Meet Our Teacher

Anna (Chickadees)

Gina (Chickadees)

Ang (Bluebirds)

Ang Papia is the Lead Teacher in the Preschool (Bluebirds) room at SGCC.  She has worked with children for over 25 years as a nanny, childcare provider, First Five Kindergarten Readiness teacher, and preschool teacher.  Ang received her Early Childhood Education training from the College of Marin and is committed to forming genuine relationships with the children in her care. She loves to play, be active, and creative with children.  Ang is the mother of two sons and was born and raised in the San Geronimo Valley.  She has a deep connection to the community and passion for teaching young children.

Yoseline (Blue Birds)

Arlette (Blue Birds / Redbirds)

Bernice (Redbirds)

Bernice West is the Pre-K (Redbirds) teacher at SGCC and has taught in all three programs. She has worked with children for over 45 years; assisting in her mother’s home day care, teaching elementary school, and then preschool and childcare.  Bernice has a special fondness for early childhood development and the concepts of learning through play, exploration, and cultivation of language.  She has a BA in liberal studies, a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential (From CSU Sacramento), and additional ECE credits from the College of Marin.  Bernice is the mother of 2 adult daughters and has lived in Lagunitas for over 25 years, and Marin County for generations.

Sophia (Redbirds)

Maria (Director)

Maria Allis is the Director of San Geronimo Childcare Center. She identifies as a Latina woman. She was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She came to the US in 1981 and has settled in the small town of Fairfax, where she currently lives. She has been an Early Childhood Educator for over thirty years. Her professional career has been shaped from experiences working directly with communities in publicly funded licensed Early Care and Education settings, Special Education Inclusion programs, College Laboratory sites, and from teaching and coaching adults.

She has a Masters’ degree in Early Childhood Education from Sonoma State University and she has also participated in three fellowship programs at UC Berkeley with a focus on Early Literacy Development.

She continues to be engaged in her own professional development by attending and presenting at seminars, conferences, and workshops.

Sadie (Administrator)

Sadie Carter is the Administrative Assistant and part time in classroom support. She was born and raised in the San Geronimo Valley, and she is second-generation SGCC alumna. She has a Bachelor of Art in both English Literature and Greek, Latin & Ancient Mediterranean Studies.