MEET THE STAFF 2007-2008

LORRIE COOK has been a classroom teacher at Little Pilgrim School for 18 years. This year she is happy to be serving as Director of the program. Her education has been through South Seattle Community College, Eastern Washington University and the Puget Sound, Washington and National Associations for the Education of Young Children (PSAEYC, WAEYC, NAEYC). She continues to attend workshops, courses and seminars and considers herself a lifelong learner. She and her husband, Jerry, have three amazing daughters and four wonderful grandchildren (who have attended or currently attend LPS). She currently volunteers with several organizations, including West Seattle Hi-Yu, the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle, Hope Lutheran Church/School and Seattle Lutheran High School She enjoys camping, gardening, looooong walks, visits to the dog park, reading, attending sporting events, movies and the theater, spending time with family and friends and, of course, children!

JOYCE HORVATH will be the assistant teacher with the four year olds in Room 2 this year. She joined the staff as a substitute teacher in 2001 assisting with two, three and four year olds. Joyce graduated from South Seattle Community College with an AA in Executive Secretary. She has volunteered in school classrooms (all ages) in the West Seattle community and has served as a fundraising chair and PTSA president/co-president at the elementary, middle and high school levels. She also partnered with the YMCA to raise funds for youth programs. Currently, she serves as a Director of an Awana church school program, teaching three and four year olds. Joyce and her husband, John, were born and raised in West Seattle. They have two children. Justin, age 19, will begin his sophomore year at the University of Washington in the fall, and Amanda, age 17, will begin her senior year at Chief Sealth High School. Joyce loves to garden, read, listen to music, sing (when no one is listening!), attend concerts, watch movies, take long walks and cook gourmet meals for the enjoyment of family and friends. Visiting Joyce’s house, her love of animals won’t go unnoticed - the family has five pets: three dogs and two cats.

LESLIE MINCKLER will teach the three year olds and the two year olds in Room 3 this year. This will be her seventeenth year at Little Pilgrim School. Leslie is a graduate of Central Washington University and has continuing credits from Pacific Lutheran University and the University of Washington in the area of speech pathology and special education. She has worked as a Speech/Language Therapist for the Selah and Sumner School Districts. She was also the child/youth coordinator at Admiral Church for four years. Leslie was a Girl Scout leader for seven years. Leslie and husband, Mark currently live in the Fauntleroy area. They have two children. Mike, age 20, is a junior and plays baseball at Whitman College in Walla Walla. Lauren, age 18, will be a freshman at Central Washington University in Ellensburg in the fall. Both graduated from West Seattle High School. Mark and Leslie stay busy with sports activities, traveling to eastern Washington, many home projects and going to Disneyland as a family. Leslie enjoys gardening, the beach, reading, scrap booking, knitting, travel, and when time permits, browsing antique shops and getting together with friends. Leslie also collects children’s books.

KATHIE SALONEN will teach the four year olds in Room 2 this year. This will be Kathie’s fifteenth year as an LPS teacher. Kathie is a graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in speech communications. Kathie grew up in West Seattle and at Fauntleroy Church. She and her husband, Bob, and two children Bobby and Karianne, are West Seattle residents. Both children attended LPS during their preschool years. Family is a high priority for Kathie. She and her family enjoy camping, fishing and bicycling as well as indoor family nights with games and movies. Always looking for a challenge, Kathie enjoys sewing, needlework, crafting and is a new Avon representative. Volunteering has always played a big part in her life. She knits for charity and also volunteers at her church where she is currently the Preschool Cubbies Director for the Awana program.

BARBARA SMITH will teach three’s on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and two’s on Thursday and Friday. Barbara begins her twenty first year at Little Pilgrim School, and she continues to serve as our head teacher. She attended Western Washington College and has been actively involved with South Seattle Community College as a parent, student and teacher. Here at Fauntleroy she served as nursery supervisor for three years, developing program and spaces for children under age 3. Over the years Barbara has served as a leader and trainer for Camp Fire, has served on Park Department and community committees and a variety of school organizations. Summers, she has worked in child care centers with children, infants to age twelve. Barbara’s interests include exploring new places, gardening and listening to all types of music. She and husband, Gary, have two daughters, a son-in-law, two wonderful grandsons, and two pampered cats.

All staff members continue to update their education through reading, workshops and classes.