A Home-Based Music & Language Preschool
About Us
Nisha Puri
Director
After years of working as an engineer and technology consultant, Nisha found her true calling after having her daughters, Zoey, Ellie, and Nova. Inspired by the challenges of childcare and preschool enrollment in San Francisco, Nisha wanted to make a difference for her family and fellow parents in her community. Early childhood development through music, language, and outdoor adventure has been a passion and an interest for years. Starting Pac Heights Kidz (PHK) is a realization of that vision!
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Jazmine
Assistant Director & Licensee
Jazmine has worked with children from Preschool through 12th grade for the last 8 years. Jazmine brings her calm spirit and loving playfulness into all of her activities daily. As a native Spanish speaker, Jazmine exposes our little ones to language and culture in a natural, fun setting. Academically, Jazmine expresses her personal creativity through journalism and photography. Jazmine prepares her Green and Red Bear preschool students for kindergarten with weekly engaging classes in the areas of literacy such as tracing/writing letters, phonics, number sense/pre-math, sight words, & more based on each child’s interest and readiness in her version of Pac Heights Kidz University (PHK U!).
Marinelle
Manager & Licensee
Marinelle is a Bay area native and has worked with children from the ages of 2 months to 11 years old for over 6 years (and has taken care of younger family members since she can remember)! Marinelle focuses on encouraging children to be playful, silly, and express themselves, and most importantly have fun! With a background in Journalism, when Marinelle isn't trying to make our kids laugh, you will find her trying to discover the next big story idea to write about in her blog.
Orrapan
Manager & Head Teacher
Originally from the northern part of Thailand in Chiang Mai, Orrapan came to the U.S. to study English and pursue a degree in Early Childhood Development. Orrapan is falling in love with America, especially San Francisco! Orrapan loves travel, to explore the world, and engage in new experiences with music, art, cooking, and meditation. She brings these experiences into her teachings with children. Orrapan delights children with exposure to cooking and nutrition with her creative weekly Cooking Class for her preschool students!
Christian
Head Teacher & Tumbling Coach
Christian is pursuing his Child Adolescent Development major to formalize his love for coaching and working with children. With an extensive background in wrestling, Christian has 6 years of coaching experience for ages 3 - 12. Coach Christian brings an enthusiasm for sports, climbing, adventure, and tumbling to our students each week!
Brianna
Substitute Teacher & Visual Arts Creator
Teacher Bri loves graphic design, art, and yoga. She has worked with grade school children in the area of creative arts prior to joining PHK as a preschool and toddler teacher. Brianna uses her versatility to hike with preschoolers, create art visuals and props for project based learning for all of her students, and develops a nurturing and fun environment for toddler students taking their first steps into the school environment.
Hong
Head Preschool Teacher
Teacher Hong comes to the early childhood development world with an eagerness to learn and love. Hong loves to engage with both preschool and toddler students, and has a year of experience with focusing on toddler students, helping them bridge the connection between home and school. Using patience, cuddles, and imaginative play, Teacher Hong draws out each child's personality to provide a safe and loving environment for toddler and preschool students to discover and explore, establish friendships, and build their social and emotional skills.
Jayla
Support Teacher
Teacher Jayla is studying to become a teacher and brings her joyful personality and giggles to all of her interactions with students. Jayla has a background in dance and translates her skills to the classroom engaging children in dance using simple 1 to 3 step sequences when leading activities!
Aileen
Spanish & Substitute Teacher
Teacher Aileen has been with PHK since it first opened its doors! She is a classroom favorite with her warm hugs, fun Spanish classes, and fun student hairdos! Teacher Aileen supports the students both on-site and off-site during our bus field trips to museums and the zoo and is currently a substitute teacher!
Elena
Spanish Teacher & Toddler Teacher
Teacher Elena has been with PHK over a year and specializes in keeping our students entertained, loved, and feeling safe and "normal" while keeping the school space clean and organized under our COVID safety protocols. Teacher Elena brings her classroom experience as well as her experience as a mother to a beautiful toddler girl to her students each day!
Angel
Toddler Teacher
Teacher Angel brings her amazing cooking skills to our students daily, and enjoys sharing and introducing new foods from the Philippines. Angel enjoys going off-site to the park with her preschool students as well as getting messy with process art with her toddler students. Angel brings her skills as a mother, certified nurse assistant, senior care specialist, and in-home preschool experience to help new students get comfortable and thriving in their new school environment.
Camilo
Preschool Teacher
Teacher Camilo brings a magnetic charisma to his project based teaching approach daily to his students. Camilo is completing his masters in Early Childhood Development and brings his educational background and enthusiasm for teaching to PHK daily! Students jump to raise their hand to participate in science experiments, sing alongs, and dramatic play with Teacher Camilo! Be sure to welcome him to San Francisco as he recently joins us from Southern California.
Janine
Toddler Teacher
Teacher Janine brings exceptional love and safety to the class room environment. Janine goes above and beyond to ensure each child receives special attention to details when it comes to every step of each student's care. Teacher Janine is in charge of ensuring all COVID protocols are being followed throughout the school and when Teacher Janine is not at school bringing to life student birthday parties and cooking students amazing meals, she is spending time with her beautiful little one and family at home!