to Little Phoenix and has been working with infants and toddlers for over 20 years. She is creative and engaging, and creates a warm nurturing, enovriment where children can learn and explore the world around them.

Emily DeBiase

Head Teacher, Ones

 

Emily has worked at Little Phoenix for ten years.  She has enjoyed working with all age groups; but has settled into heading up the one year old classroom, as she has a passion for these young students. Emily has completed early childhood coursework at Housatonic College and is a mother of a high school senior. Emily hopes to continue in early child hood development and education for the duration of her career; learning and growing along the way!

June DeAndressi

Head Teacher, Twos

 

June DeAndressi  has a CDA in Early Childhood Education. She has been teaching children ages two through five for the past 18 years. June has worked in Greenwich and Stamford preschools prior to coming to Little Phoenix. She currently lives in Monroe with her husband and two sons. June has been working at Little Phoenix the past two years.

Annie Zinovenko

Head Teacher, Pre-K Threes

 

Annie Zinovenko earned her Bachelor’s from Merrimack College in Early Childhood Education. She brings over 20 years of experience teaching pre-school as well as Kindergarten through second grade. Annie uses a whole child approach to pre-school teaching and provides an interactive, inviting classroom where social emotional and cognitive learning blossoms.

Assistant Teachers

Halley Shambra

Miss Taylor

Rahela Vahora

Kevin Katragadda

Courtney Maxfield

Lily Becker

Marisela Santos

Irene Ruiz

Te’Ajai Hall

Cathy Edwards

Ravza Umar

Troi Lloyd

Amanda Gagliardi

Jose Tabora

Nicole Tuccinardi

Precillia Tendean