PATTI CLAYBOURNE: After many years of being associated with elementary school admission, Mrs. Claybourne joined the TSONS staff in September, 2005. An over-active volunteer at the elementary, middle & high schools her children attended, Patti brings a seasoned voice to Room 5. She loves spending time with children and nurturing their parents!
ESPERANZA “HOPE” COLE: Hope has been a wonderful addition to our staff since the summer of 2009. She immediately impressed students, parents and staff with her warmth, expertise, humor and great work ethic. She has a BA in Human Development from Pacific Oaks and holds a Multiple Subject Learning credential in the state of California. She teaches full time in Room 2. Her hobbies include baking, reading, writing and camping.
CYNTHIA CONTRERAS: Ms. Contreras received her early childhood education from both Valley College and CSUN where she received her BA degree. She joined the TSONS staff in 2007 and has worked with every age. She is an enthusiastic member of the TSONS staff and brings her energy and love of children to school on a daily basis. She especially loves dancing, running around the yard, getting into messy art and dirt play with her students. Personally, she loves the outdoors, travel and challenging herself, including running and completing two marathons!! Cynthia is a volunteer with Heal the Bay MPA watch.
TACIE COOK: Ms. Cook joined our staff in the summer of 2004. She taught Parent & Me classes and floated throughout the Nursery School program until the fall of 2005 when she became a co-lead teacher in Room 2. She has endeared herself to staff, parents and children alike. She is fun-loving, energetic, wonderful with children and animals, and has been a tremendous asset to our program. She is also a TSONS mom!
VICTORIA COOPER: Victoria has worked with children her entire life and was beyond excited to join TSONS staff during the 2013-2014 School Year. She began her TSONS experience in 2008 when she was a nanny to two boys who attended. Victoria was next a parent here when she and her son Sam joined our Parent and Me Program in 2012. She received her education in Child Development from Valley College. Victoria brings a love of, and enthusiasm for, children with her each and every day. She also has a great way of sharing her British heritage including traditions, foods and of course her wonderful accent. She loves baking, reading and going to Disneyland!
JOCELYN DWYER: Ms. De la Cruz started with us in September 2010. She has an Anthropology degree from UCLA and her Pre-School/Elementary credential from Long Beach State. She taught elementary school for 5 years and has enjoyed teaching at the pre-school level for the last 4 years. She is a “chronic hobbyist” who always enjoys learning new things. She is a terrific baker and her current passion is sewing! But you will always find her with a book in her hand.
MARIANNA GEVORKYAN: Ms. Gevorkyan joined our staff in the summer of 2011. She can be found teaching Enrichment classes and as a substitute in the various classrooms. She loves working with children and is in the process of working on her degree in Psychology.
MICHAL HARRIS: Mrs. Harris began her career here as a parent. She is the mother of two TSONS alumni, as well as, an older married son who has also made her the grandmother of two. Her expertise is in early childhood development, and she teaches all our Parent and Me and Transition classes. She is knowledgeable and shares her wisdom with warmth and humor. Mrs. Harris also is the primary swim instructor over the summer for the TSONS Swim program. She served on the school’s Board of Directors for 7 years and as President for one.
KATHY HILTON: Mrs. Hilton has been with The Sherman Oaks Nursery School program for over 30 years. She started as a student teacher, and then became a lead teacher, at the school’s former site on the campus of The Sherman Oaks Presbyterian Church. She has two sons who attended the nursery school, one who is married and made her a grandmother! She was instrumental in the formation of TSONS on its current site and has held the positions of Co-Director and Director. Her vast experience and warm, loving manner make her a valuable resource and friend to the TSONS community.
JOSE LOPEZ: Jose has been our “Mr. Everything” since 1993. He can fix anything and keeps the school in great working order. As well, he directs traffic, keeps an eye on the neighborhood, cleans the rooms, rakes the sand, transports class pets to and from cars, builds anything we might need, and sets up for every school function. He is the proud father of three children, all alumni of TSONS.
JENNIFER MAYBERRY: Another former parent joins our staff! Mrs. Mayberry taught for 7 years before becoming a parent while in North Carolina and is thrilled to be back working with young children. She started subbing for us while her youngest son was attending our school. Jennifer works with Lois Shepes and Cynthia Contreras in the Cottage in the morning and teaches Transition with Michal Harris in the afternoons.
NAIRA MINASYAN: Mrs. Minasyan has been at TSONS since the fall of 2000. She was a floater teacher in all grade levels before settling into teaching Pre-K in the mornings in Room 5. For the past 3 years, she also teaches afternoons in the DK program with Mrs. Tennison. She is the mother of two and brings experience and energy to her work.
JUDY PENROSE: Mrs. Penrose has been in the early childhood education field for over fourteen years. She has a BA in Human Development and an MA In Early Childhood Education from Pacific Oaks College. She also holds a Program Director Permit from the Commission of Teacher Credentialing. She is knowledgeable and enthusiastic about child development and is warm and loving. She is a mother of two young children. She became Assistant Director at TSONS in the summer of 2015.
APRIL SCHULTE: April became a wonderful addition to TSONS in 2001. She is a favorite with children and parents alike! She has a sparkling personality and conscientious work habits. She is often your first contact with the school as she sits at the front desk and holds the positions of Office Manager and Admissions Coordinator. She is the mother of two beautiful girls.
LOIS SHEPES: Mrs. Shepes has been with the school for over thirty years. She began her teaching career when the school was located on the premises of The Sherman Oaks Presbyterian Church, its original site. Her expertise is with the very young nursery school age child and her enthusiasm for each and every class remains high. She has incredible patience and a soft, but firm way that allows children to know what is expected of them and makes them want to do it. She is the proud mother of one grown son, who also attended the Nursery School.
ART SOTILLO: Mr. Art joined the TSONS staff in September 2014 after many years as a privately hired therapeutic companion, often here at TSONS. We had always been impressed with his excellent skills and pleasant manner and were thrilled when he finally accepted our offer to join our staff full time. He received his BA in Child Development and his Masters in Special Education at California State University Los Angeles. Art worked at several schools in the Glendale and Los Angeles area before becoming a self-employed therapeutic companion/behavioral interventionist in 1999. His wealth of experience and his energetic enthusiasm for children makes him a most welcome addition to our staff. He has a passion for soccer and can be found most of his off time coaching his two teams.
PENNY TENNISON: Mrs. Tennison has over 20 years of early childhood teaching and administrative experience and started at TSONS in 2002. She has two sons and is quite an active mom. She has a calm, playful spirit and you will often see her engaged in wild storytelling with her class. She loves working with Pre-K children in the morning, and then she brings her wonderful energy and enthusiasm to the DK program she developed in the afternoon.
DEIRDRE WALSH: We are so please that Mrs. Walsh has joined our staff this year as a Parent & Me teacher working with Michal Harris. We first met her as a parent here and discovered that she had an early childhood education background and previously taught drama to young children! She is an avid reader, traveler and game player. Most of all, she loves to be with her husband and three children.
PAM WINDETTE: Mrs. Windette is the mother of a TSONS alumna. She has been on staff at TSONS since 2003 starting as an Enrichment teacher and floater and has been a part of the Room 2 morning teaching team since 2007. She is warm and friendly and has an easy way with children. She loves to tell stories, sing, and dance. The students often tell her that she is silly! When she is not at TSONS, she likes to go to concerts and plays. Pam volunteers once a week at a local elementary school where she reads to two first-grade classes.