Our Teachers

Sue Kopecky, Director and Teacher:

"For me, early childhood education is more than a career, it is a calling. I believe that the preschool years are the most important years in a person's educational life. A high quality preschool education, like the one provided at Gingerbread House, is more important than a high quality college education, because without the former, the latter is less likely to happen." At Gingerbread House Preschool every class of 12 students has two teachers (6:1 ratio), except for the 2s classes, which have 2 teachers for 6 children (3:1 ratio).  All of the teachers have bachelors degrees (most in education), and several have masters degrees. Gingerbread House has a stable faculty of happy, experienced childhood educators who love children and love teaching. Both teaching and learning are fun, and the children develop a love of learning that can last a lifetime.

Our Teachers:

Colleen Anders: BS in Business, Indiana University. 9 years teaching at Gingerbread House Preschool.

Becky Dzurison: BS in Child and Family Preschool from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois and 18 years teaching at Gingerbread House Preschool.

Emma Gibson Kelly: BS in Industrial Microbiology from University College Dublin and Higher Diploma in Education (Masters) from Trinity College Dublin. Taught science & biology in Dublin for 5 years (Belcamp College, St. Mary’s Secondary School, and Santa Sabina) and 1 year at Gingerbread House. Experience raising her 3 children, all of whom attended GBH preschool.

Seonad Hallam: BA in Criminology and Social Policy from University of Hull, United Kingdom. Operations Manager and Senior Proof Editor for two educational publishers and 8 years at Gingerbread House.

Joanna Hoops: BA from Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa and Graduate Studies in Elementary Education from Eastern Michigan University and Purdue University and 14 years teaching at Gingerbread House Preschool.

Molly Kincaid: BA in English, University of Wisconsin. Masters in Education, National-Louis University. Taught second grade at St. Michael-St. Gabriel Archangels Elementary School, Indianapolis and 6 years at Gingerbread House Preschool.

Sue Kopecky (Director): BA in Elementary Education from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Taught first and second grade in Omaha, Nebraska and Indianapolis, Indiana and 36 years teaching at Gingerbread House Preschool.

Martha Pappas: BS degree in Education from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and 10 years teaching at Gingerbread House Preschool.

Cheryl Patellos: BS in Biology and Master of Public Health in Industrial Hygiene from University of Michigan. Employed at Eli Lilly 1994-2000. Religious Education Leader at St. Alphonsus Liguori Catholic Church 2008-2015 and 8 years teaching at Gingerbread House Preschool.

Jil Savery: BA in Elementary Education from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana and MS in Education from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and 18 years teaching at Gingerbread House Preschool.

“Our three daughters have attended preschool at Gingerbread House over the last eight years, and each one of them has had an incredible experience. We love the small class sizes and the old-school style (scissors, glue, glitter, paint, etc. - no computers; letting kids be kids!). The teachers provide an interesting and creative curriculum and are not only striving to help your child grow academically, but personally as well. They place emphasis on building self-confidence and independence, along with teaching manners and kindness. Our youngest just graduated from the Jr. Kindergarten program and she is more than ready for kindergarten. Our older two daughters are thriving at their grade school, because of the awesome start Gingerbread House gave them. We feel Gingerbread House was a real blessing to our three daughters!”

Excerpt from parent review on Google search