Biographies

Adult and Child holding handsIt is of utmost importance for parents and families to feel that their children are in good hands while they, themselves, are off at work, school, and making a life for their family. At Indianola Children's Center, we pride ourselves on being a part of your children's central community. We are a smaller center, creating meaningful connections and providing high-quality child care. Families who bring their children to ICC want to be assured that their children are safe, respected, learning and growing, having fun, and feeling a kinship with the staff.

The teachers at ICC are skilled in juggling, multi-tasking and being as “kid-friendly” as possible, all simultaneously while keeping the day-to-day life at ICC safe, fun and evolving. We pride ourselves in having teachers who are professionals in the field; college-educated, experienced in early childhood education. These people who spend all day with your children, reflect their love in helping kids grow, learn and play. Our staff have a collective wealth of experiences, knowledge, tricks of the trade, recycled supplies and stimulating playful activities to enhance the lives of each and every child and his/her family.

People sometimes don't have an appreciation for the skills and education that go into being a teacher in a preschool or toddler setting. It's one thing to raise 1, 2 or 3 toddlers. It's another thing to engage a roomful of 5, 7, 9, 15 or 20 toddlers and preschoolers, keeping them learning, growing, and safe. There are many challenges to the management and guidance of a roomful of children that our ICC teachers so adeptly handle regularly. Parents dropping and picking up children in the middle of a group activity or nap, or children needing help with dressing, toileting, or safety are a few ways that teachers need to help children through a transition. At ICC, our teachers use the Emergent Play Model by carefully planning activities, which, to many adults look like “play.” However, with their Early Childhood Education, teachers are providing very specific and researched education to the young children. Through “play,” children learn to identify letters and numbers, counting, science and nature, spatial and fine motor skills, art and expression, and life skills. ICC teachers juggle set up and cleaning up, transitions, getting books from the library, planning next week's activities and supplies, whew! That's not to mention, individually connecting with each child, their families, their needs and stages of growth, parent meetings, conferences, nor continuing education and licensing requirements.

Kelly Smith, Director

I've been at ICC for almost 3 years as a teacher and have now taken the role as Director. I graduated from The Ohio State University with a BS in Human Development and Family Studies with a specialization in Early Childhood Development. I have 5 years of experiences working with children from 18months to 8th grade. I really love working with the families here at ICC, I have established some wonderful relationships and it is very rewarding watching these children grow.

In my spare time I teach children and adults to Water ski and Wakeboard. While in school I was the vice president of the Ohio State Water Ski and Wakeboard team, being involved with the team is how I met my Fiancé. I am now planning our wedding which will be held in Toledo, Ohio on December 20, 2008. Besides teaching sports on the water we both also enjoy snowboarding and riding dirt bikes.

With both our families being from out of town I tend to travel out of Columbus most every weekend! Usually our summer travel takes us boating at Devils Lake, Michigan and at Salt Fork Lake, Ohio. In addition to all the travel we have been planning our wedding in Toledo which we are anxiously awaiting.

Tina Gratitude, Business Director

I have a background in social work and adult education, with my undergraduate degree coming from The University of Dayton and a Master's of Social Service Administration degree from Case Western Reserve University. I also has a small, part time practice giving Stress Reduction and Relaxation massage and bodywork. While I do not have a degree or classroom experience in early childhood education, I am a frequent visitor of the classrooms and sometimes serve as a floater. I have worked in a variety of business environments, non-profits, urban and rural settings, attending to the whole picture and important details of making ICC run smoothly and effectively.

I love to laugh and find that coming to work with children allows for much laughter and joy. Some of my favorite children's books include All That You Are, The Wheel on the School, all the Patricia Pollaco books, and any book that is wonderfully illustrated. My hobbies are many, including reading, listening to audio books, hiking, gardening, journaling, feng shui, anything related to health and wellness, as well as most music and singing. My family includes Scott, and two cats: GentleFurr and Bartholomeow, as well as my large family of 11 brothers and sister, 37 nieces and nephews, and Mother in Cleveland. I like to visit my family which are all around the world, as well as travel to state parks and the Hocking Hills area. I love that children are full of energy, their smile, their fresh, unhurried and curious perspectives on simple, every day things. We should all pay attention!

Marcela Avila, Toddler Teacher

My name is Marcela Avila and I am from Chile. I arrived in Columbus, Ohio, in September 2003 when my husband started his PhD program on Science Education. I have spent the first two years adapting to my new life here, as well giving support to my children in this big change in their life.

I have graduated as an Early Childhood teacher from the University of Chile. After two years working as a teacher in a private childcare center, my mother and I developed our own Child-Care Center, where I worked as a teacher and coordinator, for almost ten years before I came here. My interest in foreign cultures also pushed me to learn French, and now I have the challenge of being fluent in English. This is my fifth year in Columbus and the USA, and I expect to be here one more year, while my husband finishes his post-graduate studies in Education. These five years have been a wonderful experience, and now I have the opportunity to share with you all that I have learned, a wonderful gift that I will bring to my home country.

Since January 3, 2005, I have been working at the Indianola Children’s Center, first as a volunteer and now as an assistant teacher. It has been a wonderful experience for me and the children. During this time, I have introduced some of the children to Spanish in an introductory class, and I am really amazed at how my students have quickly learned basic words and now they are able to repeat with almost no accent.

Juliet Jansen, Preschool and Toddler Teacher

My name is Juliet Jansen. I started working at ICC in June 2008 in the toddler room. I am originally from Cleveland and moved to Columbus in 1999. I graduated from Otterbein College in 2003 with a B.A. in Public Relations. I bring with me to ICC over 10 years of childcare experience, ranging from in-home care to NAEYC accredited centers. I would eventually like to become a high-school guidance counselor.

My parents are currently residing in Cleveland, and I have an older sister, Jennifer, living in Michigan, as well as a younger brother, Jordan, who is currently pursuing a B.F.A. in Musical Theater at Penn State.

In my spare time, I like to attend various dance classes, and watch a lot of movies! I am also currently working as an entertainer with Party Boutique, a children’s party planning company in Grove City.

I love being at ICC because of the strong sense of community we have here, and because of the supportive staff who get along and support each other so well!

Elizabeth K., Toddler Teacher

After a year-long hiatus to focus more on my undergrad degree and future goals, I'm very excited to be working with children again! I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by such a wonderful group of children and a very knowledgeable, supportive team of staff members. I have over 3 years experience working with infants, toddlers and preschoolers in a daycare setting and have attended numerous lectures and workshops on subjects in the field of early childhood education & development.

I'm currently working towards degrees in both Nursing and International Studies (specifically, the Development Studies track). Once I graduate, I plan on melding my three greatest passions in life—helping people, working with children, and geeking out to anything science related—by devoting my time and skills to humanitarian work overseas.

In my free time—it's a rare occurrence, but it happens!—I enjoy hanging out with my family and friends, road trips & traveling abroad, shopping for things I don't need, dancing to bad music, surfing the web, starting various artsy-crafty-type projects (but never finishing), and reading.

Mark Koenig, Preschool Teacher

Greetings ICC families and IPC staff and church members! My name is Mark Koenig and you may have seen me this summer working with the school age kids. I am now one of the preschool teachers and I’m loving my time with the kids!

I was born in Riverside, California but quickly moved with my family to Boston, Massachusetts where I lived until I was eleven. I have also lived in Orange County, California, New York, New York, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and in Athens, Ohio where I just received my Master’s of Education in School Counseling from Ohio University. I had a school counseling internship for the 2007 – 2008 year at Scioto Ridge Elementary School within the Olentangy Local School district and I loved it!

While my passion is working with children and helping others, I have even more hobbies! I love yoga, travel, hiking, camping, swimming, photography, writing poetry, and hanging out with my friends and family. Next month I will begin a yoga teaching training program at a great yoga studio in Clintonville. ICC is a great place because we have some great kids, supportive families, and a very closely-knit staff. I’m looking forward to enriching my relationships even further here at ICC!

Kate Taylor, Preschool and Toddler Teacher

I am a junior at The Ohio State University. I am majoring in Speech and Hearing Science and am working towards a degree in Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology. I have two older brothers and am the baby of the family : )

I am a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. I have been here at ICC for a little under a year and have really enjoyed the experience!

Indianola Presbyterian Church Staff

Sometimes parents wonder who are Ed or Sandi? Because we are located in the Indianola Presbyterian Church, we also include the church staff as part of us. New parents who need security access get that clearance through Sandi and/or Ed. Ed frequently is in the yard or building, picking up trash, recycling and providing day-to-day help on the spur of the moment. If you walk through the church throughout the week, one might hear the organist or singer practicing, a Friday Taize service, funerals, community meetings or college-ministry events sponsored. As part of IPC's mission, ICC is an outreach service to the community, in a non-religious program. The church staff help ICC with building security, maintenance, recycling and the long list of a variety of other tasks that crop up during the week. The church shares the ICC space, operations, bills and funding. They help provide their daily support in invisible, yet committed and generous ways. Many church members are involved in ICC, through sitting on the Board of Director's, providing fund raising opportunities such as OSU Parking and Missions, as well as donating supplies, time and talents to keep ICC going.

Indianola Presbyterian Church also houses the Interfaith Center for Peace, emphasizing peaceful conflict resolution and non-violent communication, which is specially incorporated in ICC's program.