Our Team
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Marti Freeman
FOUNDER/DIRECTOR/TEACHER
Marti Freeman is The Neighborhood Play School’s founder and director. She is also a lead classroom teacher. Marti has been teaching for 9 years in various roles. She has a Colorado State Teaching License with an Early Childhood Endorsement, a Bachelor’s in Arts in Biology from Brown University, a master’s degree in Integrated Science Education from the University of Pennsylvania, and a master’s degree in Early Childhood Leadership and Advocacy from the Erikson Institute in Chicago, IL.
Marti has a passion for early childhood education, specifically in the areas of play-based learning, process art, social emotional learning, and parent education. She brings a wealth of experience to the school and classroom.
In her free time, Marti enjoys spending time with her four children, her husband, and their myriad of pets. She loves hiking, cooking, sewing, and reading.
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Jessica Tribe
TEACHER
Ms. Jess has 5 years of preschool teaching experience, with children ranging in age from 2-5 years old. She has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Women’s Studies from University of Colorado, Boulder and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood/Elementary Education from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.
She thrives on being part of a dedicated teaching team that works diligently each day to provide child centered learning opportunities for young children. Guiding a child from crying and anxious at drop off to eager and excited for the school day, is one of her top priorities as a teacher. She is passionate about play-based early childhood education and believes preschool is a critical foundation to every child’s educational journey. She loves getting to know each of her students and partnering with their families to create a well-rounded education that meets the unique needs of each child. Additionally, with the vast amount of resources available to parents regarding parenting strategies, she relishes the opportunity to help parents find techniques and methods that fit both the parent and the child’s needs.
When she is not teaching, she can be found hiking or baking with her family, working out, reading or playing with the family dog, Yoshi.
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Kelly Woodward
TEACHER
Kelly has been in the field of Education since 1996, specifically in Early Childhood Education since 1999. She has a BA in Political Science/ Urban Studies from Colorado College and an MA in Educational Psychology from the University of Colorado at Denver.
She says, “Teaching early childhood education is an incredible journey filled with boundless joy and endless opportunities for growth. Everyday in the classroom I have the privilege of witnessing the wonder and curiosity in the eyes of young learners as they embark on their educational voyage. Guiding their first steps in knowledge while fostering their social and emotional development is a responsibility I take seriously. From nurturing their imaginations to fostering their love of learning, each interaction presents a chance to help shape their bright futures. I believe that teaching in a play based, thoughtful, developmentally appropriate classroom offers the space to positively impact the lives of children. In turn, with this strong foundation, students go on to make the world a kinder, gentler, more joy filled place for everyone. Teaching preschool is a remarkable adventure, I absolutely love what I do!”
When not teaching, Kelly enjoys reading, being outside, and creating. Her two daughters Georgia (15) and Miriam (9) keep her busy and smiling!
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Sarah Pritzlaff
TEACHER
Sarah has over ten years of experience in early childhood. She has a master’s degree in education and human development with a concentration in early childhood. She is the mother to 9-month-old, Will, and a Colorado native.
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Ella Jordan
TEACHER
Ella walked into her first preschool classroom, as a volunteer, at the age of 16 and has never looked back. Everything in her life from that moment on revolved around guiding and educating young children. She is delighted to now find herself at the Neighborhood Play School.
Ella graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 2021 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Literacy Education.
She says, “Working with and teaching little kids brings so much joy into my life. I have been so fortunate to work with a countless number of wonderful children over the last ten years. They taught me what characteristics matter most in teaching: patience, compassion, humor, leadership, thoughtfulness, and kindness. I believe that no child can ever have too many adults who care about them, and I feel honored to now be a caring adult in the lives of all the children at NPS”.
Testimonials
“Our family had a wonderful experience working with these teachers! They were thoughtful, caring and considerate of my child's needs. Our daughter gained confidence, social skills and established a deep love for school while under their watchful care. They provided open lines of communication and were extremely approachable whenever a problem or concern came up. They even created a special book for our daughter to read after her baby brother was born and she was learning to be a big sister! In many ways, because of these amazing teachers, our daughter's first year of preschool was filled with joyful learning, creativity, laughter and most of all FUN!”
Former Parent
“We had such an incredible experience with these teachers. They taught two of our boys and for each child we felt they really knew, understood, and appreciated them and their special individual qualities.
They put so much work and effort into their classroom preparation and pedagogical approach. And we learned so much from what they were doing in the classroom and how they addressed challenging behaviors.They communicated frequently and clearly and even helped us understand the different developmental stages our children were in. What we appreciated most though were the skills they ultimately gave to our children, particularly around social problem solving. We noticed some of the language and approaches in our older child especially, and when he entered Kindergarten, his teachers were blown away at how he managed conflict.
I would provide my highest possible recommendation for these teachers. They provided a warm and loving environment and we saw that every day because our boys LOVED going to school!”
Former Parent
My son had a wonderful experience growing socially and emotionally in this class! The creativity and abundance of calm yet fun energy make these teachers one of a kind. This is truly a play based class with teachers who are compassionate and communicative. Highly recommend!
Former Parent