BEVERLY  CAVANAUGH
Early Childhood Center Coordinator 
Location: B-1001
Phone: (815) 280-2280
E-mail:  bcavanau@jjc.edu
View - Donna Nowdomski
          - Luci Prucnell
          - Melissa Ramsey
          - Kim Tatera

         -  Tracy Hoogstra

          - Melissa Szymczak
      
          - Student Workers

Ms. Bev's Welcome

Hello, my name is Beverly Cavanaugh, and I am the coordinator for the Joliet Junior College Early Childhood Center.  I have been with JJC since 1996 and along with my position as coordinator for the Early Childhood Center I have also taught in the Fine Arts department (Speech 101), General Student Development (GSD 100) and with Social and Behavioral Sciences (CDev 210, Child, Family & Community).  I am looking forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new students and families as the semester continues. 

 I am a native of Joliet I have been married to my wonderful husband, Terry, for nearly 30 years.  We have five children, all of whom have attended JJC at one time or another and three amazingly wonderful grandchildren. We are blessed to have our family close by in the Joliet area and we get to see our grandchildren on a regular basis.  Spending time with our grandchildren is one of my favorite ways to spend the weekends.  I am also strongly invested in the Joliet community as well as the JJC community.  I am an active member of the Spirit Committee for JJC faculty and staff, a member of the colleges AQIP Communication committee, Vice President of the Joliet Area Association for the Education of Young Children (JAAEYC), I have worked as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and Guardian ad litem (CASA/GAL) for Will County as an advocate for abused and neglected children.

In addition, I have been the club advisor for S.P.R.I.T.E. Club (Student-Parents Resolving Issues and Transcending in Education) since 2001.  I am a charter member of the JJC chapter of AAWCC (American Association of Women in Community Colleges).  I am a member of NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) and have been privileged to be a presenter at a number of local and state wide conferences on children and child care issues.

I am a life-long learner and I am currently working on my second Masters degree in Early Childhood Administration from National Louis University. I will also complete my level III Illinois Directors Credential in 2006.

I am very excited about the new semester and the dynamic teaching team we have here in the Early Childhood Center.  I look forward to meeting each of you personally as we work as a team to provide the highest quality of care for your children.

Donna Nowdomski

Hello, my name is Donna Nowdomski, and I am the assistant coordinator for the Joliet Junior College Early Childhood Center. I look forward to meeting everyone and having a wonderful semester.

I grew up on the southwest side of Chicago; however, I now reside in Wilmington with my husband, three grown children and my dogs. In addition, I am the club co-advisor for S.P.R.I.T.E. Club (Student-Parents Resolving Issues and Transcending in Education) at Joliet Junior College, JAAEYC (Joliet Area Association for the Education of Young Children) board member and a member of NAEYC (National Association for the Education).

I earned my associates degree in Childhood Development from Joliet Junior College and I am currently attending Kendall College to pursue my Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. Previously I have worked as a teacher assistant with the Wilmington School District and the lead teacher/assistant director for Kid Country Childcare in Manhattan.

Luci Prucnell

My name is Luci Prucnell and I am the lead teacher in the ECC. I also am in charge of the student workers employed at the center. I’ve been at the center since 2001. I am a graduate of Illinois State University with a Bachelor’s in Social Work. I’ve been working in the early childhood field for a good part of my adult life. I am a member of NAEYC, JAEYC and PAC (the parent advisory committee here at the ECC.)

I reside in Channahon, IL with my husband George. We have two grown children a son Nathan, and daughter Rachel. I am a strong advocate for quality childcare and the holistic approach. I feel proud to be part of the JJC ECC team. I look forward to working with your child in a loving, nurturing environment. It gives me great pleasure to see a child’s smile once they’ve mastered something that they’ve worked very hard at. My wish for your child is that he or she has a positive preschool experience here at JJC and that they develop a love for learning.

In my off time, I” m an avid reader, gardener and I love to travel. I also enjoy cooking and have been known to come up with a few recipes of my own!

Melissa Szymczak

My name is Melissa Szymczak and I am the part time clerical assistant for the Early Childhood Center. I am thrilled to be involved with the program, since my older son attended the center for three years. In addition to assisting the ECC staff with paperwork and computer work, I work with the children whenever I can lend a helping hand. I am happiest reading books or having conversations with the children in the program. They have so much to share!

My background in Child Development includes a BS in Developmental Psychology from the University of Illinois and a M.Ed in Child Development from the Erikson Institute. I keep myself busy teaching Child Development classes as an adjunct instructor at JJC. My family includes my first grader, his two year old brother, and my husband Vince.

Melissa Ramsey

Hello! My name is Melissa Ramsey and I am a teacher in the red classroom. I have been with ECC since 2004. I completed my Associates of Applied Science in Child Development at JJC in 2007, and also have completed Associates of Arts in Art.

I love sharing stories and pictures of my pets with the children. My work is very rewarding and I enjoy being a part of the children’s early education.

Kim Tatera

Hi! My name is Kim Tatera and I am looking forward to meeting you and your child. I was a Joliet resident for over six years but now I currently reside in Wilmington. My husband, Mike, and I have been married for 13 years and we have three boys. John and Jason are my six year old twins and Collin is two but he thinks he is six. We enjoy swimming, going to the movies, and camping with our families.

My first child care experience was through the work program in high school. I worked at a child care center in the afternoon after going to school in the morning. I have over six years of experience in Early Education programs and I was a personal nanny. I attended College of DuPage and earned my Early Childhood Degree and Type 04 Teaching Certificate while at Elmhurst College.

Tracy Hoogstra

Hello, my name is Tracy Hoogstra, and I am a new part time teacher here at the JJC Early Childhood Center. I am new to JJC this year, but I am not new to early childcare and education. While living in the Bloomington-Normal area I worked in two Early Childhood Programs for the last three years. I live in Channahon, IL where I grew up, with my cat Annabell. I enjoy singing and playing the piano, baking, curling up with a good book, and going to the theatre. On the weekends, I often drive to Chicago to visit my friends, and empty my bank account.

My two great loves are children and music. I have completed Early Childhood classes at Heartland Community College, and I was a Music major at Illinois State University. I will be integrating my love of music with my love of children this year, as I will be designing the children’s daily music activity. I hope to create a whimsical time where the children are free to express themselves through sound and movement. I am currently working on my Associates degree in Early Childhood Education here at JJC, and intend to complete my Bachelor’s degree.

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