Meet Our La Petite Academy Staff – Ms. Jessica, Preschool Teacher

Meet Ms. Jessica, preschool teacher at La Petite Academy in Sherwood OR. She has been teaching little ones at La Petite since 2004 and she also has her associate’s degree. Read our full Q&A to learn more about this fabulous teacher!

What drew you into a career in early education?

I love children. I started out a long time ago when I was 18 years old working at a daycare center near my home when I lived in Milwaukee, and I just loved it so much. It was so rewarding and so fun. I worked at a variety of centers throughout the years and I ended up a La Petite Academy when my son was two.  He started in the Early Preschool room and went all the way through School-Age and we just really loved it. The school’s just run so beautifully, the director is professional and helpful and supportive. I’ve had no reason to go anywhere else – this school is beautiful. I’m honored enough to work with these kids every day.

How is it rewarding for you?

I just feel like knowing at the end of the day, that the academy has made a difference, and that I have made a difference, and knowing at the end of the day that I did my best and have impacted these kids’ lives, it’s just so nice. It’s just really an honor to have such a big part in these kids’ lives and to be able to teach them and to make their lives they best they can be during their time here.

In your opinion, why do you feel early education programs are important for little ones today?

This foundation is something that’s going to see them all the way through the rest of their education. Just learning even to be a good friend and to be kind and why we do the things that we do. It teaches children to learn to compromise and to exist in this world with others and how to make a good choice.

How do you maintain strong communication between yourself and your students’ parents?

I’m always really open with my parents and I feel like I have a really good relationship with most of them. We do a lot of communication through the brightwheel mobile app. We can engage in full-on conversations without having to be present. I make it a point to talk to the parents every single night. I also always let them know, if they ever need anything, please feel free to talk to me.

Could you share a memorable moment from your time at La Petite?

Once I had a little girl and she was going through a super hard time at home and she needed a lot of extra support. I spent two weeks just spending a lot of time with the child, and making sure she felt confident and strong, because she was feeling really sad and not wanting to be a part of the group. Her parents were splitting up so it was completely understandable. At the end of that two-week period, as the child became more successful, the mom had come to me and said, “I really appreciate how much support you have given her. This has been a really dark time in our lives and you’ve really been a bright light.” That’s really sweet.