Our Staff

I have worked with children in the school setting and home setting for over 25 years. Before coming to STP, I worked for the Intermediate Unit with children with Autism, as a Behavior Specialist. I worked in many school districts throughout Delaware and Montgomery County. I am originally from Pittsburgh, PA (Go Steelers!) and moved to the Philadelphia area in 1998. I live in Lafayette Hill with my husband, Chris, my daughter, Alexis and my son, CJ and our dogs. CJ attended STP for three years, starting in the three year old class.
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My interests outside of work are running to clear my head and family time. I spend most of my weekends moving from activity to activity with my children and my husband. We travel back to Pittsburgh often and now to Rochester, NY where my family now resides. I chose this school for my son because of the nurturing and loving environment. The teachers are what makes this school so special. I am blessed to have been a parent here and now to be the Director of an extraordinary place like STP.
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Interesting fact: I am a triplet! Three girls, not identical, though!

My love for children is what brought me to St. Thomas’ Preschool. I began as the cooking teacher in 2008 and my position has changed to Administrative Assistant. In this role I assist Shari with greeting our wonderful families each day, tours, lunch bunch, subbing (my favorite) and all things STP!

I am incredibly proud of our sweet little school which offers a warm & loving environment to our families. My husband, David, is a professional musician and we are parents to 3 daughters. Sophie, and Annabelle. My favorite activities involve being together as a family, whether we are at the beach or just hanging out together! My background is in Early Childhood Education, graduating w/ a BS in 1990 . I have worked in public school, special education, Directed a pre-school, and even had an ESL tutoring business in Palisades Park , NJ. My favorite position to date is being a mom to Sophie, Sade & Annabelle! STP is truly a wonderful place to call “work”. The teachers and staff all work together to make sure that we are the special first school experience that children need.

Born and raised in Paris, Tennessee. Graduated from Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, where I also met my husband, Jim. I have two girls: Taylor, and Paige, (both came through St. Thomas’). My family and I live in Plymouth Meeting. Before coming to St. Thomas, I was involved in all areas of Banking from Secondary Marketing to Mortgage Processing.

What I love most about St. Thomas’ is the children and their families. I love the beginning of the year when the children come into the school. They are so young and I get to see them grow and mature throughout the year. I also love getting to know all the families. I am so appreciative of all they do for St. Thomas’.

My interests outside of St. Thomas’ are eating out, shopping, antiquing, going to the beach and doing things with my family.

I have been employed at St. Thomas’ for almost twenty years. I am presently teaching in the Blue Pre-K, and have also taught in the twos and the three and four-year-old classrooms. Working with young children is challenging but also very rewarding. What I love most about my job is watching a child grow physically, emotionally and developmentally throughout the year. At the end of the school year, you see a completely different child than at the beginning. That has always been very exciting to me.

My favorite thing about working at St. Thomas’ is getting to know all the wonderful families that come to our school. I look forward to meeting new families each year and developing a relationship with them and their children.

Before I came to St. Thomas’, I worked with emotionally disturbed teens and children with learning disabilities.

I have two daughters, Courtney and Brooke.

I have been teaching at STP for 21 wonderful years. The children, parents and staff are what make STP such a special place.

Some of my interests outside of work include gardening, reading and enjoying a variety of music (especially Irish). All three of my sons are alumni of St. Thomas’ Preschool.

I truly feel blessed to be able to go to work every day and absolutely love what I do!!!

I am a graduate of Loyola University, MD with a BA in Business Management. I am a native of Fort Washington, PA and I’m so happy to be living with my husband, Ed, and raising our three daughters in the town where I grew up. Ed and I lived in Connecticut when we were first married and moved back to Fort Washington in 2005. We have three daughters: Aileen, Kelly and Amanda.  Kelly & Amanda both attended STP and Aileen attended STP Summer Camp. My daughters and I still love talking about all the wonderful memories they have from their time at STP.  While my girls were at STP, I enjoyed the opportunity to help as a substitute in the 2’s, 3’s & 4’s. I was also able to serve on the STP Board of Directors and Co-Chair the STP Gala.

Outside of St. Thomas, my interests are playing tennis, attending my daughters’ sporting events, and travel (although with 3 girls I don’t get to do the travel as often as I’d like 😉 ). Ever since my daughters graduated from STP, I have hoped that someday I would have the chance to be a part of the incredible community of teachers! This new path in life is truly a dream come true for me and I can’t wait to share my dream with all the sweet preschoolers at STP!

“Wake up every day with the thought that something WONDERFUL is about to happen.” Teaching children is that WONDERFUL for me. I graduated from the University Of Delaware majoring in Elementary Ed, got a job at Methacton School District and then continued onto Penn State where I received my Masters. Teaching 1st and 3rd grades for a total of 20 years was amazing, but I decided to resign to be home with my children, Gavin and Claire.

STP is now my new home. I began teaching the yoga and movement classes and fell in love. As my children head off to full-time school, I’m ready for a classroom again. I’m thrilled to get the opportunity to teach and see what kind of magic we can bring to the three-year-olds! In my “down time,” you can find me relaxing by the pool or beach with my husband, Gary, and our kids, reading an awesome new book, or teaching fitness classes.

I am very excited to be joining the St. Thomas’ Preschool Family! I graduated with a B.A. in English, Minor in Elementary Education from Saint Joseph’s University. I grew up in the area, attending Mount Saint Joseph Academy. After college, I spent several years training athletes and coaching novice rowing at the Mount. After I had my two wonderful children, Tess and Will, I taught in their preschool. For the past 3 years, I have worked at Saint Philip Neri, in several roles. What I loved most was subbing in Pre-K!

Aside from teaching, I enjoy watching my kids play their numerous sports. I love working out, running and gardening! I am looking forward to having a wonderful year  together!

I graduated with a BS in Elementary/Early Childhood Education from Penn State. Following graduation, I worked in various facets of the field including Special Education, substitute teaching, tutoring and teaching preschool. I left teaching after I gave birth to my oldest son and decided to stay home full-time to raise my children. I am ready to head back into the classroom. I was thrilled when the opportunity to teach at St. Thomas’ came my way!

My youngest 2 children attended St. Thomas’ starting in the 3-year-old room. I could immediately feel the warm, welcoming and nurturing environment that is St. Thomas’ Preschool! My kids loved their time at St. Thomas’ and still talk about all of the fun memories they made, awesome activities they engaged in and loving teachers they had while here.

I currently live in Fort Washington with my husband of 22 years, Dave, and our 6 children, Nais, Ella, Hayden, Quinn, Keaton and Roan. When my kids are not keeping me busy, I enjoy walking, being outside (preferably at the beach!), doing crafts and relaxing and watching movies with my family.

I am so excited to get back into the classroom and meet all of the wonderful families of St. Thomas’!

I have been teaching in the Green Pre K classroom since 2015. I previously taught as the cooking teacher from 2000 to 2005. I have a degree in Business Management, from Widener University and a Masters in Education, from Chestnut Hill College. I taught in the Wissahickon and Colonial school districts for over 10 years before returning to join this wonderful group of teachers.

Residing in Blue Bell, with my husband and 3 incredible children, Caroline, Patrick and David, I feel fortunate to have an opportunity to teach young children, enable them to use their imagination, and create a wonderfully fun, educational and learning experience. I enjoy photography, gardening, cooking and traveling.

Hi, I am a graduate of Penn State University with a BS in Marketing. St. Thomas’ has been home to our family since we moved back to Philadelphia in 1999. Mark and I have been married for 27 years. We have 3 children: Ian, Emily and Connor. All of them attended STP and summer camp. We all have fond memories of our time at STP Connor, our youngest, is on the autism spectrum. STP and the wonderful teachers and families stood by our side as we learned behavior therapies. Today, Connor is thriving. We are forever grateful for the patience, love, and support he received at STP.

Besides being a mom, I am 500-hour certified yoga instructor. Yoga has been in my life for years. I was certified in 2008 and will continue my passion for teaching as the yoga and movement teacher. I look forward to sitting, breathing, and moving with your children!

I am so thankful for STP and I am humbled and honored to join the team.

I am thrilled to be back in the classroom, especially at St. Thomas’ Preschool. My kids spent their preschool years here and we all found a loving community of teachers and parents dedicated to creating a nurturing environment for learning and growing. It is truly a special place! Having taught 4th and 5th Grades and coached high school crew locally at Chestnut Hill Academy and the Springside School (now SCH) for 11 years, I took time off from teaching to raise my kids. Now that they are in elementary school, I’m excited to be teaching again, though my students are significantly younger!

I love teaching these little people and witnessing their daily growth; they are full of questions and curiosity with boundless energy and imagination. It is so fun to see them take on their world and become explorers and learners in the Orange Tiger classroom.

Outside of STP, I love to be with my wildly creative husband Jay and my two energetic kids. Aside from the usual sports practices and afterschool activities, we all enjoy working with our hands and making things from scratch whether it’s a batch of cookies or a costume, a painting or a project. We love to be outdoors especially on, in, or near the water and prefer a beach to nearly any other destination.

Hi, my name is Malia Paladino, and I am so excited to work at St Thomas’ Preschool. For over 20 years, I have been married to my wonderful husband, Anthony, and a mom to three children: Luc, Bella and Giacomo.

In addition to my 20+ years of service to my husband and children, I have a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Child Psychology from Drexel University. After graduation, I earned my teaching certificate in grades K-8 in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and I worked for many years as a classroom teacher. More recently, I have enjoyed being a nanny for children from STP, and I have also tutored many children in the local community for the past several years. I love sharing my love of kids and education STP. I am looking forward to fun, laughter, and learning with your children.

I am excited to be a part of the St. Thomas’ Preschool family. I have resided in the area for 20 years where I was a stay at home mom, Prep teacher at St Philip Neri, and actively involved in the Colonial School District where my 3 children attended.

Since 2014 I’ve worked in early childhood education roles starting as the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) Mentor at the William Jeanes Library and then Program Aide with Head Start where I instantly fell in love with working with young children. I went back to school and earned my CDA in Early Childhood Education before continuing my teaching career with Pre-K Counts, Bright Horizons and most recently the Goddard School.

A floral designer by training, I enjoy bringing creativity and imagination into the classroom and inspiring the children to explore their surroundings. As I continue on my journey in the field of early childhood education I have found I can always learn more. Every day brings a new experience with a lesson being learned. I went into teaching thinking “What can I teach these young minds today?” but instead often find myself asking “What can I learn from these young minds today?” I love teaching young children and enjoy being part of the early childhood teaching community. I look to my colleagues on a daily basis for new ideas and ways to make myself a better teacher. I could not imagine being in any other field. It’s a role that I look forward to every day. There is nothing like seeing the face of a child light up who has just discovered they can write their name or make a beautiful butterfly out of a coffee filter.

I love spending my free time with my husband Alex and my 3 children Maria, Meghan and Alex. I enjoy reading, shopping, antiquing and going to dinner with friends. My teaching motto: “Let’s Have the Best Day Ever!”

I feel so blessed to be at teacher at STP! My three children (Gavin, Maggie & Tucker) have recently matriculated through St. Thomas’ and each has had their own wonderful & unique experience. It is so rewarding to be on the other side and to have been given the opportunity to empower children to grow through positive learning experiences in play and nature. I am in awe of the wonder and excitement that the children possess and it is what makes teaching so fun!

I love being outdoors, running, yoga and spending time with my family. Thrilled to be a part of the St. Thomas’ family. Looking forward to a great year!

I could not be more excited to have the opportunity to teach two year olds at STP! I’ve been a stay at home Mom for the last eleven years. My youngest son Brendan attended St. Thomas’ and has had a fabulous experience. To be able to be a part of this loving and caring community is very special to me.

I earned my bachelors degree from Virginia Tech and my masters degree in Elementary Education from Chestnut Hill College. I worked as a consultant before switching career gears and becoming an elementary school teacher. I love being back in the classroom and I am having a blast seeing my Grey Elephants grow. I hope they come to love school as much as I do. My husband and I live in Lafayette Hill with our four kids and chocolate lab. My interests outside of school are: reading, running, yoga, and relaxing on the beach.

I feel so very fortunate that my love of children and return to teaching has brought me to St. Thomas’ Preschool. Since starting in September 2018, I learned rather quickly that it is a special, magical place, both for a teacher and for the children that attend.

After graduating from Gwynedd Mercy University with a degree in Elementary Education, I taught and coached at Germantown Academy for three years. At that time, my husband, Jim and I started our family and went on to raise our 5 daughters. Once they were launched, I returned to teaching in the Lower School at Springside, now Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, in 2000 and continued until 2008 when our first grandchild arrived.

Now another 9 grandchildren later, coming to St. Thomas’ to teach the new 2 yr. old class, the Grey Elephants, is a perfect balance. Developmentally, it is such a wonderful age to be a part of in these little peoples’ lives. So much happens in this year!

Besides spending time with our grandchildren that are scattered between Vermont and Philadelphia, I enjoy long walks, gardening, sewing and cooking.

Emily was thrilled to join the St. Thomas’ Preschool family in November 2019 assisting with Lunch Bunch and Subbing in classrooms. In the spring of 2020, she started the school’s instagram @STPS_1951 to join the digital outreach connecting young students and teachers with their families. She looks forward to Summer Camp and more time in the classrooms together as the seasons unfold. Her centering focus at school is a Ministry of Presence, meeting each child as they are and every moment as it is.

Emily is local to the area, graduating from Penn Charter in 2006. She studied English & Education at the College of William & Mary (2010), and earned her Masters of Religion and Public Life from Emory University (2020). She is trained in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and Zen Meditation. Fun Fact: Emily’s grandparents were married at St. Thomas’ Church November 1955.

I’m so excited to be a part of STP! I am originally from Cherry Hill, NJ and graduated from Saint Joe’s University with a Master’s in Elementary Education. Before becoming a stay at home mom, I taught in the Mount Laurel School District where I taught Pre-K and Kindergarten for 11 years.

I now reside in Fort Washington with my husband Chris and 3 children Matthew, Luke and Alexandra.

All 3 of my children attended STP and had such a fabulous experience. For the past several years, I had the opportunity to substitute teach at STP getting to know the wonderful teachers and students.

I’m so excited to be back in the classroom again doing what I love!

When I have some down time, I enjoy reading, going out to dinner and vacationing in Kiawah Island, SC.

I feel very blessed to be joining the St. Thomas’ Preschool Family! In 2005, I graduated with a B.A. in Elementary Education from DeSales University and immediately continued on to Chestnut Hill College for my Masters in Special Education. For the last 14 years I have taught special education in the Philly public and charter schools. Family and the desire for a change brought me to Saint Thomas’ and I couldn’t be happier.

I have a wonderful husband named Kevin and three children, Jack, Marty and Maggie who all keep me very busy with sports and activities. I love running, traveling, reading thriller novels, and the Jersey shore. I am looking forward to having a wonderful year at Saint Thomas!