OUR STAFF
Mary Mercogliano has nearly 30 years experience working with preschool children. She came to St. Stephen’s Preschool in 1990 as a member of the Board of Directors. She was named director in June 1995. She holds a BS in Child Development from California State University, Fresno. Mary has two grown children. She enjoys hiking and traveling, especially to her husband’s native Argentina, where she was an exchange student in the 1970s. Mary is also an active member of St. Stephen’s Church.
Phyllis has been teaching preschool since 1975, shortly thereafter earning her BA in Child Development from California State University, Northridge. She joined St. Stephen’s in 1989 as a teacher in the 2-Year-Old program where she has remained for 20 years. Phyllis and her husband have been married for 31 years. She enjoys gardening, reading and volunteering one day a week at the Santa Clarita Food Pantry.
Sharie began working with children in 1974....just out of High School! She earned her AA degree in General Education from LA Valley College including over 30 units in Early Childhood Education. She came to St Stephen's in 1989. Over the years she has taught 3, 4, and 5 year olds. She has been a mentor teacher through College of the Canyons since 2000 and has held a Child Development Permit since 2002. She and her husband have four grown sons and one granddaughter. Sharie enjoys spending time with family and friends, volunteers for Help the Children and Family Promise and has a heart for youth and mission work through her church. She also likes to attend workshops related to profession, sewing, reading, knitting, gardening, camping and walking the family dogs.
Cecilia came to St. Stephen’s in 1990 as an assistant teacher. She currently assists with 3 and 4 year olds. Cecilia has two children and four grandchildren. Her hobbies include walking, knitting and spending time with her family. In addition, she is very active in her church.
Robin began her career at St. Stephens as an assistant teacher in 1991 while her youngest daughter was a student there. She then became a teacher while attending classes to complete her Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education. She is currently enrolled in the mentor teacher program at College of the Canyons. . Robin takes great joy in working with the children at St. Stephens. In her free time she enjoys going to the gym, reading, gardening, traveling and spending time with family and friends. Robin teaches 3 and 4 year old classes and is also the Early Bird teacher.
Julie began working as an Assistant Teacher at St. Stephen’s in 1993 while both her children were in attendance. She became a teacher in 2001 after competing ECE classes at College of the Canyons. Additionally, she has a BA in Art History from UCLA. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, listening to all types of music, going to the movies, museums, attending concerts and keeping up with arts in the LA area. She teaches our 2-Year-Old Program on Tuesday/Thursday and is our Monday/Wednesday/Friday Playground Teacher.
Parminder was born and raised in West London, England. She began her career at St. Stephen’s Preschool in 1994 as an assistant teacher. At that time, her two sons were enrolled in our program. In 2008, after returning to college and receiving her units in Early Childhood Education she began teaching the three olds in the afternoon program. She continues to take classes in order to achieve her AA in Early Childhood Education. One of her favorite things to do is to visit her family in England. When she has spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, shopping, and listening to country music!
Tracey began her career at St. Stephen’s in 1989 teaching a 3 year old class. She left in 1990 to give birth to her third child and came back in 1995 as an assistant teacher. She resumed the role of Teacher in 2001 and continues to teach 3 & 4 year old classes five mornings a week. Tracey continues to expand her knowledge in Early Childhood Education by taking continuing education classes at COC. In her spare time she enjoys reading, scrapbooking and cake decorating. She loves to spend the summers boating with her family.
Leslie began as a parent at St. Stephen's, joining our staff as a lunch bunch assistant in 1996. She later became a classroom assistant teacher. After taking ECE classes she became a classroom teacher in 2006. She currently teaches 3 and 4 year olds in the morning and afternoon. Leslie continues to update her education in ECE. Her hobbies include scrapbooking, reading, cooking and gardening. She also enjoys spending time with her family.
Annette began her teaching career in 1994. She has been working for St. Stephen's since 1997. She is currently teaching 3 and 4 year old classes. Annette has been married to her husband Jeff for 24 years and they have two daughters: Emily-22, and Allison-18. Annette enjoys gardening, camping, and going to the beach.
Monica joined St. Stephen’s as a parent. She has been assisting in our 2-Year-Old Program since 1997 and served 7 years as the staff liaison on the preschool board. Monica and her husband have two children Wilson, age 16, and Allison, age 19. She has been an active member of the community, serving in multiple leadership positions of the local, council and district PTA and OOII Swim Team. She has been a board member for school district committees, HOA and high school swim teams, boy scouts, and girl scouts. Having taken ECE classes, she will be the Parent-Toddler Teacher beginning in 2009.
Karen began as a parent at St. Stephen’s. She joined our staff in 1997 as an assistant teacher. After taking ECE classes, she began teaching in 2001. She also teaches preschool for a local school district. The communication link she provides us is invaluable. Karen has two children, a daughter who is a sophomore at USC and a son who is a junior at Valencia high school. She spends her weekends attending VHS basketball games and USC football and basketball games!
Renee began at St. Stephen’s in 1998 as an assistant teacher. She currently assists with the Parent-Toddler class, 2 and 4 year olds. Renee’s family has lived in Santa Clarita for 13 years. She is the mother of three grown children, all attending college. Being Armenian, she is actively involved in her community. In her spare time she enjoys crocheting, reading, going to movies and spending time with her family.
Shannon first came to St. Stephen’s as a parent. She joined the staff as an assistant teacher in 2000. She currently assists with 3 and 4 year olds. Shannon has a son in 8th grade. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and going to the beach
Laurie enrolled her three children to St. Stephen’s in the early 1990’s. She joined our staff in 2001 as an assistant teacher. She has taken many Early Childhood Education classes which have allowed her to also teach. She currently assists with 3 and 4 year olds in the mornings, five days a week. Laurie also works the early bird program daily.
Susan became our chaplain in 2004. She is also the Director of Youth and Children’s Ministries for St. Stephen’s Church. Children and teachers alike enjoy her warm God-centered chapel time, especially signing the songs as they sing. Susan is the mother of four, two of whom attended St. Stephen's Preschool. She is in her final year of seminary at the Episcopal School of Theology, Claremont, and will graduate in May, 2010 with a Master's of Divinity degree.
Debbie first came to St. Stephen’s as a College of the Canyons student doing an observation. She enrolled her son the next year. She was hired in 2006 as a Lunch Bunch Teacher. She has been our Playground Teacher and is currently assisting with 3 and 4 year olds. She is a native New Yorker who has made California her home for 9 years. She and her husband Stephen have three children; Anthony – 14, Valerie – 11 and Dominic – 6. In addition to working at St. Stephen’s Preschool she is a Girl Scout Leader, softball coach and chauffer to all her children’s sporting events. She volunteers in the community and her children’s schools. Debbie enjoys playing softball, hiking, travel and attempting to re-learn Italian.
Jennifer came to St. Stephen’s Preschool as a parent and was hired as the Administrative Assistant in 2007. She brings many years of administrative experience, as well as a degree in Music Education. You can hear her singing on Sundays in the choir at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. She is often the first person whom you speak with.
Lonie first came to St. Stephen’s as a College of the Canyons student working under a Mentor Teacher to do her lab class. She has taken 24 units of ECE classes. She was hired in January 2008 and loves assisting in the 2 year old class. She has two boys and loved helping out in their pre-school classes. Her hobbies include being with her family and friends, boating, walking, making cards and scrapbooking.
Debra joined the staff in 2007 as an assistant teacher. She currently assists in an afternoon 3-Year-Old class. Before coming to St. Stephen’s, she worked in hospital patient care and nursing administration. Both of her grandchildren attended St. Stephen’s and loved it. Her hobbies are photography, cross stitching and water color painting.
Faith joined our staff in 2007 when she enrolled her son. She is an assistant teacher at Lunch Bunch. Faith has an AA degree in Merchandising/Marketing from FIDM and worked in the apparel manufacturing industry for thirteen years. She and her husband Don have two children Justin-10 and Nicholas-6. Her free time is spent with her family and her hobbies include music, movies, hiking and Disneyland.
Lynda graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a K-12 credential. She has 13 years experience working with preschool children. She joined the St. Stephen’s staff in 2008 as a Lunch Bunch teacher and substitute. Lynda is married, she and her husband have 2 married daughters and one grandbaby. She moved to Valencia in 2008. She enjoys antiques and children’s literature.
Sara earned an elementary teaching credential in her native Iran. She taught elementary students for 14 years before moving to Germany, where she taught preschool for 6 years. She joined our Lunch Bunch staff in 2008. Sara enjoys visiting her adult daughters in Germany and spending time with her family in the USA.
Gayoshi joins our staff in 2009 as our Resource Specialist. She has taught preschool through university in her native Sri Lanka as well as in the USA. She has a general education credential, special education credential and a M.A. in Special Education. She is a mother of three who enjoys hiking and scrapbooking. She currently works as an Educational Therapist, and does training workshops for teachers.
Tracy joins our staff in 2009 as our Playground Teacher on Tuesday/Thursday. She has worked in preschools for 14 years and continues to take ECE classes at College of the Canyons. She is married and has 3 children ages 19, 13 and 8. In her free time Tracy enjoys going to the beach and collecting baskets