Hello! I have been blessed to be a part of Wesley’s Bright Beginnings preschool for the past 19 years, and if you count my first year as a parent of a toddler in the program, then it’s 20!! Most of my years were spent teaching 2s, then I became the director and did both for several years. Now I am not in the classroom, but I have the perfect job in that I get to go into all the classes and see all our kiddos!! I am originally from Missouri and have a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood from University of Missouri-Columbia (Mizzou!) and a Master’s in Reading from Northwest Missouri State in Maryville, Missouri. My family has lived in Bloomington for 20 years and includes my husband, our daughter, Hannah-Kate who will be a Junior at Mizzou, our son Carter who just graduated from University High School in Normal and will attend Mizzou in the fall, and our 4 year old Mini Australian Shepherd, Luna. In my spare time I enjoy walking, reading, baking and spending time with family and friends.

Hello WBB family! My name is Miss Naomi and I am lucky to be with the WBB program teaching 4s. Prior to coming here, I co-taught in an inclusive multi-age preschool classroom in Minonk. I have been living in Normal since I graduated from ISU with my teaching degree. I am helping raise 3 amazing and busy kiddos of my own alongside my husband. I choose preschool because I love seeing and nourishing growth in children. Children have such an interesting and fun perspective of life and things going on around them. Plus, I can be silly! I love having a career filled with laughter.

My name is Teresa Kunkes (4’s Class Assistant). I am originally from Taylorville which is about 2 hours south of here. I moved to Bloomington with my husband Nick about 10 years ago. We have a 13 year old son named Jonathan. He is very active in school, sports and Scouts. We also have 6 year old twins daughters, River and Rose. The girls are also very active in Scouts. In our free time we like to go hiking or visit with family. River and Rose attended preschool here at WBB and we fell in love with the program. I am really excited about joining the WBB staff and look forward to the upcoming year!

Hello! My name is Stephaney Jones. My husband Brian and I have lived in Bloomington-Normal since college. We both attended Illinois State University, where I received my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and my Master’s Degree in Reading Education. We both began working in Bloomington after graduating and have never left! I started my career at Stevenson Elementary in District 87. I left in 2008 after having my twins. We have three boys, Mason, Spencer, and Asher. Mason and Spencer are soon to be 8th graders, and Asher will be a 2nd grader! All three of our boys have attended preschool at WBB, and their time here was invaluable. This will be my fourth school year being a teacher at WBB. It is such a special place, and I’m so grateful to be able to do what I love and still enjoy a work/life balance that fits the needs of my family! We are so excited for this school year.

My name is Holly Rogers. I’m a Central Illinois native, and mom of two daughters. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Evangel University, with a minor in Child Psychology. I have twenty years experience in the field of Early Childhood, including curriculum development, classroom teaching, as well as one-to-one floor time and individual care. Areas I am particularly passionate about include play-based learning, and developing strategies to meet the unique needs of individual students. I am currently on the very long and exciting journey of learning American Sign Language (ASL) with the goal of one day being fluent. I am honored to be a part of WBB staff, and each year, I truly thrill to watch our students grow!

Hello Families! My name is Janet Flynn and I am the lead teacher in the Little Explorer’s Class. My family moved to Illinois over 20 years ago from VA. My husband and I are parents to two adult children. We love to travel and spend time with them and their families. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from VA Wesleyan University. I taught in the elementary schools in VA and I was a preschool teacher at Tomorrow’s Promise for 6 years. I love teaching preschool! Seeing the children grow, discover and learn brings me a lot of joy! In my spare time, I love to read historical fiction, crochet, journal and be outdoors.

Hello! I am the teachers assistant for the 3 day 2’s! I am currently pursuing my masters in Speech-Language Pathology at ISU. I am from the south suburbs of Chicago and also went to ISU for my undergraduate degree. Go Redbirds! I enjoy trying new recipes, thrifting, and taking walks on Constitution Trail!

Hi! I’m so excited to be Lead Teacher in the Little Dippers Toddler Room. I’ve been involved with Wesley’s Bright Beginnings as a parent for the past four years. I’m so glad to be on this amazing staff and work with such wonderful kiddos! I moved to Bloomington/Normal to attend Illinois State University and have been here ever since graduation. I live just outside of Shirley with my husband, Chris, and our two daughters. Hallie is a kindergartner who previously attended WBB and Emma is in the 3’s Comets Class. When I can find the time I enjoy to cook and bake and just overall being a foodie. Plus I love spending time with my friends and having relaxed family time.

My name is Abby Ritter. I’ve been involved in early childhood for about 10 years. Working with children and watching them grow has always brought me such joy. I love to sit down and engage with them, as they discover new things about the world. I have spent most my life in Bloomington. I have two boys age two and six. I absolutely love being their mama. In my spare time, I enjoy listening to music, reading, and enjoying time outside in nature.