Galilee Christian School Teaching Teams
Monkeys, Busy Bees, Sharks, Piglets...oh my!
Monkeys 2's Teachers: Susan Reese and Summer Petrilli
Ms. Susan Reese (pictured left).
I have been teaching for 13 years, and working with small children for 23! I am very passionate about teaching, and two to three year olds are my specialty. I've lived with my husband, Todd, in Countryside for 25 years, and grew up in Fairfax. I have three children and a cat named Polly. My son Logan is finishing up at GMU next spring. My twin girls, Sylvia and Maddie, are beginning their junior year at VT, and GMU. I love crossword puzzles, reading, and roller coasters. I'm not afraid of spiders, bugs, mice, snakes, lizards, worms, or angry toddlers. ;) I like to be organized and prepared, so I have just about anything you can imagine in my classroom, purse, or my minivan. I promise, I will do my best to help your child succeed, and give our monkeys as many reasons to love coming to school as I can!
Ms. Summer Petrilli (pictured left).
This is my first year as a teaching assistant at Galilee and I am so excited to be helping our littlest friends in the Monkeys class learn and grow. I spent my childhood in Asia and Africa and have been to almost 50 countries! My favorite place in the world is Cape Town, South Africa, where I went to high school and where my husband and I got married. I graduated from the American School of Professional Psychology with a master's degree in clinical psychology and have spent the last 20+ years as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst specializing in early intervention. I have three kiddos and two large labradors. My youngest child will be attending preschool at Galilee this year as a Busy Bee, I love to swim, read, do diy projects at home, quilt, and especially to travel. I can't wait to see what our little Monkeys can accomplish this year!
Busy Bees 3's Teachers: Alison Bransford and Yelena Yakobson
Mrs. Alison Bransford (pictured left).
I'm so excited to be teaching the Busy Bees class this year! This is my first year as a five-day teacher, after previously teaching two days a week and working as a substitute. Before entering early childhood education, I spent over 20 years in the information technology field. After starting a family, I was blessed to stay home with our children and care for several others—an experience that helped me discover my true passion for working with young children. My husband and I have two children: our daughter is in graduate school at UVA, and our son is a sophomore at JMU. We also have a lively Aussiedoodle named Bea who keeps life interesting! Outside the of classroom, I enjoy tennis, cheering on the Nationals, and watching college football—but nothing brings me more joy than time with family and friends.
Ms. Yelena Yakobson (pictured left).
I am from Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia. I graduated from Kyrgyzstan Medical School with a degree in pediatrics. This is my 4th year at Galilee. Before that, I worked at King’s Kids Preschool in Great Falls. My oldest daughter graduated from UVA this year and relocated for a job in Boston. My youngest is a junior at Virginia Tech. I have labradoodle named Tucker, who is 5 years old. I love teaching and learning, and it's exciting to open a new world of knowledge with kids. I love to see them gain confidence and it's so rewarding to observe how much they grow and develop throughout the year. When I'm not enjoying my Busy Bee friends, I love to read, hike, cooking. I also love to learn something new -- this year it’s knitting!
Sharks 4's Teachers: Christi Hendershot and Susan Benham
Mrs. Christi Hendershot (pictured left).
I am a New York native and love all things NY, especially the Yankees and Knicks! I graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park (Go Terps!) with a degree in English. This is my 7th year teaching at Galilee and it brings me so much joy! I have three sons and a labradoodle named Thor. My oldest son just graduated from VT – Go Hokies! I also have a Hoosier and one Panther at PFHS. The fellas continue to keep me busy and give me a deep appreciation for the joy and wonder of preschool! What I love most about teaching preschool is hearing all that little learners have to share and helping them to treat others with kindness and empathy. When I’m not playing with the Sharks class, my favorite things to do are read, watch sports, and travel!
Mrs. Susan Benham (pictured left).
This will be my 5th year teaching at Galilee. I have also experienced this wonderful preschool as a parent. My 5th grade twin daughters attended Galilee when they were little. In addition to the twins I also have an older daughter that is a sophomore at Potomac Falls. I graduated from the University of Maryland (Go Terps!) with a degree in Art History & Archeology. I love all things art and discovery and the Annual Art Show is my absolute favorite preschool event. Outside of preschool I enjoy reading, watching my girls play field hockey, and visiting museums and art galleries.
PreK Piglets Teachers: Leigh Pappalardo and Maggie Ferri
Mrs. Leigh Pappalardo (pictured left).
This is my 14th year teaching preschool and it gets better each and every year! I received my degree in psychology from the College of William and Mary where I met my husband Tom. We are busy weekend road warriors visiting our college fourth year at UVA and college junior at UNCW! When we’re not on the road, we’re entertaining our labradoodle, Parker! I am proud to be a teacher at Galilee and to share my love of learning about the world through play with my students. My favorite part of the week is Geography Friday when we take imaginative journeys around the world. Aside from curious preschoolers, my favorite things are books, birds, and college mascots!
Mrs. Maggie Ferri (pictured left).
I’m a mom to two beautiful little ones: my daughter just graduated from Mrs. Pappalardo's class and my son is current student! I’m super excited about working with your kids. I’ve been a stay at home mom for the last six years and prior to that I worked as an office manager. I grew up in the area and attended high school and college in Northern Virginia. My mommy duties keep me super busy, so I love to to relax with long walks, reading and puzzles when I can! I’m thrilled for a new adventure and school year with all the little piglets!