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Brush Creek Nursery School is staffed by a Program Director, teachers and aides. All have a minimum of 12 units in Early Childhood Education and experience teaching young children. Administration is carried out by the Program Director and Administrative Assistant.
 Julie MacDonald, Program Director
30 Years on
Staff
Born and raised in Santa Rosa, Julie is a 5th generation Sonoma
County native! She has a degree in Early Childhood Education.
Her family is the cornerstone of her life but she also enjoys
collecting various items. Julie's largest collection is her thimbles
with over 500! She also collects Belleek china from Ireland, enjoys
photography, antiquing and art.
"I enjoy the opportunity to get to know new families. I love the natural surroundings I've been fortunate to call my second home. I work with a great group of women who help feed my mind and my soul. And of course, the children keep me young and curious. I enjoy seeing life through their eyes."
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Cynara Martin, Administrative Assistant
Our newest staff member Cynara Martin was born in San Diego. She is the oldest of five children, each being two years apart. Her siblings are stretched out from San Diego to Oregon and they enjoy times they are able to be together. Cynara is closest to her sister who is 6 years her junior and lives in Oregon. They speak regularly and visit as often as they can.
Cynara went to San Diego State where she earned a BA. She then went to Sonoma State for her teaching credential. In 1977 Cynara made the big decision to move to Santa Rosa and she has stayed ever since. She continued her education in ECE at Sonoma State and SRJC.
Cynara is Mom to three children, two daughters and a son. Her oldest daughter is 26 and lives in Washington. She is studying for “the bar”. Her middle child, a daughter, is a Southern California girl, 22 years of age and studying at UCSD. Her youngest, Zac is 15 and living at home. He goes to Montgomery High School and is currently into sports.
In her spare time Cynara enjoys reading. She belongs to two bookclubs and says, “There’s no combination like good friends and good books”. She loves to walk and enjoys spending time with her family.
In her career, Cynara has worked at a center for at-risk children, a parent co-op and a private nursery school. Cynara and Julie forged a friendship many years ago as there was a common bond through work. Cynara was the Director at Live Oak Preschool in Healdsburg for 20 years. Feeling “it was time”, Cynara started looking for a change. She parted from Live Oak on good terms with no job to go to. She experimented with career changes by taking some paralegal classes, working in public school and even thought about teaching kindergarten. The field of Early Childhood pulled at her heartstrings and Brush Creek Nursery School had an opening...and here we are!"
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Heather Miller, Teacher
21 Years on Staff
Heather is a lifetime Sonoma County resident. She earned an Associates Degree from Santa Rosa Junior College and a certificate in Child Development.
She enjoys spending as much time as possible with her two sons and her husband, Tim. Her favorite hobby is scrap booking for her boys and she also enjoys working on her computer and browsing the internet.
"Brush Creek is my home away from home. The staff is my second
family. I enjoy the children most of all. They are so near and dear
to my heart. Then there are all the great families that come to
Brush Creek that I enjoy meeting. I enjoy working at Brush Creek
because it is here for the children and so am I."
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Vicki Briggs, Teacher
13 Years on Staff
Vicki first joined the Brush Creek Nursery School Staff in 1980.
After 6 years, she took time off to have her own children and
returned to teaching here in 1999 making her association with BCNS a
long-standing one. Vicki received her certificate in Early Childhood
Education at the Santa Rosa Junior College. She continues to attend
conferences and seminars related to the field.
"Brush Creek Nursery School is a very special place to me. There
is nothing better than walking into a classroom full of smiles,
laughter and little children. They keep a smile on my face all day.
There is always something new and exciting to learn in this field.
Young children are very unique and no two are the same. These
children, with their beautiful faces and bright eyes are our future,
and I am so proud to be part of that."
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Janice Carpenter, Teacher
5 Years on Staff
Janice has a BA from Syracuse University. She has a multiple
subjects teaching credential with an Early Childhood emphasis from
San Francisco State University and a CLAD credential from Sonoma
State.
Janice is married and has 3 children, two girls and a boy. She
has two adult step sons. Her hobbies include sports of all kinds,
aerobics, dance, painting, drawing and reading.
Janice really enjoys the staff of Brush Creek. "They're the
nicest bunch of people I've ever worked with." She enjoys the
children and their families as well as the environment. She now sees
why the school has the wonderful reputation that it
does.
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Birte Knight, Teacher
26 Years on Staff
Birte grew up on a farm in Denmark where she originally attended
school in a one room schoolhouse. After graduating from High School,
she came to America intending to become a governess.
She and her husband, Bill, have 3 grown children and 11
grandchildren. Birte enjoys the outdoors with backpacking, hiking,
camping and scuba diving on her list of favorite things to do. She
also enjoys gardening, sewing and cooking.
"I love working with young children. I enjoy their spontaneity, honesty, sense of humor and creativity. Another favorite part of working at Brush Creek is all the wonderful families and staff I've come in contact with in my 25+ years of working here!"
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Nancy Libby, Teacher
23 Years on Staff
Nancy has received a certificate in Early Childhood Education and
continues her education by attending seminars and conferences.
She grew up in Santa Rosa and now lives in Sebastopol where she
enjoys hiking in the redwoods, gardening, or taking trips to the
beach. Nancy and her husband Brian like cooking together and she
also loves reading and spending time with her daughter, Jordan.
"Brush Creek is my second home. The families here are very
supportive and the children are so wonderful! They continue to
inspire me to be best teacher and person I can be!"
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