The staff at Community are experienced and highly qualified, degreed professionals in early childhood education and related fields. They attend, present, and actively participate in continuing education programs on an ongoing basis, including national and international early childhood conferences. Educated and experienced staff is the core of Community's programs. The average tenure for staff is 15 years, which significantly contributes to the continuity and stability of the programs.
Orange Room Prechool Teachers
Mrs. Pam Carlson is a graduate of the University of Texas in Austin. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and a Masters of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Pam’s experience includes 13 years of teaching at the kindergarten through fourth grade levels in Dallas and Austin, Texas and in the Winnetka Public Schools. This is her ninth year in the Orange Room. Pam and Bruce Carlson and their two daughters live in Highland Park. Dana is a senior in high school and Elise is a freshman. Pam enjoys reading, gardening, and church volunteer work.
Mrs. Lynn Darin received her Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Northeastern Illinois University. She had previously taught at Community, but left and happily returned again. She has worked at Community for 10 years. Lynn also teaches 2nd grade religious education at Lakeside Congregation. Lynn feels fortunate to have traveled and studied in Reggio Emilia, Italy with other staff members in 2007. She currently teaches in the AM Orange Room and PM Blue Room classrooms. Lynn has been a resident of Highland Park for over twenty years and has been active in scouting programs, PTA, and parent networks. She enjoys gardening, biking, cooking, reading, and being inspired working with young children.
Mrs. Laura Weinberg is a graduate of the University of Illinois-Chicago with a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Elementary Education and a minor in Early Childhood. She has taught for 16 years at Community. Before coming to Community, Mrs. Weinberg taught for five years at the day care center associated with the University of Illinois-Chicago; a demonstration sight for a Piaget curriculum based on how children learn. She has also taught part-time at various family support centers in Oak Park and Highland Park. She and her husband live in Highland Park and have four sons. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, hiking, camping with her family, reading, gardening, and antiquing.
Blue Room Preschool Teachers
Ms. Allison Mueller is in her second year teaching at Community. I teach in the morning Blue Room Nursery School (4-year-olds) and Kindergarten Enrichment (Orange Room) in the afternoon. I graduated from National-Louis University in June of 2008 with a double major: Elementary Education and Psychology. I enjoy ice skating, fishing, biking, and taking walks by the lake.
Mrs. Jill Stuart received her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a specialty in primary education from Bradley University. She taught elementary school for five years in Schaumburg School District #54. Jill received an English as a Second Language Endorsement form National Louis University. Currently, Jill enjoys teaching Business English on a part-time basis to adults. Jill’s interests include traveling, playing golf, going to the theater and spending time with her family.
Mrs. Lynn Darin and Mrs. Laura Weinberg teach the PM class. Please see their information under orange room teachers.
Yellow Room Day Care Teachers
Ms. Kelly Noonan is a graduate from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Education). She taught Early Childhood Special Education for 8 years in Austin, Texas, before moving to Chicago in June 2008. This is her second year teaching the Preschool For All Program and Daycare in the Yellow Room. She lives in Lincoln Park with her boyfriend Mike and Labrador Bella. She enjoys running, biking, walking her dog, cooking, traveling, shopping, and going back to Austin to visit family and friends.
Mrs. Aviva Plummer graduated from the University of Colorado in 1975 with a B.S. degree in Journalism. She worked in newspaper and radio in Colorado before returning to Chicago in 1980, where her career took an accidental turn into high tech and she spent 15 years marketing and engineering voice and data business systems. In 1992 she left work to be a stay at home mom to Sarah, now 17, and Danny, now 15. During those stay-at-home years she was an active volunteer on the board of HP Community Nursery School and later at Ravinia Elementary, where she served as PTO President for two (long) years. She worked as a substitute in District 112 and at Community while taking courses at National Louis University toward her teaching certification. She has been working at Community as a substitute and an assistant in the yellow room since 2007. She currently serves as Day Care Parent Coordinator. She lives in Highland Park with her children and husband, Tom. She enjoys gardening, cooking and walking her 4 year-old boxer Charlie.
Green Room Day Care Teachers
Mrs. Darcy Fitzsimmons graduated from Tufts University in 2000 with a degree in Child Development and certification to teach Pre-K through 3rd grade. She is now in her 10th year at Community. Darcy is trained in mediation, conflict resolution, and crisis management and will often use this knowledge when dealing with problems in the classroom. Darcy is currently the lead teacher in the Green Room Preschool for All class. Darcy and her husband Dave live in Hainesville and have 2 children: Conor, 2, and Molly 4 months.
Ms. Kaitlyn Murray recently joined our teaching staff. She is a graduate from Duquesne University with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Her trip to Salamanca, Spain was an inspiration to also minor in Spanish. Last year, Kaitlyn spent her first year teaching fifth grade as well as an after school Spanish program. She lives in Lincoln Park with a close college friend and uses her free time to plan her wedding in July.
Ms. Judy Zambrano has been teaching at Community since 1976. She has taught in every classroom-day care, nursery school and kindergarten. Prior to working at Community, she participated in the federal CETA program. A resident of Lake Bluff, she came to this country from Ecuador in 1963. Ms. Zambrano has taken education courses at the College of Lake County.
Kindergaten Teachers
Mrs. Judi Baldwin is starting her third year at Community. She retired in 2007 from the Chicago Public Schools where she taught Kindergarten for several years. Judi is a certified Pre-K through 3rd grade teacher and developed hands-on activities for her students. She is a graduate of Drake University. Judi is married to Bob Baldwni and they have three sons. Two of her children also are educators, teaching in Naperville elementary system and Oak Park River Forest High School. She enjoys reading, exercising, and golfing in her free time.
Ms. Tania Toledo graduated from Lake Forest College with a degree in Psychology and Spanish. She is now in her second year at Community. She currently assists in the Kindergarten Enrichment Class. She has assisted in every day-care classroom, nursery school and kindergarten. Tania is currently planning to attend nursing school. She lives with her family in North Chicago.
Ms. Allison Mueller- see information under Blue Room
