Our Teachers
Our teachers believe that play is an essential component of growth and learning. Miss Debi and Miss Karin believe that a positive self-image and positive relationships are important ingredients of a successful life. Our children play hard and work hard each day — exploring, discovering, and learning — both independently and together. With the appropriate guidance, what may look like “child’s play” can aid in the development of the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills that children will need at the next stage of learning.
Miss Debi
Director/Teacher – Debra Lucchetti has long enjoyed all the special qualities that are unique to the young child. She holds a B.A. from Roosevelt University in Elementary Education and is a certified Early Childhood Program teacher and Director. Her three daughters attended the Co-op and thrived in the cooperative, caring and experience-rich environment. As a Co-op parent, she appreciated the opportunity to take an active role in her children’s first educational experiences. She held a variety of Chair and Board positions, including Secretary and Kindergarten President. Her love of children is apparent and she is dedicated to providing an environment for children to learn, play and grow. She truly has a passion for teaching children and firmly believes that play is a child’s work.
Miss Karin
Assistant Director/Teacher – Karin Sheehy truly values play based learning. She has witnessed its benefits and believes that play is how young children learn. She holds a B. S. from Illinois State University in Elementary Education and is a certified Early Childhood Program Teacher and Director. She has worked with children of all ages both as a professional educator and through her work as a volunteer at Sherman Hospital and with Elgin Junior Service Board. She was born and raised in Elgin and first experienced the Co-op when her sister attended in the early 1970s. Since then, her own two children attended the Co-Op and continue to benefit from their experience at preschool. In addition to being a working parent, she served on the school’s Board of Directors during her time here. Miss Karin is a warm, energetic, and dedicated teacher who brings her all to our classroom each morning.
Miss Debi and Miss Karin attend annual Early Childhood conferences and they love working collaboratively to integrate new ideas into the daily curriculum. Together, our staff members make a great team to meet each child’s developmental needs and help foster learning in a fun, cooperative school environment.