Teachers
Our caring and creative staff of educators has more than 75 years of combined experience teaching at CPI. Teachers and aides design and implement the curricula, making sure to include interesting, educational, and fun-filled daily activities. Our Teacher/Director assists the staff and serves as the liaison to the Board of Directors. Each teacher has a degree in education or at least two years of experience working at our school. All staff members complete yearly courses in the latest early childhood education developments. The staff continually assesses students’ progress and communicates to parents concerns and/or accomplishments throughout the year. In addition, our entire staff is CPR/First Aid/AED certified.
Primary Goal
Professional teachers are responsible for the daily program of classes and for supervision of participating parents. Our teachers are fully qualified to teach at CPI. All teachers hold one of the following:
1. A degree in Elementary Education or related field;
2. Equivalent experience in early childhood education; or
3. Two years experience at CPI.
CPI teachers guide and help our children grow and develop at their own pace and ability level. Your interest in your children and CPI is the common ground you share with your teachers. Teachers schedule parent conferences and are available throughout the school year for discussion of specific problems or concerns relating to their students.
Courtney Alvin
Teacher, Threes
Courtney has worked in early childhood education since 2002 and has worked with children from infant to age 5. Courtney has taught preschool, mommy and me classes, and dance classes to young children over the years. Courtney is passionate about play-based curriculum. Helping children be as creative as possible and learning using their interest to spark growth is what Courtney enjoys most about teaching. Courtney has two children of her own and in her free time enjoys relaxing with them, reading and dancing with them, going to the beach, and going on motorcycles rides with her husband.
Megan Durst
Teacher, Fours
Megan grew up in northern Virginia and graduated with a bachelor’s in business administration from Radford University. After having her second child, she then provided a home daycare and has been very active in her community. She currently serves as the PTA President at Deer Park Elementary School and volunteers as the 3s teacher for her church’s Vacation Bible School Summer Programs. Megan is very enthusiastic about teaching at CPI and loves being around children. In her spare time, she enjoys photography and cooking.
Melissa Hall
Director and Teacher, Beginners and Pre-K
Melissa is a graduate of James Madison University with a degree in early childhood education. Go Dukes!! She taught kindergarten in Prince William County for 10 years. After teaching kindergarten, Melissa became a stay-at-home mom for a few years. When her youngest son joined CPI in 2018, she decided to join CPI as a staff member as well as a parent. Melissa is incredibly passionate about using a play-based curriculum and loves helping young learners thrive at CPI. She currently lives in Centreville with her husband, two boys, and pup, Milo. You can usually find her on the baseball field or basketball court cheering on her boys. Melissa and her family love to be active and spend majority of their time in the great outdoors!
Elisa Holden
Teacher, Creative Kids
Elisa grew up in Fairfax County and graduated with a Bachelors in Psychology. After graduating, she spent 9 years in the social work field working with low income families assisting them in becoming self sufficient and accessing necessary child and adult services in Fairfax County. Elisa has two children, a son who is a CPI alumni and a daughter in the 4 year old class. Elisa has served on CPI Board since the 2016-2017 school year as the Health & Safety Director and Scheduling Director. In addition to being a stay at home mom, she works as a Child Care Coordinator on weekends and evenings at her local church, working with children ages 0-6 years old. Elisa enjoys working with children of all ages, and loves their enthusiasm and energy.
Jen Kilburne
Health & Safety Manager and Teacher, STEM Explorers
Jennifer and her husband, Adam, grew up in Fairfax County and reside in Centreville. They have been graced with 5 children and one grandchild. Active with CPI for 19 years, Jennifer served on the Board of Directors as Maintenance Director, Parent Education Director, and the Health and Safety Director. Prior to becoming a CPI teacher, she worked in hospital administration, as a private daycare provider, and still continues to work part time as a Tournament Manager for Northern Virginia Wrestling Federation. She continues to volunteer for FCPS and is a long-time member of the Virginia PTA. She also served as an FPYC cheerleading coach, with Girl Scouts, and as the Award Coordinator for SYA Wrestling. Jennifer was honored as the SYA Wrestling Volunteer of the Year in 2012 and 2014. In her spare time, she enjoys, home-remodeling, baking, and of course, exploring all the sciences.
Email: jen@centrevillepreschool.com
Laurie Lewis
Teacher, Fours
Laurie began teaching at Centreville Preschool in 2011. She is currently in the 4’s classroom and is enjoying every minute! Laurie grew up locally in Northern Virginia. She attended Virginia Tech and majored in Family/Child Development. Laurie lives in Centreville with her husband, Ambrose, a Software Engineer and Adjunct Professor, and daughter, Nora, an American University student. She’s an active volunteer in the community, supports several dog rescues and produces the Summer Stage show for Westfield High School Theatre.
Cara Priester
Teacher, Threes and Book Club
Cara studied elementary education at Cedar Crest College in Pennsylvania and earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in ESOL at Concordia University. She has fifteen years of teaching experience and spent her last eight years of teaching here in Fairfax County. Cara lives in Centreville with her husband, who is also a teacher, and two sons. Her older son is in first grade, and her younger son attends CPI. Cara serves as room parent for her older son’s class, is an active PTA volunteer, and is a first grade Passport Club teacher. She is a certified event and wedding planner and enjoys planning special events for her family and friends. In her spare time, Cara enjoys baking and geocaching with her family.
Brianna Robbins
Teacher Aide
Brianna is a Centreville native, having grown up and lived here the majority of her life. She has worked as an Assistant Teacher at a local Private school and also worked as a Nanny for 8 years before having children of her own. While she enjoyed working as a Nanny, she has loved being a stay at home Mom. She has 2 daughters, 1 of whom attended CPI in 2018-2019, which is how she found out about our school! In her spare time Brianna enjoys reading, playing soccer, going on hikes and to amusement parks. Her favorite part about working with kids is being reminded of how amazing and exciting the little things are, and to not take time for granted!
Diane Saint Germain
Teacher Aide
Diane is a graduate from the University of Maryland and former USAirways Flight Attendant. She resides in Centreville with her husband, Paul, and their four sons. Over the last 15 years, Diane has worked and volunteered at five local preschool centers and has extensive experience with Early Intervention and Child Find Services. In addition, Diane has over 10 years experience as an elementary school classroom volunteer at Deer Park Elementary School, specializing in small group instruction. She created a Rising Kindergarten Playgroup Program as a segue into school, chaired & coached the Odyssey of the Mind Program, chaired Arts in Education Reflections Program, and currently serves on the Athletic Booster Board at Westfield High School. In her spare time, she enjoys coffee with friends and watching her kids play numerous sports.
Susan Steinberg
Teacher, Beginners
Susan is a Fairfax County native. She graduated from Mary Washington College in 2004 with a degree in History, and stayed on to receive her Masters in Elementary Education in 2005 with a concentration in the Arts. Before starting her teaching career in Fairfax County, Susan interned in a speech-language and occupational therapy practice, working with children in their auditory processing program. She spent 8 happy years teaching second and third grades at Colin Powell Elementary before her son was born in 2013. In addition to being a stay-at-home mom, she served as the Public Relations Director on the CPI Board of Directors from 2016-2018. Susan and her husband reside in Clifton with their son and daughter, and she enjoys arts and crafts, going to the library, and playing games with her family. She loves working with young children and inspiring them to be creative, thoughtful, helpful, and kind!
Janet Chen
Office Manager, Accounting Clerk, and Teacher Aide
Janet relocated to Northern Virginia after her husband, Roger, separated from the US Army. She is the mother of two children, both of whom are graduates of Centreville Preschool, Inc. A graduate of Fayetteville State University, Janet has over 10 years experience in the accounting field, but enjoys being a stay at home mom even more. In her spare time she teaches swimming lessons, gets in a little swimming herself, and roots for the Boston Red Sox.