Janice Whalen begins her 7th year as the director and her 15th year as a teacher at Jack & Jill. She is the lead teacher in the M-F AM class and on MWF in the M-F PM class. Janice graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in Child Development. Her experience includes 4 years teaching preschool and 6 years as the Family Day Care Coordinator and Assistant Director at Chanute AFB Child Dev. Center in Illinois. Janice and her husband along with their 2 teenage sons live in Derby.
 
 
  
Amy McMullen is returning as Teacher Assistant for her 9th year at Jack & Jill. She is assisting in the T/TH morning and afternoon classes.   Amy has experience within the Derby Public school system working with children in the early childhood program. Amy and her husband along their two teenage children live in Derby.

 

 

Karen Riggins begins her first year at Jack & Jill. She is the lead teacher in the M/W/F AM & PM and T/Th AM & PM classes. Karen is currently enrolled at Butler Community College where she is pursuing an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education.  Her experience includes working for 5 years as an Early Childhood Special Education Para in the Derby School District.  She also ran her own daycare in Derby for 2 years and was a Room Leader at Travis AFB Child Development Center in California for 6 1/2 years.  Karen and her husband along with their two girls live in Derby.

 
Heather Snyder begins her second year at Jack & Jill. She is the teacher’s assistant in the M/W/F AM class and the lead teacher in the M-F PM class on Tuesday and Thursday. Heather graduated from Emporia State with a Bachelors Degree in Elementary and Special Education. Her previous experience includes teaching K-8th grade Special Ed. for 6 years. She and her husband along with their two children live in Derby.

 

 

Nichole Hutchings begins her first year at Jack & Jill as the teacher’s aide in the M-F AM and PM classes. Nichole is a Derby High School graduate. She is the mother of a 4 year old daughter and has many years of experience working with young children. Nichole and her daughter live in Wichita.