Little Acorn Preschool
Little Acorn Preschool
Connecting with families in the community since 1981

Rainbow Class

Age 2.5 by September

Welcome to the Rainbow Class! We really strive to make the classroom engaging for the children by having a variety of activities available for them and exploring different art mediums throughout the year.  We sing lots of songs, play fun games and make new friends! Socialization is our main goal for our Rainbow Room students.  We encourage the children to play, be creative, get their hands messy, and have fun.  For many children, this is their first experience being in a group setting.  We create an engaging and caring environment for our students, that fosters learning and self-expression. We also focus on teaching self-help skills, letting each child become independent with snack time, potty training, and free choice.   Cultivating independence allows our students to make their own choices and learn cause and effect from those choices. We care for our students and make their first year a fun, safe, and positive experience! 

Our monthly snack schedule is available for download on our About page. Snack is the same for all classes.

Rainbow Class Handbook

Heather Basse, Lead Teacher

Hi! My name is Heather Basse. I am so excited to spend the year with your family in the Rainbow class. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your childrens early explorations! 

I have two kiddos - They are currently 12 and 10! Our family is made up of avid campers and hikers, and are frequently found exploring waterfalls or finding new hiking trails close to home. We are also big animal lovers, and our current menagerie is a dog, 2 sphynx cats, a gecko, the classroom frog, and lots of fish!

I’ve worked with children in multiple capacities for the last eighteen years and am currently pursuing a Masters degree in Special Education. This is my seventh year teaching at Little Acorn. I’ve been here since my oldest was in this community! I love teaching this age because the kids have so much personality, social growth, and love of learning. I am so excited to get this year started and get to know all of our new Rainbow friends!

Ashley Strong, Assistant Teacher AM

Hello Little Acorn families! My name is Ashley, and this is my first year as the assistant teacher in the Rainbow room, after subbing for two years. I have my Masters in education, and spent about 6 years working in early childhood classrooms before taking some time off when I had my daughter. When my daughter Savannah began attending Little Acorn in the Rainbow room, I knew this was the place I wanted to come back to work! I absolutely love all the learning & development that happens at this age, and can’t wait to watch your child blossom.

In addition to Savannah (who is starting Kindergarten this year), I have my stepsons Lucas (8th grade and an avid hockey player) and Ayden (6th grade and loves all things science & math). I have been married to my husband Chris since 2017. We enjoy doing family things together on the weekend, whether that’s just going to the park, family dinner at Meemaw’s house, or taking a day trip. In my free time, you’ll usually catch me with a book and an iced coffee or out line dancing.


Krysten Noble, Assistant Teacher PM

Bio Coming soon!

Firefly Class

Age 2.5 by September

Welcome to the Firefly Class! We strive to create a fun and nurturing environment. We work hard to help each child develop a lifelong love of learning. Play is the most important element in all that we do, it is crucial in helping children grow, learn, and explore. We also introduce basic academics such as colors, numbers, and shapes in a variety of fun and engaging ways. The other key piece in our classroom is helping children to develop social skills. Being in a classroom setting with so many other children can lead to social situations that they may not be used to at home, so we do our part in providing them with the tools needed to feel successful. These tools can be everything from turn taking, talking through a conflict, or simply learning to wait patiently. Our classroom also gives children the opportunity to begin to see themselves as capable individuals by offering safe choices and teaching beginning self-help skills.

We look forward to getting to know your families and providing all Firefly students with a fun and positive first year of preschool experience!

Our monthly snack schedule is available for download on our About page. Snack is the same for all classes.

Firefly Class Handbook

Kirby Bain, Lead Teacher

Hi! I’m Kirby and I am so excited to start this year at Little Acorn with your family! 

This is my eighth year at LAPS, and sixth year as lead in Firefly. This is such an exciting age for development and I strive to help make everyone’s first school experience a positive one. 

My background includes a bachelor's degree in Human Development with a focus on Early Childhood Education, and I’m currently back in school working towards a certificate in Communication Sciences and Disorders. I've always been drawn to working with young children, and my past work experience includes working in various nanny positions, childcare centers, and school districts. Now I’m incredibly grateful to continue pursuing my passion here at Little Acorn.

I have 3 amazing children who are all graduates of Little Acorn. They are Nolan, a junior at Hudson’s Bay,  Aurora, an 8th grader at VSAA, and Bennett who attends Lincoln Elementary in 4th grade. We also have a corgi named Hamilton who helps keep us busy! In the rare moments I have spare time I enjoy gardening, embroidery, cooking, and reading.

I look forward to getting to know each Firefly child and family this coming year. 

Please don’t hesitate to reach out - email me atkirby@littleacornpreschool.comor message me on Parentsquare with any questions or concerns you may have!


Taylor Fletcher, Assistant Teacher

Bio Coming Soon!

Star Class

Age 3 by September

Welcome to the Star Class!   Our goal is to create a fun and loving environment for all the children and families that come into our class. The value of play is important to me. Through play, children develop cognitive, physical, social, and emotional wellbeing. We will create a safe environment for children to be able to take risks that can encourage their growth and all aspects of their development. As children play, interact, problem solve, create, and form community, they learn. Our room will be a fun, creative, safe, and positive learning environment, full of play and opportunity for children to discover what they love about life and enjoy about learning. It is my job to help your child transition toward more independence and self-care, from side-by-side play to playing one-on-one or in small groups, to be confident when being away from their caregiver for a few hours, and feel secure to be themselves as they mature and investigate their world.

Our monthly snack schedule is available for download on our About page. Snack is the same for all classes.

Star Class Handbook

Liz Janssen, Lead Teacher

Hello Little Acorn families, It is my pleasure to be a part of this community, working with talented people who have great passion for the development and well being of children. I started subbing at Little Acorn the 2018-19 school year, and instantly enjoyed being here. I am excited to have the opportunity to work in the Star room with Stacey and I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you and your children. My name is Liz. Let me tell you a story… Many years ago, I randomly applied for a job in a childcare center. When I went in for my interview, the director told me to “just go play” with the kids for thirty minutes. The children had set up a row of chairs and they were going to fly to California. (We were in Iowa, so California was a pretty big deal.) They insisted that I join them on their airplane, and thirty minutes later the director let me know I was free to go if I wanted. I asked if I could stay a bit longer because we had not yet reached our destination! I was hired on the spot. Since then, I have received my Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Ed and worked in several programs including a preschool program Clark College had for children birth to five with special needs, and the Teen Parent Program in the Vancouver School District. I am the proud mother of two daughters. Meg lives in New York with her partner Jason, and their Goldendoodle, Poppy, and Anna lives here in Vancouver with her partner Dylan, and their two cats and three Guinea Pigs. I live with two dogs, Daisy, a Golden Retriever, and Luna, a mini American Shepherd, and my partner Gary, who knows that Daisy is top dog in the pack. My hobby is dog training, which I may someday make more of than a hobby, but for now I am quite happy to “just go play” with the kids

Laura Belanger, Assistant Teacher

Bio Coming Soon!

 

 

Sunshine Class

Age 3 by September

Welcome to the Sunshine Class! In the Sunshine Class play is at the foundation of all that we do. Through free choice and teacher directed activities children are learning about the world around them. Literacy, science and math are explored daily with hands on experiences. Children in the Sunshine Class are presented opportunities to expand their social/emotional development and create lasting friendships. Throughout the year we work on important tasks such as helping during clean-up (I encourage children to take an active role in caring for the classroom environment and materials), circle time (which happen twice a day, each around 8 minutes long) and becoming independent in the bathroom (washing hands and learning to potty). We look forward to getting to know you and your child and welcoming you to the Little Acorn family!

Our monthly snack schedule is available for download on our About page. Snack is the same for all classes.

Sunshine Class Handbook

Mikayla Rhodes, Lead Teacher

My name is Mikayla Rhodes and I am your new Sunshine Class Teacher! Little Acorn has been a part of my life for ten years now. I first started as an assistant in the Dragonfly Classroom in 2013 and quickly knew that I had found a special place to work. From there, I had the chance to be an assistant and a lead teacher in the Rainbow room for a short period of time before I started my own family. I have been privileged to be a stay at home parent for the last six years but coming back to teach has been my goal, so I am truly excited to be given this opportunity to have a classroom again and to be back at the place I hold so dear to my heart. I have worked with children in some capacity now for 15 years and will be completing my certification at Clark College this spring. Learning is a passion of mine and believe there is always room to grow and learn more. 

A few things about me that I’d love for you to know: I am happily married to my husband Dakota and together we have three children; Wylee, Junie and Goldie Rae. We have a French bulldog, a cat and two guinea pigs. As a family, we love to ride our bikes, camp at the beach with our family or spend the day with our pets.I am passionate about mental health and advocating for neurodiversity. My hope for my classroom, students and guardians is that you will feel seen, respected and valued. Little Acorn is a very special place and I take my role as a teacher to heart. I look forward to getting to know you more and having a fun and memorable year next year! As Ms. Frizzle from Magic School Bus would say… “Let’s take chances, make mistakes, get messy.”


Jamie Donahue, Assistant Teacher

My name is Jamie Donahue. I have three children, Rory; 13, Oisin; 9, and Maeve; 6 all of whom went to Little Acorn! After my youngest graduated from the Busy Bee class in 2021, I found my way back to Little Acorn as a sub the next year and absolutely loved being part of the learning and growth happening at school. 

I spent most of my adult life as a chef at various restaurants from NYC to Vancouver and have realized how much more fun and rewarding it is spending time with everyone who comes into this great school. I look forward to a super fun year!

Dragonfly Class

Age 4 by December

Welcome to the Dragonfly Class! In our class children are viewed as capable, competent members of our community and we want them to be heard. Respecting one another, showing tolerance and learning to accept each other as well as ourselves is imperative in our personal growth. Through observation and interactions we will guide children to be tolerant of themselves and others.  Giving children the opportunity to accept not only their successes but also their failures will help them be accepting of themselves and others. Helping them build communication and negotiation skills at an early age will help not only the child but our community as a whole. We want to encourage kind and respectful behavior of everyone in our class. There is great value in creating adventure and exploration through the environment and curriculum. Fostering creativity and critical thinking through this exploration is integral in engaging children in learning and making sense of their world.

Every child in the Dragonfly Class is at a different stage in their interest and development regarding academics. We don’t ever force academic learning because children at this age are often not ready. The things they are learning through their play are extremely valuable and we will do our best to facilitate that as well as provide academic learning opportunities that they may participate in if interested through their play like making menus for the kitchen or having a store and learning about money. We focus on the process of our projects and not necessarily the outcome. During art sessions, we encourage the kids to be individuals. Instead of forcing product oriented artwork, we allow the kids to be creative. If they want to paint only with orange paint one day, we encourage them to do so. This places the focus more on the process than the product. It’s about encouraging exploration and creativity in the Dragonfly Class!

Our monthly snack schedule is available for download on our About page. Snack is the same for all classes.

Dragonfly Class Handbook

Denise Rhodes, Lead Teacher

In the Dragonfly Class, our main goal is for your child to learn to love school and to be excited about coming to school. Children learn through play, so it is our responsibility to provide an environment that creates opportunities for your child to be open to play and interactions with their peers. We want to create a caring community of learners, sparking in them the desire to investigate and explore. While doing this we also want to build a community within our classroom and our school, to do that we need to build relationships with our families, and hope that they build relationships with each other. l want to thank you for this opportunity to share your child with us. I would like to share a little bit about myself with you.

I have been a Teacher at Little Acorn since 2004. I have over 20 year’s experience working in a Pre-School setting, mainly with 3 & 4-year-old’s. After finishing my degree in Early Childhood Education from Clark College in 2014, Early childhood education has truly turned into my passion! I believe that this age is SO important in becoming a lifelong learner! It is our goal to guide behavior and encourage problem-solving, explorations, and tolerance of self and others, creating self-confidence by doing so.

On a personal note... I have been married to my wonderful husband, Darrell since 1987! We have two children and three grandchildren (and counting). We enjoy fishing, kayaking, and camping and I love the beach. There is nothing like a storm on the ocean!

We look forward to a fun year with your families!

Liz More’, Assistant Teacher

Hello! My name is Liz Moré. Before I started working at Little Acorn Preschool in 2016, I earned my associate degree in Elementary Education and then spent the next several years volunteering in both my daughters’ classrooms. 

My time volunteering brought me to Little Acorn where I worked for two years in the Sunshine class. Then spent a year subbing in several of the other classrooms here at Little Acorn, gathering lots of knowledge and great tips from all the wonderful teachers here. In 2019 I moved into the Dragonfly class and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work with Mrs. Denise! I fully believe in the loving, nurturing, and caring environment Little Acorn provides. 

 On a more personal note. I have been with my husband Jared, since 2004. We have two girls. Kat is our oldest and Evelyn is our youngest. Evelyn is also an alumni of Little Acorn and a past student of the Dragonfly class. We also have a big goofy Labradoodle named Cypress and a grumpy elderly kitty named Smokey. We love to go camping and travel, finding adventure wherever we go.

I am so excited to get to know all of you! This is going to be a great year full of learning, growing, lots of play, and friendship. Thank you for sharing your wonderful kids with us!

Butterfly Class

Pre-K Class, Age 4 by September

Welcome to the Butterfly Class! Our class is a fun, creative, safe, and positive learning environment, full of play and opportunity for children to discover what they love about life and enjoy about learning. As the children build friendships with each other, my hope is that the Butterfly class will be a place where children feel secure to be themselves and gain a sense of independence as they mature and investigate their world. 

Every child in the Butterfly class is at a different stage in their interest and development regarding academics. Since most, if not all, of the children will be moving on to Kindergarten the following year, we engage the students where they are academically and focus on the things which will prepare them well to succeed as they grow and learn. We incorporate the skills needed for Kindergarten readiness in all aspects of our classroom activities.

Our monthly snack schedule is available for download on our About page. Snack is the same for all classes.

Butterfly Class Handbook

Shari Powell, Lead Teacher

Hello! My name is Shari Powell and I have been teaching at Little Acorn since 2017. I spent my first 4 years here assisting in the Star Class and this will be my first full year in the Butterfly Class. Our family has been a part of Little Acorn since 2013 when my oldest son was in the Rainbow room. My Husband and I have been together for 18 years and have 3 children. Dylan is 11and in 6th grade, Corbin is 9 and in 3rd grade, and Addy is 4 and will be in the Busy Bee class here at Little Acorn. Both my boys love to play baseball and my daughter loves to dance. As a family, we love being outdoors camping and hiking. 

I graduated from Washington State University Vancouver in 2011 with my Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development.  During that time, I also worked as a Program Supervisor/Toddler Teacher for 7 years before becoming a stay at home mom. 

I feel very fortunate for this opportunity to help your child learn and watch them grow and I am looking forward to the upcoming year!

Krysten Noble, Assistant Teacher

Bio coming soon!

Busy Bee Class

Pre-K Class, 4 years old by September

Welcome to the Busy Bee Class! This a Pre-Kindergarten classroom, with kids who are 4 years old by September. We have two Teachers and 15 kids. As we prepare for our big transition to Kindergarten, we focus on many readiness skills. We feel kids develop at their own pace and we are there to help them at whatever level they are at with academics as well as social skills and self management skills. Our program consists of Teacher directed work time in small groups, free choice play, reading and outside playtime. A big part of Kindergarten readiness is being able to self manage in a group. We help kids learn to resolve conflict, problem solve, follow directions and be in charge of themselves all within the larger group. Our curriculum is “emergent” as we take the lead of the kids and where their interest is. We have found that kids learn better when we are using something of interest to teach the basic academics. We feel families are important. Working together, we can build a great foundation for your child’s beginning education that instills a love of learning for a lifetime. Come visit our classroom and see what’s “Buzzing” in the Busy Bee class!

Our monthly snack schedule is available for download on our About page. Snack is the same for all classes.

Busy Bee Class Handbook

Kim Rivoli, Lead Teacher

Thank you for letting me be a part of your child’s pre-school experience. I am very excited about the year ahead and about getting to know you and your child.  First let me tell you a bit about myself. I have my Associates degree in Early Childhood Education from Clark College and have 30 years experience teaching young children. I have been here at Little Acorn Preschool and Kindergarten for 23 years. I previously spent 5 years teaching the three year-olds in the Star Class before taking the Busy Bee class.

I have found that when parents are positive about Preschool and let their child know that school is great, the child feels good about coming to class. That makes learning and exploring a wonderful experience. Parents are always welcome in our classroom. I encourage you to ask questions or let me know of your concerns. If there is something you can tell me about your child that will help me get to know them or make them feel more comfortable, please let me know. 

I am looking forward to a great year!

 

Darian Holmes, Assistant Teacher

Hi, My name is Darian Holmes, I was raised here in Vancouver. I have 2 cats named Stevie and Ozzy along with a puppy named Jojo. I am currently pursuing my Bachelor's degree at Central Washington University Online. I have been working in education for the past 4 years and have grown to love working with preschoolers. I attended Little Acorn when I was in preschool and was in the Busy Bee class with Teacher Kim. I am so excited to get to know all off the Busy Bees and their families

 

Leap Frog Class

Pre-K Class, Age 5 by December

Welcome to the Leap Frog Class! This class is for children age 5 by December in both the morning and afternoon sessions. We have 15 children, and 2 teachers.

The Leap Frog class is a great option for children who are close but don’t make the Kindergarten cut-off date and for those who just aren’t quite ready for the full school day experience of Kindergarten.

Leap Frog class provides another year of preschool to encourage, strengthen, and build self-help skills, gain more confidence in the classroom environment, and have more opportunities for growth before entering Elementary School.

In Leap Frog children are encouraged to think big, problem-solve, and be curious about the world around them. We provide a good balance of structured teacher led time, and child led exploration. We also focus on facilitating play between friends, navigating conflicts, and strengthening social/emotional skills, self-management, as well as some academics.

Our Leap Frog class is perfect for students who are ready for a more structured program, but not yet ready for the whole day elementary school program. We emphasize Kindergarten readiness, while still ensuring we have fun every day!

Leap Frog Class Handbook

Caroline Fields, Lead Teacher

My name is Caroline Fields and I have been working at Little Acorn Preschool since 1997. I continue my education in Early Childhood by taking classes offered through Clark College, Washington Stars Education Credits, ESD and any other Early Childhood field related classes.. Little Acorn is a very special program that provides creative curriculum and an engaging atmosphere, where PLAY is valued. 

Our students learn, grow and thrive here, I am committed to providing a safe, inviting and positive learning environment for your child. It is my hope that this school year be filled with many successful experiences, helping to foster a life-long love of learning.

Together we will read stories, solve problems, make friends, do messy art projects,learn about the world around us and have many, many engaging conversations along the way, I look forward to getting to know you and your families!

I was born Buenos Aires, Argentina and speak some Spanish which I enjoying sharing with my students. I have 3 children, a daughter and 2 sons who are all former students here at Little Acorn Preschool. I love my job, working with young children has always been something I have enjoyed, it’s such a precious, tender and meaningful time in their lives.

Thank you for letting me be a part of your child’s experience!

Rachel Schafer, Assistant Teacher AM Class

Hi! My name is Rachel Schafer and I am so excited to be joining the Leap Frog Class as the AM Assistant Teacher! This is my first year Assistant Teaching, after substituting last year here at Little Acorn where I quickly fell in love with the school and its program.

I was born and raised in the Portland/Vancouver area and worked in retail for 20 years.  Most of my time there was spent in management and Human Resources until March of 2020 when I stayed home full time with our kids.  My husband Jeff and I have 2 sons ages 8 and 9.  They both play football and baseball, so we stay pretty busy most of the year.  During the summers we love to go camping, spend time with family in Idaho, go swimming at Merwin, trips to the beach and anything else where we can soak up all the sunshine!

Thank you for allowing me to be part of your child's preschool experience.  I look forward to this year in the Leap Frog Class and getting to know your family!

Support Staff

Taylor Fletcher-Teacher

Taylor is staff member who subs, helps with office details and supports classrooms

Sarah King-Snack support

Sarah is in charge of buying snacks and helping in the kitchen. She makes sure we always have plenty of snacks available.

Stay Connected

We are excited to introduce ParentSquare, a platform we use for school communication, primarily with email, text, and app notifications. ParentSquare automatically generates an account for each parent, using their preferred email address and phone number.

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Events & School Closures

- Volunteer Opportunities