Saint Charles
Early Childhood Education Center
"Sharing in the Wonder of God's Creation"
Meet the Teachers
4 Year Old
Program
Junior Kindergarten
MRS. Simmons
Angels Lead
Mrs. Simmons is excited to begin her sixth year at St. Charles! She was raised in Arlington and is so happy to be teaching in the same Diocese where she was a student. Mrs. Simmons earned her Bachelor’s Degree from East Carolina University in Family Community Services with a concentration in Early Childhood Intervention. She then worked for the University in their Child Development Lab developing and implementing a new curriculum. Mrs. Simmons is truly in her element working with preschool children and can’t wait for a great year with the Angels!
MS. SPRATT
Angels Assistant
Ms. Spratt is so happy to be joining the Angel class this year.
MRS. NANDE
Turtles Lead
5 Day Class
Mrs. Nande is excited for her third year as the lead in the Turtles class! She moved to the USA with her husband and children sixteen years ago from India. She went to Catholic school and college. She has a degree in Economics (Honors) from Mumbai University. She obtained her CDA in 2006. She has been teaching for nineteen years, sixteen at St. Philip ECC as lead teacher, and extended day & summer camp director, and two years in Mumbai. She has taught both three and four year olds: "I like teaching this age group as they are so spontaneous in their response and genuine. There's a lot one can learn from them." She has two sons; one is an Engineer and the other a Scientist. She is looking forward to a great school year!
MRS. MEDINA
Turtles Assistant
5 Day Class
Mrs. Doris Medina started working as an assistant teacher in 2011 at Corpus Christi Catholic Preschool in Falls Church. She worked with the four-year-olds and in extended day for nine years. This year is her first at St. Charles as the Dragonflies assistant. Mrs. Medina is originally from Venezuela and moved to Virginia in 2005. She is married and has three sons, and a grandson who was a student at St. Philip ECC. Mrs. Medina credits her passion for teaching to her Mom who was a teacher and has two sisters that are teachers too. She grew up loving school and teaching. She remembers at a very young age spending time playing teacher with her sister. Working at Catholic schools has been a blessing from God! Mrs. Medina speaks Spanish and enjoys teaching Spanish to the students. She loves country music, spending time with family and friends, and traveling.
4 Year Old Program
MS. DIAZ
Sunflowers Lead
5 Day Class
Ms. Diaz feels honored to join the St. Charles team as the Lead Teacher for the Sunflowers classroom. She has recently moved to Northern Virginia from New Jersey, and is excited to learn all there is about this state. Ms. Diaz was a Catholic school PreK teacher in Jersey City, NJ for the past 4 years and has been to Catholic school her whole life. She received her Masters in Elementary Education from Saint Peter’s University in May 2017, and is very passionate about teaching and creating a happy and nurturing environment for her students. Ms. Diaz loves to travel and create memories with her family. She is also fluent in both Spanish and English. She can’t wait to begin the new year!
MS. MA
Sunflowers Assistant
5 Day Class
Ms. Ma is a long time teacher's assistant at St. Charles and mother to an alum. She is looking forward to working with four-year-olds in the Sunflower class again. Ms. Ma loves the great experience of working with children and helping them learn and grow effectively in a safe and loving environment and is very grateful for the opportunity.
MRS. CASKEY
Jellyfish Lead
5 Day Class
Mrs. Diana Caskey is excited to join the St. Charles community as the Jellyfish Lead Teacher! She has a degree in Elementary Education and Liberal Arts from Marymount University, as well as a teaching license from the Commonwealth of Virginia. Mrs. Caskey taught Kindergarten and First Grade for six years at St. Thomas More before starting a family. She now has two children, one of whom will be joining St. Charles as a student this year. Having attended Catholic schools herself from kindergarten through college, Mrs. Caskey values the opportunity to teach in a Catholic school. She is also an avid reader who loves sharing her love of books with her students. Mrs. Caskey is looking forward to working with Mrs. Baney again after a 6-year gap!
MRS. QUINTERO
Jellyfish Assistant
5 Day Class
Mrs. Deisy Quintero is so excited to start her second year at St. Charles after working as a Pre-K assistant teacher at St. Philip ECC (Formerly Corpus Christi School) for 23 years. She loves teaching Spanish, doing arts and crafts, and playing games. She helps children learn in a safe, fun and welcoming environment. Mrs. Quintero has a bachelor’s degree in Economics, but after moving to the United States and having her two daughters, along with her love for children, she changed her path in life and started to work with children and she loves it!
3 Year Old Program
MS. IRIARTE
Happy Apples Co-Lead
5 Morning Class
Ms. Iriarte has spent many years teaching in the Happy Apples/Frogs classroom. She began as an assistant in the Busy Bees class, while earning her CDA. It is a joy for her to lead the 3-day and 2-day three-year-olds. She has two daughters, both of whom are St. Charles graduates.
MS. KATE
Happy Apples Co-Lead
5 Morning Class
This is Ms. Kate's sixth year teaching at St. Charles. She grew up in Arlington and attended Mary Baldwin College, where she studied Early Childhood Education. Ms. Kate has been working with children for over fifteen years, and is excited to be back at St. Charles and working with the Happy Apples and Happy Frogs classes. She is married with two boys at St. Agnes School.
MRS. LECKEY
Beautiful Butterflies Lead
5 Morning Class
Mrs. Leckey is married with two wonderful daughters, both in college and both graduates of St. Charles. It is through her involvement and volunteer work in her children’s activities and schools that Mrs. Leckey entered the fun world of early childhood education. She taught science at another Arlington preschool for several years before coming to the Butterfly class when St. Charles first introduced the three-year-old program in 2007. She has been in the Butterfly classroom ever since, now in her fifteenth year. “I feel the spirit of St. Charles most,” Mrs. Leckey says, “when I am laughing out loud with the happy three-year-olds.”
MS. CHIARI
Beautiful Butterflies Assistant
5 Morning Class
Ms. Chiari is in her fifteenth year as the assistant in the Butterfly class. She previously worked in a Montessori program, but St. Charles Preschool was blessed by her decision to come work with our children. Ms. Chiari has also been a teacher for the preschool summer camp for the past few years. She has three children, two of whom are graduates of St. Charles School.
MS. HELEN
Busy Bees Lead
5 Day Class
Ms. Helen is excited to join the St. Charles team as the Busy Bee Lead Teacher for the 2021-2022 school year. Growing up in Arlington and attending both Saint Agnes Catholic School and Bishop Denis J O'Connell High School, she is happy and looking forward to working in the same community. She has a bachelor's degree in History with a minor in Religious Studies from Randolph College. This will be her first year teaching and she is very excited to have the opportunity to provide a safe and nurturing environment for her students. When not in the classroom she loves to travel, spend time with friends and family, and enjoy the world around her.
MS. SKARLET
Busy Bees Assistant
5 Day Class
Ms. Skarlet is thrilled to be returning as the assistant teacher for the Busy Bee class. This is her third year at St. Charles. Skarlet is currently enrolled in George Mason University to earn her bacholers in psychology. Skarlet has gone to Catholic school since first grade and graduated from Bishop O’Connell High School in 2019. She loves that she can be a part of setting a foundation of faith to children. She is very excited to work with Ms. Helen and the Busy Bees.
2 Year Old Program
MS. RIMA
Owls/Penguins Lead
2 Morning/3 Morning Class
Ms. Rima Magdalen Fakhry is delighted to be a member of the ‘St. Charles Early Education Center’ family. She is excited to work with the 2’s as a Lead teacher. Ms. Rima loves working with young children; for her, “the children bring much joy to my heart”. It is wonderful to see the 2’s form their own personalities and develop friendships, rooted in kindness, with their classmates.
Ms. Rima holds graduate degrees In English Language & Linguistics and Applied Linguistics from Georgetown University. She has most recently taught English as a Second Language at NOVA. and is planning to pursue graduate studies in International Education/Early Childhood Education. She had earlier taught at the ‘Fairfax County Public Schools’ as a substitute teacher, working with elementary and high school students.
She is fluent in English, French and Arabic and understands some Spanish. She loves exploring new cultures, meeting new friends, and above all, spending time with her family.
“I look forward to meeting each and every one of my wonderful ‘Penguins’’ and ‘ Owls’, who are joining ‘St. Charles’ this fall.
MS. TATIANA
Owls/Penguins Assistant
2 Morning/3 Morning Class
Ms. Tatiana is excited to work her second year with the 2s. She is fluent in Spanish and English. She attended Catholic school her whole life. Ms. Tatiana is a college student attending Trinity Washington University. Majoring in criminal justice and minoring in psychology. After graduating she will like to attend law school. She is thrilled to be able to learn and grow with the children. She likes working with the 2s because they develop their personalities and start to grasp the understanding of their feelings and others. She loves traveling, trying new food, and spending time with family and friends. She can’t wait to meet each and everyone of you!
MS. JUANA
Hummingbirds Lead
5 Day Class
Mrs Juana Summers is from Bogota, Colombia, assistant at St Charles for the past 3 years, prior to this she has spent the last fourteen in accounting and business operations. She has degree in business from Universidad Sergio Arboleda ( Bogota).
She loves spending time with all the little children at St Charles, helping them in their most precious years of growth. She lives in Falls Church with her husband and daughter, a graduate from St Charles. She enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with family and friends.
MS.KIM
Hummingbirds Assistant
5 Day Class
Ms. Kim is originally from Vietnam, and came to the United States in March of 1998. She has one son (who graduated from St. Charles). She has 18 years of experience working with children of all ages. She began working at St. Charles School in the Extended Day program in 2006 and we are delighted to have her continue with us in our preschool program. She loves working with children because "they bring me a lot of love, peace, laughter, joy and happiness."
MS. LYNETTE
Ducklings Lead
5 Day Class
Ms. Lynette was born and raised in Washington, DC. She received both her Associates and Bachelors degrees in Biblical Studies. She has had extensive experience working with children at Lasalle Middle School in DC and at Reid Temple Christian Academy, and she is thrilled to begin her first year at St. Charles. She strives to provide a professional environment for her students and families, and most of all she loves teaching the word of God.
MS. LUZ
Ducklings Assistant
5 Day Class
Ms.Luz is originally from Colombia, and came to the USA in August 2019. She was part of the Colombian Army for more than 20 years and achieved a ranking of Colonel. She has a bachelor’s degree in Strategic Communications and a Master Degree in International Relations. During her time serving the Army she was especially close to children in need. Once in the US, she started working in one of the Montessori Schools in Arlington, and it’s her first year at Saint Charles. She believes that teaching with love and support can go a long way. She enjoys to exercise and read, and has 2 wonderful daughters, one is a Master Degree in Political Science, and working at a university in Munich, Germany. The other lives with her in the US and is in Middle School. Ms.Luz is very grateful with God for the opportunity to join the Saint Charles family.