Nurturing Kids with Warm and Friendly Hearts,
Inquisitive Minds and Adventurous Spirits since 1969
OUR TEACHERS
We value diversity and look for a special type of person when we hire at Foothills Preschool. Our teachers have proven their love for young children by demonstrating their ability to be kind, warm, loving and consistent. Communication skills are paramount, not only with the children, but with the families and many of our teachers are bi-lingual. A belief in our core principle that children learn through play is a must. We are truly a family of teachers, students and families. Teachers need to be a "fit" in all those areas to ensure success at FPS. All of our teachers have completed their necessary education required by the State of California per Title 22. They all have their designated immunizations, CPR, AED and First Aid certification, EMSA and Hazardous Materials training. All staff have passed an intensive background check by the Department of Justice and are legally identified Mandated Reporters. They attend at least 2 professional development programs per year to stay current and relevant in the early childhood education field.
​Mrs. Carey - Director
Marci has been with FPS since 2011 and has been director since 2014. She holds Site Supervisor & Master Teacher credentials in early childhood eduation from the CA CTC and majored in English at CSUF. Prior to the early childhood education field, Marci worked in publishing, advertising, information technology (database programming), & web design. She has also owned 2 successful small businesses. Marci fell in love with preschool while volunteering in her youngest son's classroom. Preschool is her passion and she truly believes the effects of an excellent early childhood education set a child up for a lifetime love of earning! Marci lives in Orange with her husband, two son's Cole and Cash (an FPS alumni!) and several pets. She loves live music, animals, nature, art and writing.
Mrs. Stetson - Lead Teacher
Debra started teaching preschool in 1984. She taught for 10 years, took a hiatus when her son was born, then returned to teaching. She has her B.A. from Cal State Fullerton in Child Development. Debra teaches preschool for the love of the kids. She loves to see their growth throughout the year, socially, emotionally, and with how much knowledge they learn and teach her! Debra lives in Corona with her husband Dennis, son Daniel who graduated from Cal State Fullerton and daughter Devin, who graduated from the University of California San Diego. She has a dog Cali, and a cat, Punkin. She enjoys spending time with her family at the river, camping, hiking and reading.
​Ms. Granillo - Lead Teacher
Monet has been teaching since 2011. Before coming to Foothills Preschool she was employed by the Norwalk/La Mirada Unified School District, Cerritos Community College Child Development Center and St. John of God elementary school. Miss Monet completed her Early Childhood Education units at Cerritos college. Monet loves teaching preschool because she can share her artistic and creative talents with the children. She enjoys watching them grow throughout the year. In her spare time she likes to draw, listen to music and spend time with family
​Mrs. Pak - Asst. Director/Mentor Teacher
Jennifer started her career in the field of Early Childhood in the fall of 2013 at Foothills Preschool. She has a BA in Architecture from UC Berkeley and practiced in the field before starting a family. She became a teacher when she realized young children and education are her two passions. Jennifer holds a Site Supervisor Permit and is one of 13 California Mentor Teachers in the OC region. She lives in Fullerton with her husband, Christopher, her three awesome sons, Tobey, Tylo, and Tayton (a FPS alumni!), Simba, a rescued Cockapoo and Mamba, a hairless guinea pig. She loves watching her boys' soccer games, taking walks at the beach and chatting with her girlfriends at local cafes.
​Ms. Macedo - Lead Teacher
Heidi joined the Foothills Preschool teaching staff at the beginning of 2018. She has wanted to be a teacher for as long as she can remember! She is a graduate of El Modena High School's Pathways to Teaching program, in which she excelled. Heidi also completed several internships at various elementary and preschool's as part of that program. She has an AA in Liberal Studies with a concentration in early childhood education. Heidi loves teaching preschool because she is surrounded by many creative and unique children, and works alongside amazing teachers. She lives in Orange with her parents, sister and brother. In her spare time Heidi like to dine out, spend time with family, go to Knotts Berry Farm, watch movies, shop, go on adventures with friends, listen to music, draw, and go on walks.
Ms. RojasPacheco - Teacher
Alondra joined Foothills preschool in 2020. Prior to joining FPS, Alondra volunteered at the Irvine Valley College child development center and successfully completed a mentorship under the tutelage of Jennifer Pak, Mentor Teacher, at Foothills preschool. At FPS, Alondra gained gained experience and insight and soon proved herself to be a fit for Foothills Preschool. Alondra loves teaching preschool because she loves encouraging kids, watching them grow and develop skills. She received her AS from Irvine Valley College in Early Childhood Education. In her spare time she loves watching movies, drawing, hanging out with friends, listening to music, and spending time with family.
​Mrs. Nguyen - Teacher
Aysia joined Foothills preschool at the beginning of 2022. She began observing as a student in the Pre-K class in the Fall of 2021 and fell in love with the school and the students. She has her B.A. from Cal State Fullerton in Liberal Studies and has taken child development courses at Saddleback College. Aysia enjoys teaching preschool because she loves watching the students grow and finding her inner child again. She loves their creativity and excitement in the classroom. In her spare time, Aysia loves spending time with her fiancé, Steven, spending time with family, baking, and traveling.