Our teachers
Our teachers are the guideposts for both preschoolers and parents. Each PNS teacher meets or exceeds state requirements as early childhood educators.
Teacher Amy
Co-Director and Teacher, 4/5s Class
Amy is a Palo Alto native, where she grew up attending Palo Alto schools, including Parents Nursery School for two years with Virginia Debs as her teacher! She has a BA from Middlebury College, an MA in education from Stanford University, a California teaching credential, a California Child Development Site Supervisor Permit, and numerous ECE units. She taught at the high school level for eight years, both at St. Francis High School in Mt. View and at Palo Alto High School, before becoming a full-time mom when her second child was born. Amy, along with her husband Joe, came to PNS as a parent with their oldest child Luke and was delighted to join such a wonderful community for both children and parents. She completed seven consecutive years at PNS as a parent, first with Luke, then with daughter Anna, and finally with her youngest daughter Sarah. Amy was teacher of the Mixed Age class for four years and is excited to begin her seventh year teaching the 4/5's class for the 2020-2021 school year. Like the other PNS teachers, she truly believes in the value of early and consistent parent involvement in their children’s education, and loves working with this age group. Amy lives in Palo Alto where she enjoys spending time with her busy family.
Teacher Theresa
Co-Director and Teacher, Mixed-Age class
Theresa was born and raised in Palo Alto. She studied sociology at California State University, Sacramento, and has received her Master Teacher Permit from the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Theresa is a dyed-in-the-wool Giants fan and a bit of a gadfly. She married “the boy next door” (a PNS alum) and they’ve been together nearly thirty years. They have a son, Jack, who went to PNS as well. Theresa joined PNS as a parent in 2009, but when Jack was promoted to elementary school she didn’t want to leave! She joined the PNS teaching staff as an Assistant Teacher for the mixed age class at the start of the 2011/12 school year because she loves everything about it: the philosophy of the school and the parents who believe in it, the sense of community, the fantastic play space, and the snickerdoodles. This year she is looking forward to returning as lead teacher in the Mixed Age classroom. When she’s not at PNS she can be found biking around town or goofing off with Jack. She enjoys reading, cooking, swimming, photography, and being outside. Theresa believes in parent involvement, play based learning, and paying things forward.
Teacher Greg
Assistant Teacher
Greg is native Palo Altan and a graduate of San Jose State University as well as Parents Nursery School. He’s married to Teacher Theresa. Their son, Jack, will be starting 9th grade this year. He holds a multiple-subject teaching credential from San Jose State. He enjoys sports and reading non-fiction, especially US history.
Teacher Diana
Assistant Teacher
Diana grew up in Taiwan and Wisconsin. She has a master’s degree in Materials Science Engineering from MIT. For seven years she worked as an engineer before switching to pursue her passion in working with children. After taking classes in Early Childhood Education, Diana started work as a teacher in an after-school kids club through PACCC. She also served as a classroom aide at Ohlone Elementary School. Diana became a stay-at-home mom after the birth of her first son Adam. When she first visited PNS in 2010 with Adam, she knew it was a special place. Adam loved every second of his time at PNS, as does his younger brother Daron, now. Diana is thrilled to be joining the PNS staff as an Assistant Teacher for the mixed-age class. She enjoys biking and eating ice cream with her family, having nights out with girlfriends, and singing in the car.
Teacher Summer
Assistant Teacher
Summer loves discovering new things along with fun people. From her days in Indonesia as a teenager to her part-time job in college as a “Mad Scientist” at birthday parties and shows, from her six years as a science museum educator to her time teaching fifth grade, she has always been passionate about learning and sharing. She considers finding PNS the best thing that’s ever happened to her family–and she loves to learn and discover with Teacher Amy’s class! She lives with her husband, Austin, and their awesome kids, Sagan (Teacher Amy’s Class of 2015) and Aurora (Teacher Theresa’s class), who all love to camp. Her obsessions include whatever she’s binge-watching, puns, the International Space Station, Hamilton, iridescence, and coffee.
Teacher Michelle
Assistant Teacher
Michelle grew up in Portola Valley where she currently lives with her husband and daughters. Babysitting the neighbor’s children as a teenager set in motion a series of childcare opportunities that has kept her working with children for the last two decades. She has worked as a nanny and tutor, was regularly hired to help at children’s birthday parties, and loved the years that she worked at a children’s gymnastics facility. Michelle has a BA from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and has her Associate Teacher Permit. As a mom of twins looking for the “right” preschool, she found PNS and was immediately enchanted by the diverse community and opportunity for parent involvement. Even though her children have now moved on to elementary school she was thrilled to come back as an Assistant Teacher. When she is not teaching, Michelle is probably looking under the couch for missing puzzle pieces, taking her kids on trips to “The Fry Store” (Gott’s), playing hide and seek, or going on boba dates with her husband. She is passionate about dinosaurs, reading novels, crocheting, washi tape, and sending mail around the world.
Teacher Chris
Assistant Teacher
Teacher Chris
Assistant Teacher
Teacher Kathy
Music Teacher
Kathy is our music teacher. She ensures a musical community where students and their families will share and enjoy music together for many years to come. Kathy is originally from Los Angeles and began her professional music career at 15, playing guitar and bouzouki. It was there that she observed the emotional impact music has on people. Kathy studied ethnomusicology at UCLA and earned a degree in classical guitar performance from the SF Conservatory of Music. She received my early childhood music education in a joint class from Music for Minors and Foothill College. She worked for 5 years as a music docent for Music for Minors at Ohlone School in Palo Alto teaching the K-1 classes. She was also a member of People of Note, an organization bringing concerts for children to the Bay Area. Kathy is married to Len, an analog engineer who dabbles in machining and metal art. Her CDs include: “Listen to Your Mama” and “Singing on a Star” with her band Hey Mom!; “Welcome to the Folk Song Cafe” with her band The Good Folk Collective; and “A Time to Sing, A Time to Dance” and “New Songs of Old Athens” – this one, a Grammy semi-finalist for best world music album – with The Plaka Band.
Grandma Virginia
Legacy Teacher
Virginia is a native Californian and was raised in small towns throughout the West and Midwest, spending summers in Berkeley with her Swedish grandparents. She studied at UC Berkeley, Harvard, and Tufts, and holds a Life Credential in Parent Education. Virginia began teaching parent education at PNS in 1969. In 1996, she began team teaching, which allowed her more time to travel. Now 92 years of age, Grandma Virginia has only the occasional opportunity to visit classes, but her visits are memorable! She loves teaching about nature and science, starting with all the things to be found on our great PNS yard. She and her late husband, Bob, have two children – Douglas, an engineer (and railroad enthusiast), and Missy, a communications specialist working overseas. Virginia is enthusiastic about people, the out-of-doors, books, opera, ballet, cooking, and (of course) PNS. The Grandma Virginia Memory Project, a series of interviews with Virginia, was completed as a gift for her 82nd birthday in 2006.