Catherine Heller
2-day Class Teacher
As an SPNS parent alumna, Catherine teaches the 2-day class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Child Development and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from UC Davis and taught second through fifth grade in the Mount Diablo and South San Francisco Unified School Districts. After her twin girls were born that same year she took a leave from teaching, but in 2006 when the girls entered kindergarten, Teacher Catherine was asked by the SPNS board to pilot the school’s two-year-olds program (Sprouts). This was a joyous return to the classroom and her first love, teaching preschool-aged children.
In 2013 she moved to the 2-day class (Explorers). She lives in San Carlos with her husband and three daughters and is so thankful to be part of such a wonderful and supportive community.
In 1999 Catherine became a co-op mom starting at Little Hands with her daughter Kate and then joined the SPNS teaching team in 2001.
Anghelika Maddalena
Director & Toddler Play Teacher
Anghelika has been Director at SPNS since 2011 and launched the Toddler Play class in 2015, which she continues to teach. She grew up in Greece, then moved to Vermont where she received her BA in Theater Arts from Bennington College in ‘88. After a move to Los Angeles, she began her early childhood education teaching career. There was another interim move to Cambridge (UK), then she finally landed in the Bay Area in 1994 and obtained her Early Childhood Education Teaching Credential, Adult Education Credential, and California Site Supervisor Permit. A mom of two grown children and a veteran co-op parent, she is genuinely committed to supporting the cooperative community experience at SPNS - a place that is safe and nurturing for all families.
Anghelika has been teaching Bay Area preschoolers - and their parents - on and off for the last 25 years.
Kristina Harvey
3-day/Pre-K Teacher
Kristina teaches the 3-day/Pre-K class. She was born in Los Angeles and grew up in the Midwest. She was a co-op big sister, the neighborhood babysitter, and a dance teacher before shoving off to study Political Theory at Michigan State University and Creative Writing at Emerson College. She worked in Intellectual Property in Boston and New York City before moving to the Bay Area and becoming a stay-at-home mom. After her career as an SPNS parent and Board Member, and soon after her daughter started Kindergarten, she dove into Early Childhood Education classes at Cañada College. She brings to the classroom her love of literature and enthusiasm for understanding children as whole individuals. Kristina lives in San Carlos with her husband Sean, daughter Delia, and a band of mischievous house cats.
When 5 yr. old Kristina was in Pre-K, she loved playing with baby dolls and singing Farmer in The Dell, but did NOT like being separated from her mommy.
Mari Strahorn
3-day/Pre-K Assistant Teacher
Mari grew up in the San Joaquin Valley, in the small town of Sanger. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a Minor in Human Development from UC Davis and completed her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from CSU Sacramento in 2000. That same year she got married and moved to Texas where she taught Pre-Kindergarten for 9 years at a couple of elementary schools and the Pre-K Demonstration School in the Austin Independent School District. When she got pregnant, she and her husband Chris, and their cat, decided to move back to CA to be closer to family and settled in San Francisco for a couple of years. Soon after finishing the co-op parent life, Mari missed being in an early childhood environment. She worked as a sub for parents at SPNS when needed and was hired as the lunch bunch supervisor in 2017. A year later, she began the role of Assistant Teacher.
In 2012 Mari’s family moved to San Carlos and she became a co-op parent at SPNS with her daughter, Emma, attending all 3 classes.