About Our Staff
The adult’s role in children’s journey is to support and facilitate their growth and development. To assume this role, to teach young children, is a great privilege and responsibility. Teaching is a mission - a valued and time-honored Jewish tradition. We look for teachers who are passionate and will offer a nurturing experience for the children. Our teachers have a deep understanding of children and the way they think, and have the desire to create meaningful relationships with the children. All our teachers believe in the importance of seeing each child as an individual. Our teachers plan and adapt the curriculum and the environment to meet the needs of each child.
According to the Reggio Emilia approach, the teacher sees herself as a learner – alongside the children - open to new thoughts and ideas. The teacher listens carefully to the children, observes and documents their work, and provokes and stimulates their thinking. As teachers, we are committed to strengthening and enriching our knowledge of young children by continuing our own education.
Our teachers are teachers who encourage our children to reflect, to be independent, to explore, to cooperate, to negotiate, to wonder, to love and to laugh.
Esty Marcus
Director
STAFF BIOS
Preschool Director
My name is Esty Marcus and I am pleased to be starting my 20th year at Chai, which means Chai is now entering its 20th year! Early Childhood has always been my passion. I have a Master's Degree in Education and have been involved in Education for over 25 years. I’ve always been drawn to young children and their sense of wonder and excitement for the world around them. Together with the wonderful teachers, families, and children, we have created a school where each child is respected and cherished. I look forward to another wonderful year together as we watch our children grow and flourish.
Office Manager
My name is Elizabeth Guerrero, and I am excited to be returning to Chai Preschool for a third year as the office manager. I have enjoyed getting to know the team, the students, and the families, and I feel incredibly lucky to have discovered Chai Preschool. Previously I was a secondary Math and Science teacher in Oakland for almost five years. I'm looking forward to a great year!
Erez Class 4-5 Year Olds
My name is Akemi, and this will be my eighth year at Chai Preschool! I love working with children and have been working with them for over 10 years. I believe in providing each child with the utmost care and respect, and through fostering and supporting each one they are able to open up to their unlimited potential. I am so excited to continue to learn and grow with the students in such a positive and encouraging environment!
Hello! I’m Lindsay, and this will be my 7th year teaching at Chai Preschool. My passion for teaching stems from growing up in a preschool environment, thanks to my mom who was a preschool teacher for many years. This background has deeply influenced my love for nurturing and working with children. In addition to my role here, I also dedicate part of my summer to volunteering as the co-director of a camp for kids with celiac disease. Having attended the camp as a child and served as a counselor, I am so grateful to be able to give back to that special community! Chai Preschool is also such a special community and I cherish every opportunity to foster a supportive, respectful, and fun learning environment! I look forward to working with you to support and encourage your child’s growth and development!
My name is Isela and I am very excited to be working as a teacher at Chai ! This will be my 2nd year teaching overall and I have a B.A in Child and Adolescent Development. I’ve previously worked with children in the age range of 4-5 years and always loved seeing them expand their horizons. The bubbling fascination with new topics and endless curiosity always thrill me. Children naturally bring new and exciting perspectives!
Alon Class, 4-5 Year Olds
My name is Helen Luis. This is my 16th year at Chai. I love early childhood education and especially enjoy the Pre-K age group. I have spent the better part of the last 25 years in the field of early childhood education, in both teaching and administrative roles throughout the Bay Area. I enjoy the child centered, Reggio-Inspired approach to learning that Chai embraces, especially the view of the child as competent, capable, and creative learners. I hold a BA in Child Development and a Program Director Permit through the CCTC. I am looking forward to a fun year, learning alongside your wonderful children in the new home of Chai!
Hello! My name is Jenna and this will be my second year at Chai Preschool! I have always loved working with and teaching children. My first teaching job was at a Montessori preschool, which was a wonderful experience. It made me fall in love with teaching even more. People ask why do you want to work with preschoolers? I like to tell them it’s an amazing feeling to be a part of such a great developmental stage of a child’s life.
My name is Darby, and I am delighted to join the Chai community! With a B.A. in Child and Adolescent Development, focusing on Early Childhood, and a Minor in Special Education, I am passionate about creating a nurturing and enriching environment for young learners. For over 7 years, I have worked with newborns, infants, and toddlers, including 4 years dedicated to teaching toddlers at a Reggio-inspired outdoor preschool in San Francisco. I believe in the importance of seeing each child as an individual and am committed to fostering their growth and development through exploration, play, and meaningful relationships. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, baking, hiking, traveling, and spending quality moments with my husband and our cat, Tabitha. I am looking forward to learning and growing alongside the children and families in our community.
Gefen Class 3-4 Year Olds
Hello Chai preschool parents, I am Miri. I am very excited to be starting my 4th year at Chai. I have been a preschool teacher for the last 10 years, working with children ages 2-5 years old. I love working with children and observing how young minds see the world around them and learn. Young children are filled with curiosity, wonder, imagination, creativity and as a teacher I love helping them learn skills that will help them grow into confident, caring and independent individuals. Teaching young children has been a passion of mine for many years. I live in the bay area with my husband and 2 children. My youngest daughter went to Chai preschool for her three years of preschool and had a wonderful time here. I have a B.A in International Business and took my ECE classes at Canada and Skyline colleges. I am looking forward to a wonderful journey of learning and growing with your children, and excited to meet you all in this coming school year.
My name is Inna and I am honored to join the community at Chai Preschool. I have a Bachelor of Arts in English and I am currently obtaining my Early Childhood Education certification. By providing nurture and encouragement, my goal is to create an enriching environment where every child can thrive in their development. I am excited for a year full of growth and learning!
Hadas Class 3-4 Year Olds
Hello, my name is Ana and I graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development with a minor in Special Education. I have been in this field for over 6 years. I enjoy working with children because it brings me joy witnessing their growth and development day by day and being a part of their journey. I enjoy building positive relationships with families and children and being able to support each one of them. I find it extremely important to build positive relationships with families and children because it brings comfort and safety, as well as positive impact on children’s academic skills. In my free time, I like take walks, bake, and spend time with my family.
My name is Linda and this will be my second year at Chai Preschool! I love caring for and nurturing children. As a preschool teacher for more than ten years, I've had the pleasure of guiding children ranging in age from toddlers to five-year-olds. The first few years of life are when we can develop great moral and social skills to foster a great human being later in life. I enjoy taking time to learn about each individual child and treat them with love, respect, and patience. Nothing compares to the fulfillment and joy that comes from being with children! I can wholeheartedly say that working with children is my life's passion. This summer, I will complete my site supervisor certification and look to further my education in the coming years!
Rimon Class 2-3 Year Olds
My name is Evelyn and I have been teaching toddlers and preschoolers for 15 years and this is my 13th year at Chai. I love working with children and watching them grow and learn. These early years are so important, and our primary focus for this age group is to support their social and emotional development. I am looking forward to welcoming your children to our Rimon Class.
My name is Gisselle, I am so happy to be working at Chai! I have experience with children of all ages, including children with autism. I love the joy and happiness each child brings to my life in any circumstance, it really is fulfilling. I believe each child has their own individual personality and each needs different things. I adapt easily to whatever that would entail. If a child needs cuddles, they will get cuddles, if they need space, they will get supervised space. Most importantly, I love giving children the love, care, and time they deserve to grow happy and healthy.
Tamar Class 2-3 Year Olds
My name is Rivky and I've been teaching children for 14 years. I've taught children between the ages of 18 months to 5 years of age in preschools in New York and Toronto and currently starting my 10th year at Chai Preschool. I love being with children: observing, interacting and playing with them. I am inspired by the way that young children are intrigued and filled with wonder by the everyday world. They are incredible little people who have the potential to change the world, and my hope is to help nurture within them the confidence, skills and compassion to do so. I am looking forward to another wonderful year with the children of learning, discovery and growth.
Hello, my name is Daisy and I love working with children. I truly believe that children have so much potential and that nurturing relationships with adults around them can help them grow and develop many skills. Early childhood is such a critical age that deserves to be explored which is why I believe in guiding children to reach their potential. This is my second year at Chai Preschool and I love the community. I have experience as a kindergarten director at an elementary school, as well as a behavior technician working with special needs children. I also developed and coordinated a mentoring program at another elementary school. Overall, I have a well-rounded background working with young children and hold a bachelor with a minor in Psychology. I’m so e excited to be a part of the Chai Preschool team and look forward to developing beautiful memories!
Hello, my name is Amaya and this is my 2nd year at Chai Preschool! I am a graduate student at San Francisco State University studying early childhood special education, so inclusivity is a big part of my approach in every classroom. I feel that every student, regardless of their level of ability, benefits from curriculum modifications and adaptations. With this ideology in hand, I plan to contribute positively to each classroom while also living out Chai's mission statement of viewing a child as a seed that we nurture with the utmost care. Thank you, and I look forward to the school year!
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