Preschool Teachers and Staff at the Community Preschool of the Palisades

Role: Director

With Palisades Preschool since: 2019

Education: Masters of Education in Curriculum & Instruction, Early Childhood Education for Diverse Learners

Birthday: August 26th

Favorite Flower: Hydrangea

Favorite Children's Book: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Favorite Place to Visit: The beach

Bio: Kate Murphy has extensive experience in the field of early childhood education. After graduating from the George Washington University with a B.A. in Political Science and Psychology, she began her career as the Site Manager for Jumpstart at Georgetown University, an AmeriCorps program which promotes preschoolers’ language, literacy, and social skill development. Kate then taught Pre-Kindergarten at a DC charter school for five years before becoming an Instructional Specialist with District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). In this role, she was responsible for the coaching and professional development of early childhood educators to ensure all children received high-quality services. In her most recent role, she served as Manager of the ECE Learning Lab, a professional learning program within DCPS that provided visiting educators the opportunity to observe developmentally appropriate, rigorous and joyful instruction, to then set goals for implementation in their own classrooms. She holds a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with a Concentration in Early Childhood Education for Diverse Learners from George Mason University.

Role: Polliwog/Minnow Classroom Lead Teacher

Started at CPP: 2003

Education: Bachelor’s Degree

Birthday: May 24^th

Favorite Flower: Gardenias

Favorite Children's Book: I Love You, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt

Favorite Place to Visit: International Cities

Bio: Ms. Comeau has worked in the field of education for many years. She moved to Washington, DC in 2001 and has since worked at LADO International College, Roosevelt High School, Cardozo High School, F.S. Key Elementary School, and spent a summer teaching abroad in Oaxaca, Mexico at the Universidad de Benito Juarez. She started teaching at the Community Preschool of the Palisades in 2003. She left the preschool when her youngest son was born, but returned in 2018 when he started school. Ms. Comeau loves being part of the CPP community and became a preschool teachers because she came to understand how very important the early years are for children. She also loves how working with children requires her to be present and focused. She hopes that the children in her classroom develop independence, friendships, critical thinking skills, and a love of learning!

Role: Dragonfly Class Lead Teacher

With Palisades Preschool since: 2010

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education

Birthday: December 22^nd

Favorite Flower: Orchids

Favorite Children's Book: Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran; The Beatrix Potter books

Favorite Place to Visit: Japan

Bio: Ms. Owen earned her Bachelor's of Science in Elementary Education from York College and completed a 90 hour course in Early Childhood Education. She has spent her career of over 20 years working in a variety of educational settings. In addition to serving as a classroom lead teacher, Ms. Owen has served as the Summer Camp Director at the preschool since 2017, run programming for young children in museums, and worked at the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center. Ms. Owen has been teaching at the preschool since 2010. She enjoys discovering alongside children and getting to share in their "aha" moments each day. She loves the sense of community that is fostered at the preschool and appreciates that this is truly a place that celebrates the best of childhood. She hopes that the children in her Dragonfly classroom have a year full of exploration, discovery, creativity, and experiences that support their learning and growth!

Role: Dragonfly Class Assistant Teacher

With Palisades Preschool since: 2012

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality

Birthday: January 24th

Favorite Flower: Orchids

Favorite Children's Book: The "Llama, Llama" books by Anna Dewdney; books by Mo Willems

Favorite Place to Visit: Philippines

Bio: Ms. Soltani earned her Bachelors degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from The De Ocampo Memorial College in Manila, Philippines. She also completed a 90-hour course in Early Childhood Education. Ms. Soltani has been working with children and families for over 20 years. She began her career as a professional nanny and then became a substitute teacher at CPP. She taught at Spring Hill Montessori before returning to the Community Preschool of the Palisades to teach in the Dragonfly classroom. Ms. Soltani loves to be a part of children's learning process and to watch them blossom. She also enjoys building relationships with children, families, and colleagues and feels like the preschool is her home away from home. She hopes that the children in the Dragonfly classroom build and share new knowledge that prepares them for their next steps beyond preschool with the support and guidance of the teaching staff!

Kate Murphy

Karima Benamri

Miriam Cantrell

Sarah Comeau

Edlamar Macedo

Kate Moody

Dory Owen

Sofia Soltani

Preschool Staff