LILLIAN FINCHER
Co-Teacher
BFA in Dance; MA in Early Childhood Education
Lillian taught dance and yoga for 2 years in Chicago, taught Pre-K for 2 years for the Washington, D.C., public schools and has been a teacher at BFS since 2008.

Lillian believes that early childhood is an amazing period in a person's life. She enjoys supporting young children to become independent, caring, and critical thinkers who contribute to a positive classroom community. Lillian also loves bringing her dance and yoga background into the classroom to show students another way they can express themselves.

MEDINA KHALIL
Head Teacher
BA English Literature, MS in Early Childhood/Childhood Education
Six Years Early Childhood and Elementary School experience, Adjunct Professor in the Teaching and Learning Department at LIU
Medina started teaching at BFS in September 2010.

Medina’s goal as an educator is to help students discover the tools to become confident, independent learners. By scaffolding children’s learning and creating a loving environment, their naturally inquisitive nature can thrive within the classroom. Medina believes that, as they discover their interests through play, students learn to trust in their own sense of innate curiosity. She also believes that children’s first school years are the place where they engage with others in this discovery; so, creating an environment where cooperative learning is celebrated and cultivated allows for children’s social emotional development as well. Her classroom is one that bridges the transition from home to school, where the family of the classroom embraces all its extended members. Medina’s parents are both artists; and, in another life, she was a Pastry Chef. This love of art and good food find their way into everything she does and are just a few of the ways she and her colleagues explore with their students!

MARIA ROSA
Assistant Teacher
Currently working towards a Child Development Associate Certification
Maria started teaching at BFS in 2008.

Maria feels that she is a caring and loving person, and that she brings this to her work with the children through patience and understanding of their words, feelings and needs. She feels that she is thriving as a teacher at BFS.

LAURA MCGRADE
Assistant Teacher
Laura has been a teacher at BFS since 1994.

Laura says, "My first responsibility is to guide the children and help them establish confidence and, at the same time, give them all the tender loving care they need." Fun fact: "Sometimes when I read to the children I change my voice to match the characters in the book and become a little animated and goofy. The kids love it — they shout, 'More, more!' It's hysterical for all of us."

AIDA GONGORA
Co-Teacher
Currently completing an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education; Child Development Associate Certification
Aida has been teaching since 1989, and has been at BFS since 1992.

Aida is renowned for her gift of helping children to develop emotional self-awareness and empathy while they explore the world around them. With her gentle, wise guidance, children learn to pay attention to and articulate their own feelings and those of others, which enriches and expands the classroom learning environment as a whole. She says, .Children want to be loved and understood. They learn best with open-ended questions and hands-on activities.

CAMILLE D'AGOSTO
Assistant Teacher
Child Development Associate Certification
Camille has been a teacher at BFS since 2004.

For Camille, an important part of teaching young children is to help them accept their friends and themselves. "I want them to feel comfortable with who they are, and to get along with one another. I want them to know there is more good than bad in the world, and to be happy about what they are." Watching the children grow and become more independent, and contributing to their development, has been a source of great satisfaction and excitement. Camille is warm and funny, and greets students cheerily with lines like, "Where's my wink?"

DANIELA VANCUROVA
Head Teacher, Assistant Educational Director
BA in Early Childhood Education
24 years of teaching experience
Daniela has been a teacher at BFS since 1988.

Daniela believes that children learn best about the world through spontaneous and creative play. She likes to help enrich the well-rounded harmonious development of the children in all areas from physical, cognitive, emotional, moral, and social to artistic. She believes in respecting the individual personality of each child, and in creating a trusting and emotionally rich family atmosphere in the classroom. Encouraging independence and self-esteem in the children, and establishing and maintaining well-balanced communication and cooperation with the families are her main goals. Daniela's lively warmth makes the children around her blossom. Fun fact: "I've been called [by kids]: 'Dayanella,' 'Dandilela,' 'Danooeva,' 'Yella,' and even 'Mommy'—by mistake."

KATHERINE VEGA-ORTEGA
Assistant Teacher
AA in Liberal Arts
5 Years Childcare Experience

I am very enthusiastic to begin a fun-filled journey along with the families and teachers at BFS. Its amazing and beautiful to watch children as they discover and learn new things. To see the joy and pride in their eyes when they realize that they could do things that they could not do before. To be apart of that is wonderful. I hope to help children believe that anything is possible.

JUAN ESTWICK
Assistant Teacher
Juan Estwick has been teaching at BFS since 2010. First as a substitute, she has now joined the Jitterbugs full-time beginning in September after working as a full-time caregiver for a family with three boys, all of whom attended BFS. Seeing them engaged and happy go off to school every day inspired her to apply for a position. "I knew that this was a preschool that was not only extremely hands-on with each child, but made each one feel so happy to come to school. I knew immediately that this was the place for me."

What she most wants her Jitterbugs to take away from their time with her is that "preschool is fun and it's a place where they come and explore and learn through playing and from each other."