Valley Christian Preschool Staff

I’ve been in the early education field for 17 years and seem to gravitate toward church-affiliated preschools. While living in Santa Barbara, CA, I worked closely with the County Education District to develop our school’s early intervention program. I was also a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and an eight-year board member of the Santa Barbara Family Child Care Association.

I went to school at San Diego State University and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies for Educators with a Minor in Psychology. I continued to earn additional Early Child Education units toward completing my administration requirements.

After living in California for almost 20 years, I returned to Oregon with my husband and twin daughters in 2004. Some of my passions include skiing, kayaking, golfing, hiking, traveling, and just simply exploring the area.

My vision of a successful preschool is to create an enriching environment that promotes quality learning through play. We achieve this by fostering kindness, intellectual growth, and the joy of discovery for the children, staff and families.

Berkeley Gadbaw, Lead Teacher - Young 2’s class

I am very excited to be a part of the Valley Christian Preschool family. Both of my daughters loved attending Valley - playing with their friends, hunting bears with Mrs. Broome and Mrs. Scott, or sharing their treasures with Ms. Susan and Mrs. Kurtz.

My husband, Matt, and I moved to Portland seven years ago and are excited to be close to our families in the Northwest. I received my bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in 1996. I then went on to get my Master’s in Teaching from the University of Washington in Seattle and taught science for the next five years in South and North Carolina. In my free time I enjoy running, hiking, doing Poekoelan (an Indonesian martial art) and traveling.

For the past seven years I have stayed home with my two young daughters and enjoyed watching them grow and learn. Together we explore the world around us, experiment with art, and spend hours doing pretend play. I love working with kids of all ages and am excited to help children make new discoveries about the world around them. Preschool is an amazing age - each time I am in the classroom I am in awe of the kindness, creativity, and unique personality of each individual. I am thrilled at the opportunity to teach and learn from your children this year.

Heather Koukel, Lead Teacher - 2½’s class

I was born and raised in the LA area of Southern California, and went on to graduate from UC Irvine with a BA in Social Ecology. My husband David and I moved to Portland in 1993. We love it here! After my daughter Ellen was born, I stayed home with her for her first six years. Ellen is a VCP graduate, and was a student of our wonderful Karen Broome. I absolutely loved my experience here as a parent, and was so pleased to become part of the staff in 2004. I was the Lunch Bunch Coordinator and Friday Playgroup assistant for three years, then moved on to the 2 ½’s program. Playing with the students here each day is a real joy for me. Their enthusiasm and giggles are infectious! I feel so blessed to be here at VCP, my church home.

Kristina Kurtz, Co-Teacher - Young 2’s and 2½’s classes

I’m thrilled my days at VCP continue! After being inspired by the teaching and learning taking place at VCP when my daughter was a student here, I volunteered in several preschool and elementary classrooms so I could develop my growing interest in early childhood education. So when the opportunity to join VCP staff, I enthusiastically accepted.

I am a member of Valley Community Presbyterian Church, and keep active with Children’s Ministries. I have taught preschool ages in both Sunday School and Vacation Bible School; I participate with Wednesday Fellowship Night and Moms’ Bible Study, and have served on the preschool board. I am a Portland native - so my husband and I happily returned here when we were starting our family. We have two young daughters, one of whom finished at VCP several years ago. In my life before kids, I earned a BA at the University of Washington and worked for 10 years in the environmental services field.

I have found something special in working with young children and families, and acting on my belief that each of us is a Child of God. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to work and play with your children.

Karen Broome, Lead Teacher - 3’s class & Friday Play Group Co-Teacher

I have been a teacher here at Valley Christian Preschool since the school was created here at Valley Community Presbyterian Church in 1996. It began as one classroom of 18 three year olds and so it has been a blessing to watch the school grow and evolve into the school it is today. I make the drive from my home in Hillsboro, Monday through Thursday, because I am passionate in VCP’s philosophy that children learn through play and I have seen the proof of this through the hundreds of children and families I have had the pleasure to work with over the years. This school is not just a school where the children grow socially and academically, but a school where families grow as well, as we work to build a community atmosphere and bring parents together so that relationships begin here and continue to grow as the families leave our preschool for the elementary schools.

I am originally from California but recieved my Early Education in Oregon. I have been a teacher for over 14 years but continue to update my education yearly. I am married to Patrick, for over 20 years now and we have three children, Jherika, Brennan and Cameron who are in their teen and college years. They are each completely different in their personalities, gifts and desires and have added to my education and experience that each child is a unique gift from God and learns differently and a classroom should be set up to allow a child to learn in various ways. Through my education, work and parenting experience, I can relate to pretty much any issue families fave these days and strive to be a Christ-like example for my students and families during our time together in the classroom. I have been fortunate to work with two amazing co-teachers, Jennifer VanDitti and Laurie Scott for many years now. Together, we make a strong, well-balanced team. We strive to make our classroom a safe, loving, environment where children are free to explore, investigate and seek answers relating to this wonderful world God created for us.

Jennifer VanDitti, Co-Teacher - 3’s M/W class
& 4's Friday Co-Teacher

I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. My husband, Mike, and I have two daughters, Amy and Megan.

I previously worked for the Beaverton School District as a classified substitute, and was an active volunteer at both of my daughter’s schools. The thing that I enjoy the most about working with children is that no two days are ever alike. It is so amazing to look at the world through each child’s eyes and watch their creative imaginations at work as each day brings new adventures and discoveries.

Laurie Scott, Co-Teacher - 3’s T/Th/F class

My husband, Mike, and I live with our two boys in the Raleigh Hills neighborhood. Our boys, Stephen and Matt, attend Beaverton High School and Willamette University. Actually, I grew up in this neighborhood (in the same house we currently live in) and went to Raleigh Park, Whitford and Beaverton High School. After high school, I went to Oregon State University where I received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Even though I graduated in business, my first love was working with children. When our children were born, I quit work and became active in our children's school doing everything from classroom help and fundraising to helping in the cafeteria. Outside of school, I was involved in coaching soccer and helping with the youth football program for the Beaverton area and currently help with Rugby.

In 2005, opportunity knocked and I was able to work for Valley Christian Preschool. I absolutely love working with preschool children. They are like a sponge and love to learn. I feel if we watch children long enough we might learn a few things ourselves.

Gigi Lundgren, Lead Teacher - 4’s M/W/F class

I am delighted to join the fantastic group of teachers at Valley Christian Preschool.

To share a little of my background, I am a licensed teacher in both Oregon and New Jersey. My training is from Carroll College in Helena, Montana; and Masters in Teaching from Concordia University here in Portland.

I began in 1991 teaching the kindergarten in a Preschool. I moved back to my hometown of Portland in 1998 where I went to work for the Arch Diocese of Portland teaching both kindergarten and First grades at both Cathedral School and Holy Redeemer School.

My son has been at Valley Christian for the past three years. He is starting kindergarten this year and I am really looking forward to teaching at what I believe is such a wonderful school.

Judi Barragar, Lead Teacher - 4’s T/Th/F class

I grew up in McMinnville, Oregon in a family of four siblings; we all worked in our father’s pro-shop. It was fun to spend summers at the golf course and around lots of people. I graduated with a BS in Education from Western Oregon State. I really enjoyed all of the substitute teaching I did in the following years. A small town is a great place to do that, it felt like family. I had the opportunity to move to Portland and Nanny full-time for a family and that came with a lot of adventure and growth. After getting married to my husband Steve, I started working at St. Thomas More school in their aftercare program which was 1/2 day kindergarten and the afternoons were spent with the school age children. I absolutely loved that job, those kids and those families. I decided to stay home with our daughter, Katherine, when she was born, but tried to help out at the school still when possible. When Katherine was at Valley, I worked in the lunch bunch program and in Friday Play Group for a year. Being around the younger children was very rewarding and fun, they are so full of joy and wonder! Then it was back to St. Thomas More for two years as the 1st grade teacher’s assistant. I am thrilled to be back at Valley and know it will be like an extended family. I love children and feel that they are all God’s children, therefore we all have a responsibility to care for them as our own. What a terrific job to have!

Valley Community
Presbyterian Church

Portland, Oregon

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