Jessica holds a Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education from Bradley University, which includes Special Education Approval, and has been in the early childhood field since 1995. She has been trained in The Project Approach by Dr. Judy Harris Helm and is passionate about promoting active inquiry in the classroom. She has taught at Northminster Learning Center since 2005 in classrooms serving toddlers, mixed age preschool, and kindergarten.  In 2020, she became the Associate Director at Northminster. Jessica has shared her commitment to lifelong learning by sharing with others in the education field as a presenter at local, state and national education conferences on topics which include supporting emergent writers, children and nature, early childhood environments, and documenting children's work. She lives in Peoria has been married to her husband Scott since 1996. Together they have two adult sons.  

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Jody has an Associate's Degree in Child Development that she earned in 2011. Since then she has had experience in Early Childhood Head Start, childcare centers, and as a nanny.  Jody joined Northminster in 2024 as a associate teacher.  She is looking forward to being a part of your child's educational experience.  Jody lives in Delavan with her husband.  She has two older sons and two grandchildren.  

Heather is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics.  She has taught preschool for over 12 years and joined Northminster as a lunch helper in 2019.  Heather has a husband, Jon and two sons Matthew and Dylan.  She enjoys traveling with her family and listening to all kinds of music.  

Doree has over 13 years of early childhood experience in both Missouri and Illinois. Doree joined the Northminster staff in June 2011 and worked at our Summer Camp. She has three years of ministry training. She is also trained in Documentation as well as the Work Sampling system. She has been an associate for Curiosity Corner and Multi-Age Kindergarten at Northminster and is currently an associate for Full-day Preschool as well as a Summer Camp instructor. Doree is married to Chris, and they have three boys.

Patti is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan with a Bachelor's Degree in Christian Education. Before coming to Northminster, she worked in Childcare/Preschool for ten years. She started at Northminister in 2013 as support staff. She was then a substitute teacher for a couple of years becoming a lead Teacher of Discovery Preschool in 2015. She has a husband, James, and two sons Sean and Alex.  

Sulagna joined Northminster in 2016 as a substitute teacher and lunch support staff.  In the fall of 2018, she became the Associate Teacher in the 3-day preschool classroom. She is now the Lead Teacher in a full-day preschool classroom. She worked all summer to get her CDA so she could become the lead teacher.  Sulagna has her Master's Degree in English Literature and a post graduate diploma in advertising and public relations as well as a diploma in management.  Prior to Northminster, Sulagna worked with preschoolers in India.  She lives with her husband and two sons in Dunlap.  

Susan is a graduate from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor's Degree in Finance.  She worked fourteen years as a bank examiner for the US Treasury Department.  She has seven years experience teaching children at Northminster Presbyterian Church.  She taught Kids Club, Elementary Sunday school, and Angel Arms Sunday school.  She started at Northminster Learning Center in 2016 as a lunch room assistant, substitute teacher, and preschool aftercare teacher.  In 2018, she became an associate teacher for two years.  She is so excited to be back as an associate teacher after a four year break for joint replacement surgeries.  She has a husband, Ed, and two children Mark & Katherine.  

Mary joined the Northminster Learning Center team in the summer of 2012, as a teacher for our Summer Camp program. Mary has over 30 years of experience working with toddlers and preschool age children and came to us from Head Start.  She has her associates degree in Child Development. Mary has received training in Project Approach, Conscious Discipline, and Documentation. Mary has stepped back from her role in the classroom but still helps with lunch and subbing.  Mary enjoys spending time with her family and friends.   

Janhavi joined Northminster as an associate teacher at the Discovery Preschool in 2021. She completed her Master's in Business Administration and has worked in the finance industry for 4 years. She has been a parent at NLC for 7 years and worked with young kids as a Yoga conductor and library helper over the years. She adores working with preschoolers and is committed to help children learn and value diversity. Janhavi lives with her husband,  Kiran and  two children, Saee and Riya.

Jennifer joined NLC as a lunch helper/substitute teacher in 2016 for two years and then the office staff in May of 2019. She was employed full time at the Illinois Air National Guard in Peoria for 7 years before becoming a stay at home mom.  Jennifer's favorite thing to do is spend time with her husband Dan and their 4 children.  

Sarah is a graduate of Illinois State University with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with Reading and Special Education Endorsements. She worked at Northminster Learning Center starting as a lead teacher for the Curiosity Corner program in 2012 and additionally as lead teacher for the 3 day Discovery Preschool program in 2013.  She continued for six years until moving with her family to Rockford, Illinois where she taught Kindergarten at Rockford Lutheran Academy for two years.  She then rejoined Northminster as Kindergarten teacher in 2020.  She lives with her husband, Christopher, and two children, Gwendolyn and Gabriel.

Emily joined Northminster in 2024. Emily has a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and an English Language Learners certificate.  She has taught grades 1-3 and most recently 3 years in preschool.  Her husband, Mark, is a pastor in Peoria and she has 3 girls.  She enjoys reading and she likes to visit her family in Minnesota every chance she gets.  

Mary Tanis was first a parent here at Northminster learning Center with both her boys attending Discovery Preschool.  Mary decided to join out staff in the Spring of 2023 as the lead teacher in Curiosity Corner.  Mary is pursuing her degree in child psychology with many hours in child development and special education.  Mary has been married since 2007 and has three children, two boys and a girl, and a dog named Rhodey.