Jean Buell, Executive
Director
 Administration of Preschool & Childcare Program and Management of Finances and Human Resources - (408) 251-8633 x10
E-Mail: mandala.jean@gmail.com
Jean became our new Executive Director in September 2010. Marilyn handed over her "management baton" to Jean upon retirement, confident in Jean's expertise after working with her on the Mandala Administrative Team for 30 years. Jean is one of our original staff who carries the history and vision of Mandala. Over the years, Jean was mentored by Marilyn and encouraged to develop her skills. She learned all aspects of both the Preschool and the state-funded Childcare Program, so it was natural that she would move into the executive management of the total program. Jean is also responsible for the management of Finance and Human Resources. Jean handles the FACTS Management Program and collects payments. Many years ago, Jean started with Mandala as a childcare provider, and she became well known for her vocal advocacy of the many providers in Mandala's program. In the early 1980's, she was hired as a part time Resource Coordinator and soon became the Childcare Director, administrating the state- funded child care program. This program has grown tremendously, from a $25,000 budget to over $500,000. Jean is our resident technical expert and problem-solver, and she keeps us up-to-date with technology. Jean looks forward to meeting with parents regarding the program, tuition payments, employer reimbursement receipts, or problems/changes with FACTS.
(In the office T-F) |
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Penny Lawrie, Preschool Director
Preschool Program Administration (Curriculum and Staff) and Preschool Enrollment - (408) 251-8633 x13
E-Mail: penny_lawrie@yahoo.com
Penny stepped into the role of Preschool Director when Marilyn retired in September 2010. It was a natural progression, since Marilyn had been mentoring Penny for many years in the classroom at Mandala. Penny models the Mandala philosophy in her interactions with both children and adults. Her supportive and encouraging approach typifies the "Mandala way." Penny manages preschool enrollment, oversees the preschool curriculum, and supervises the teaching staff. Penny also teaches several afternoons a week, and she has been instrumental in the creation of our new Friendship Class for children with social language needs. Penny has been a teacher at Mandala since September 1980. Penny came to Mandala as a parent, then returned to school and received her AA degree in Early Childhood Education from San Jose City College. She went on to receive her BA Magna Cum Laude from San Jose State University. She received her Montessori training from California State University Hayward Extension Program. Penny is also a certified CPR and Pediatric First Aide Instructor. She is a Mentor teacher with SJCC and supervises student teachers (Mentees) at Mandala every semester. Penny is a gifted Montessori teacher who has an intuitive sense of how to invite children into learning. Penny shows a unique respect for nurturing "the whole child," and she credits Marilyn with being her model and mentor. Penny is widely known and respected in the Early Childhood field, and she keeps us linked and connected to the wider community. Penny's two boys went to Mandala. She now has 4 grandchildren.
(In the office M-Th mornings and + teaching in the classroom T/Th afternoons) |
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Anne
Kangas, LCSW, Family Services Director and Personnel Manager
Family
Support and Child & Parent Resources - (408) 251-8633 x14
E-Mail: anne_kangas@hotmail.com
Anne assisted in the creation of Mandala Children's House in 1975. She introduced founders, Marilyn Drino and Linda Hovis, and collaborated with them in the planning, vision, and establishment of Mandala. Anne served on the Board of Directors for many years, taking responsibility for Personnel and offering administrative support and mental health consultation. In November 1990, when the need for support services to staff, children and families was recognized, Anne was hired as the Family Services Director. Her role is to offer guidance to families, teachers, and childcare providers about children's specific needs, parenting, child development, as well as assisting with early intervention and obtaining special services. She also facilitates staff development and employee relations. Anne functions as part of the management team at Mandala and is responsible for administrative decision-making. Anne has three grown children who are all Mandala graduates. Anne is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who specializes in parenting, child development, early trauma, and family challenges. She also has a private psychotherapy practice.
(In the office M-Th) |
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Mary McDonald, Childcare Program Manager and Facilities Manager
Child Care Referral and State Funded Child Care Program - (408) 251-8633 x11
E-Mail: marymc60@comcast.net
Mary works in the office as our Childcare Program Manager, supporting Jean in the administration of our state-funded childcare program. She is responsible for supervising family childcare homes, assessing children in the homes, and rating home environments in this program. Along with these responsibilities, Mary manages the front office and has taken on all the administrative tasks associated with children’s files, forms, and Schoolspeak. She is often the first friendly voice you speak with. Mary also has the responsibility of managing our facilities. Mary started at Mandala as a substitute teacher and has been a part of our permanent staff since January 1996. Before she worked at Mandala, Mary taught at Evergreen Community Center. Mary recently received her B.A. in Early Child Education from National University. Mary has two grown children. The oldest went to Mandala. The youngest has volunteered at Mandala. Mary is enjoying taking on more administrative work and challenge in the office. Mary brings an upbeat personality and a lot of energy to Mandala. She always has a positive comment to offer and her continual optimism brings "sunshine" to our environment. She is efficient and organized and really knows how to get things accomplished. Mary also is bi-lingual and speaks Spanish, as well as English.
(In the office T-F all day) |
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Marilyn Drino, Founder, Retired Administrative Director, and Consultant
Advisor and Mentor to Mandala
E-Mail: mdrino@yahoo.com
In September 2010, after 35 years of gifted leadership, Marilyn made the difficult decision to retire in order to spend more time with her family. Although she is no longer with us on a daily basis, we carry her spirit with us. Marilyn has left a legacy that is lived out in the very workings of Mandala, from classroom to staff room. We call Marilyn the "founding mother" of Mandala. In 1975, Marilyn (in collaboration with Linda Hovis and Anne Kangas) created the plans and philosophy for a preschool and satellite licensed family day care network. It was Marilyn's vision to establish a preschool in the East foothills of San Jose that fit the ethnic and economic diversity of the area. When Mandala first started, Marilyn taught in the mornings and was the Assistant Director in charge of curriculum and classroom oversight. Later, as Mandala grew and changed, Marilyn assumed increasing responsibility, and she eventually stepped into the role of Administrative Director in 1984. Through the years, Marilyn was known as the "glue" that held Mandala together. In her last several years, she mentored others on the administrative staff so that she could “hand over the reins.” Marilyn wanted to retire with the confidence that Mandala was in good hands and will continue to operate from the unique value values it has stood for be in good hands.
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| Mandala has some of the best preschool teachers in the area. We are known for our "warm and nurturing" staff, and we are widely respected in the Early Childcare field. Many of our teachers have years of teaching experience with young children. They are enthusiastic, confident, and they really know young children! We also feel very fortunate to have teachers from a variety of cultural backgrounds, speaking a total of eight different languages. |
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The teachers at Mandala work together cooperatively as a team.
They are responsible for maintaining the classroom environment,
planning curriculum, teaching, and assessing children. The Administrative
Director directly supervises the Teaching Team, and the Family
Services Director consults with them about children, giving
feedback and direction on emotional/behavioral/social issues.
Every
week, the Teaching Team and Administrative Team meet jointly
for weekly 1 ½ hour staff meetings on Tuesdays. Mandala
also strongly believes in staff development. We offer numerous
onsite trainings for our entire staff on a variety of issues
relevant to young children and their development. We also
provide incentives for our staff to continue their education
by taking classes and workshops. Many of our teachers have
gone on for advanced training and degrees since coming to
Mandala.
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| Denise Rivas
is the Head Teacher in the Early Preschool and Transitional Preschool Classrooms. She has been a teacher at Mandala since March 1999. She was a substitute teacher and a child care provider for us for many years prior to her joining our staff. She received her Early Childhood Education training from San Jose City College and is now working towards an A.A. degree. She completed her Montessori training from North American Progressive Montessori Teacher Training Centre. Denise has a particular gift for working with two-year olds and young threes. Her calm and accepting manner is very soothing to young children, her confidence is comforting to parents, and her nurturing presence sets the tone for our Early Preschool classroom. Denise is very skilled at assessing children's development. We are fortunate to have her wisdom and expertise, which has come from her years and years of experience working with young children across the spectrum. Denise has 2 grown children and 3 grandchildren. |
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| Nasreen Ilyas
began teaching at Mandala in 2001. She has been working in Early Childhood for more than 20 years, and we feel very fortunate to have her and the wealth of teaching experience she brings to us. Previously, Nasreen worked for Rainbow Montessori and the Children's Preschool Center in Evergreen. She received her ECE training from San Jose City College and De Anza College. She has a Bachelor's degree from the University of Punjab. She has also done training in Montessori. Nasreen has a lovely way with young children and they are drawn to her quiet, gentle way. We especially appreciate the cultural richness Nasreen adds to our classroom environment. She grew up in Pakistan and speaks both Urdu and Punjabi fluently. Nasreen is the parent of three sons, ranging from elementary to college age. |
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| Christina Ybanez
has been teaching at Mandala since 2001. She has unofficially been part of Mandala for many years as a parent in the school and then a grandparent. It had always been Christina's dream to work with young children. She is one of those "natural teachers." When the opportunity arose, she started back to school and took her Montessori training, receiving her certification from North America Progressive Montessori Teacher Training Centre. Christina also continues to work on her A.A degree in Early Childhood Education from San Jose City College. Christina has a warm and nurturing spirit. She likes working with both Early Preschoolers and Preschoolers in the mornings, and in the afternoons, she loves working with the older children, too. She brings creativity to the classroom with her artistic skills. Christina also speaks Spanish and enriches us with her Hispanic culture. |
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| Veronica
Brandariz started as substitute teacher at Mandala and did her student teaching here working as a Mentee from San Jose City College under the supervision of Penny. She has been a part of our permanent teaching staff since October 2002. We feel very fortunate to have her as part of our preschool teaching team. Veronica brings fresh energy and zeal to classroom with her lively personality and her enthusiasm with children. She has a big smile and a kind word for everyone. Before she came to Mandala, Veronica taught for five years at Evergreen Community Center. Veronica has a BA from Golden Gate University and completed her ECE training at San Jose City College. She received her Montessori certification from North America Progressive Montessori Teacher Training Centre and is always continuing her education by taking additional classes. Veronica has a particular interest in working with children with special needs, and she has been instrumental the creation of our new Friendship Class for children with social language needs. She also works with Anne in the development our Small Group Curriculum. Due to working in an “exemplary program,” Veronica is recognized as a Mentor Teacher, and she supervises early education students from Mission College who do their practicum at Mandala. Veronica has two children, one in high school and one off in college now. |
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| Tiffany Lindsay began teaching at Mandala in the Early Preschool in the summer of 2005. She loves working with young children and they love her. Tiffany has a quiet and gentle way in the classroom, and we love that she is so open to growing and learning. After getting more experience at Mandala, Tiffany became clear that she was called to teaching as a career. She completed the Early Childhood Adult Education program with Penny Lawrie as her teacher. Tiffany then took her ECE classes at SJCC and is now steps away from finishing her BA at National Hispanic University. She worked in the Extended Care Program at St John Vianney before coming to Mandala. Tiffany is starting her own family, so this year she teaches in the morning Early and Transitional Preschool classes only. She is a wonderful addition to our Mandala Family. |
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| Aparna Veeraraghavan came to San Jose in July of 2000, and she started as a volunteer at Mandala in 2001 and continued to work for 2 more years in the preschool as a teacher. Aparna, like many others, first came our way as a parent. When she generously volunteered to assist us in the classroom, we knew immediately that she was a perfect Mandala "fit." Aparna left Mandala when she moved out of the area. She worked at Pioneer Montessori for 2 years and returned to Mandala in the fall of 2009 when the opportunity arose to be a part of the Mandala family again. We love having her back. Aparna has a quiet confidence with children and a warm, accepting style. She has a real gift for teaching Montessori. She brings a special aptitude for helping each child learn, no matter the challenge. Aparna has a Bachelors of Science Degree from Mount Carmel College in Bangalore, India and received her Montessori Certificate from North American Progressive Montessori Teacher Training Centre. She is currently working on her ECE classes at San Jose City College. On the home front, Aparna has two beautiful girls now in elementary and middle school. We are also pleased to have her bring the culture of India alive for us. She speaks Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, and Kannada, as well as English. Quite impressive! |
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| Neetu Sethi started as an assistant teacher in 2003 in the Early Preschool. She was on maternity leave for two years and then returned to work for us as a substitute teacher in 2007. In September 2009, she became a teacher in the Early Preschool classroom. Neetu did college work in computer application for business, and web design, but she decided after working at Mandala that her real interest lies in teaching young children. She is currently working on her AA degree in Early Childhood Education from SJCC and pursuing her certification in Montessori. Neetu says that she has always loved Mandala. She has a daughter and a son in elementary school who also attended preschool at Mandala. We appreciate that Neetu brings even more cultural enrichment to our staff, speaking Hindi, Punjabi, and "a little Telugu." She adds a calm and caring presence to our classroom and the children love working with her. |
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| Tabatha Osborn started at Mandala as a student teacher from San Jose City College. The teachers noticed her kind, empathetic attitude, as well as her natural ability with children. We were also impressed with her maturity beyond her years. We were delighted to have the opportunity to invite Tabatha to join our staff in the fall of 2010, and she has taken on more classes and more responsibility since then. Tabatha is a delight to watch, as she has a special way of engaging in floor play with the younger children and entering into creative play with the older ones. All the children love her energy and exuberance. Tabatha has mastered the fine art of balancing playfulness with giving children the clarity and structure they need. Tabatha will complete her AS in Early Childhood Education this semester at San Jose City College. She plans to continue taking classes leading to a BA. An area of interest for her is Children with Special Needs. |
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| Sharada Bellur came to us first as a student teacher from Mission College. After observing Sharada’s remarkable presence and attunement to young children, we encouraged her to join our staff as a teacher in the fall of 2011. She brings new creativity and a gentle strength to our classrooms. She shows a commitment to the core values of Mandala: nurturing children’s spirit, following their lead, building bridges with family and community, and celebrating diversity. Sharada had the life-long dream of working with children. She was born and raised in Bangalore, a city in south India, growing up in a large family. She earned an AS Degree in Early Childhood Education at Mission College. Sharada also has a Bachelor of Arts in Degree in Economics, English, and Sociology from Bangalore University, India. Sharada has a son, Mihir, who is a great joy in her life. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cooking, baking, and most of all, playing with her son. Sharada also speaks Hindi, Kannada, Telugu and English. |
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| Fauzia Khan came to Mandala as a parent with her first child many years ago. She came back with her younger son and then began substituting in the classroom. Fauzia completed an AS in Computer Information Systems in 1997 at Evergreen Valley College. She has continued taking Early Childhood Education classes at San Jose City College. We feel fortunate to have Fauzia working with us in our Caterpillars Class and helping us as a classroom substitute and with our extended lunch program. Her warm and nurturing manner are an asset to our school. |
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The teachers
work in different Morning and Afternoon classes. These are the teacher
placements for this school year. |
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Cocoon Class (Early Preschool) teachers are Denise Rivas, Tiffany Lindsay, Tabitha Osborn, and Fauzia Khan
Caterpillars Class (Transitional Preschool) are Denise Rivas, Tiffany Lindsay, Tabitha Osborn, and Sharada Bellur
Ladybugs MWF (Morning Preschool) teachers are Aparna Veerarghaven, Veronica Brandariz, Neethu Sethi, and Christina Ybanez
Ladybugs T/Th (Morning Preschool) teachers are Aparna Veerarghaven, Veronica Brandariz, Neethu Sethi, and Nasreen Ilyas
Bumblebees MWF (Afternoon Preschool) teachers are Aparna Veerarghaven, Christina Ybanez, Tabatha Osborne, and Sharada Bellur
Bumblebees T/Th (Afternoon Preschool) teachers are Penny Lawrie, Christina Ybanez, Nasreen Ilyas, and Tabatha Osborne
Social Butterflies (Friendship Class) teachers aare Veronica Brandariz and Neethu Sethi |
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