Our Staff

We pride ourselves on providing certified teachers with strong backgrounds in early childhood education.  Equally as important is a teacher with compassion, sensitivity and one who is able to instill curiosity and wonder in your children.  Our teachers, assistants and staff are here because they love children.  We’d like you to meet them all!

Michelle Neal: Director and Lead Teacher, Sunbeam Class

Teacher Shelley is a graduate of Seattle Prep High School, Matteo Ricci College and Seattle University.  She has a BA in Humanities and a BA in Education.  She also has her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from National University in San Diego.  She is currently working on her Education Doctorate from UCLA in Early Childhood Leadership.  She has taught both first and third grades at St. Bernadette’s School in Burien.  She has been the Director and Pre-Kindergarten teacher at A Child Becomes for the past 20 years. 
 She is a resident of West Seattle, married, and has four children.  The oldest, Alex has his Masters in Engineering-Mechanical from Columbia University and a Masters in Applied Science from UCLA.  Tommy is at Western Washington State University completing his Secondary Education Teaching Certificate.  Sean is freshman at Gonzaga University and Enya attends Holy Rosary School.  In addition to teaching and parenting, Shelley enjoys coaching Track and Field (ages 8-14) and is Head Cross Country Coach at West Seattle High School.  She also competes competitively for Brooks Sports.

Pam Bigatel: Lead Teacher, Butterfly Class

Teacher Pam holds a BA in Art Education and and BS in Art History from Penn State University.  She has a K-12 Art Endorsement for certificated teaching in Washington State.  Prior to the birth of her first daughter, she taught Visual Art at the High School level in the Lake Washington School District.  Stellar and Paisley, her two oldest daughters, are graduates from A Child Becomes Preschool and are now successful elementary students in West Seattle!  Her youngest daughter, Haven, had her first school experience in the Caterpillar Class room last year, and is looking forward to being a part of the Butterfly Class for 2011-2012.  Teacher Pam was actively involved with her daughters’ education through co-op preschools before discovering A Child Becomes Preschool.  She sat on the board for Redmond Toddler Group, facilitated communication between teachers and families, and assisted teachers when substitutes were required.  Attempting to continue as a practicing artist, Teacher Pam tries to make time to draw and paint through observations of her family’s activities. Her sketchbooks are filled with references to adventures with toys, finds of the forest and beach, her family’s garden, and weekend ski trips.  Teacher Pam hopes to provide a rich, robust, and well-rounded school experience for her students.  She strives to create a loving environment through which your children can learn to be thoughtful, inquisitive, and appreciative little citizens of the world.  She is thrilled to have an opportunity to combine her discoveries as a mother with her professional knowledge to provide her students with an amazing school experience!

Jan Newgent: Lead Teacher, Caterpillar Class

Jan has been working at A Child Becomes for 17 years now and works in both the Caterpillar and Sunbeam class rooms.  She came to the USA from New Zealand and married her husband 20 years ago.  She has three children. Natalie is a firefighter, Ben is a senior in High School and Sam is a freshman in high school this year.  Her special interests are any type of biology and science and she has a Microbiology Degree in Serology (the scientific study of blood serum and other serums.)  She loves to garden and maintains her own huge flower and vegetable gardens complimented by four laying hens!  She has a twelve year old dog, Rocky, who has recently gone blind with diabetes, a bearded dragon and the latest aquisition, a hamster named Houdini.  She feels so lucky to teach young children each week and see the world through their eyes!

Angela Sadis: Lead Teacher, Butterfly Class

Angela is originally from California, and moved here twenty years ago after graduating with a BA in Film from the University of California Santa Barbara.  She has been a West Seattle resident since 1999 and treasures this community.   She was formerly a producer in advertising and post-production before deciding to stay home to raise her two children, Sophia and Jaden.  They are A Child Becomes graduates who now attend Tilden in West Seattle as 5th and 3rd graders.

I remember well the preschool journey, having experienced more than one in our search for the right fit, which we found at A Child Becomes.  Sophia and Jaden flourished socially and academically in their preparation for kindergarten at the preschool.  My children have very different personalities, one being quite reserved and introspective, while the other a ball of fire ready for action and fun.  Both loved their preschool experience, and they blossomed in their individual ways.  Teacher Shelley, along with the other amazing teachers, created a warm, safe, fun, exploratory place to grow and learn.  I wish this type of early learning experience for every child and I’m happy to now be one of the teachers that
can provide this for your children.

Grandma Dorothy:  Literature Expert, Sunbeam Class

Grandma Dorothy is our literature guest visitor who visits the Sunbeam class on Thursdays with a basket of homemade cookies,  cutter-cut to match our theme. She selects and reads out loud, a book of special interest.  She always has interesting stories to share that help build on our knowledge. Grandma Dorothy has 27 grandchildren!  She travels from Vashon Island where she was an Elementary School Librarian for 25 years. She is a graduate from Central Washington University where she received a Teaching Degree and her age is a tightly held secret!  We love the inter-generational aspect and hope she carries on with us for another decade. She claims she isn’t “smart enough” for crossword puzzles from the daily newspaper, though she has hand-knit dozens of complex wool sweaters, authored her own literature program for young children, and can claim TWO ‘hole in ones’!

Leanne Griswold: Assistant Teacher, Butterfly Class

Teacher Leanne has been a dedicated member of A Child Becomes Preschool staff since 2005.  Her experience with children ages 3-4 allows her to reach all students in a patient and individualized manner. Because she has truly “seen it all”, she serves as a gentle and encouraging guide to both students and staff.  Teacher Leanne has a background of twenty years as a Professional Jeweler and has professional knowledge as a landscape designer, welder and woodworker.  Her diverse experience with crafts and hands-on learning provides her with a limitless pool of ideas for projects appropriate to the Butterfly’s developing fine motor skills.  She is certified in first aid, infant and childhood CPR. 
 Leanne brings a rich variety of life experiences to her teaching at A Child Becomes Preschool.   She is committed to ensuring that your children learn their academic and social skills in an environment that is nurturing and empowering. She is eager to share her knowledge and enthusiasm for gardening, outdoor recreation, crafting, and literacy with your family and your children.

Kristi Houk:  Assistant Teacher, Sunbeam Class

Teacher Kristi holds a BA in Psychology with a minor in Biology from Whitworth University. She also holds a Masters in Teaching from Whitworth University. Prior to her involvement at A Child Becomes Preschool, she taught in the South Kitsap School District for four years. Teacher Kristi’s love for kids started in high school with her employment as a Summer Day Camp leader for the city of Kennewick, WA. For five years, she developed day to day curriculum, reached out to parents, and secured a love for play and teaching in her heart through the wonderful children she met. Since then, she has made it a priority in her life to reach out to kids and let them know they are loved. Besides her love of teaching, Teacher Kristi is an avid runner and competes competitively for a local running team, Club Northwest. She is a volunteer coach at South Kitsap High School and also works part-time at Route 16 Running and Walking in Gig Harbor, WA. If not at A Child Becomes Preschool, you find Teacher Kristi with her husband Jon and her three Italian greyhounds out on the trails enjoying what the Pacific Northwest is renowned for.

Alexis Whistler: Assistant Teacher, Butterfly and Sunbeam Classes

Alexis spent her childhood as a competitive gymnast and later went on to coach gymnastics, ages: 4-11.  Her passion for working with kids stayed with her as she completed her Theatre, TV & Film degree from San Diego State University.  While pursuing her professional career, Alexis created lasting relationships with several non profit programs for kids such as: Reading To Kids and The IDEAS Studio. Alexis has also spent four years volunteering with the American Cancer Society’s: Relay For Life. 
 Other than playing in the outdoors on her home turf of Vashon Island, Alexis’ other pursuits include her work as a certified yoga teacher and life coach.  Alexis is excited to get to know the community through the free yoga classes she offers.

Liz Murphy:  Assitant Teacher, Sunbeam Class

Liz was raised on Queen Anne hill, attended St. Anne’s, Holy Names Academy and has a BA in Fine Arts from Western Washington University.  She married her high school sweetheart Patrick and we have three daughters; Anne(13), Lilly(11) and Bridget(7).  She worked at the West Seattle Y in kids gym for 5 years and is now going into her 3rd year at A Child Becomes in the pre-K program.

I love working with kids, they have an amazing perspective on “all” things and I learn so much from them everyday.  Their creativity is boundless and if I can help foster that in any way, I feel honored.

Amanda Swagerty:  Assistant Teacher, Butterfly Class

Amanda and her family relocated to Seattle in September of 2011 after spending two years living near Charleston, South Carolina.  She was born and raised in Northern California. She and her husband lived in Seattle ten years ago when they first married and are very excited to be back with their two daughters, Claire who is in the Butterfly class, and Julia, who is a year and a half old.  She has a BA in Psychology with a minor in Spanish from California State University, Chico and a teaching credential from California State University, Sacramento.  She was a first grade teacher for five years in California, where she worked hard to bring student interests to life and create a classroom community based on respect for self and others.

Ruth Helle:  Assistant Teacher, Caterpillar Class

Ruth is new to A Child Becomes this school year.  Her background is in the social work arena. She holds a graduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis. She and her husband John have three school age children and two large dogs that keep them on their toes. They have lived all over the United States, but returned to the Seattle area four years ago to stay.

We are an active family and look forward to beach, bike, and travel adventures. I love teaching and observing all of the new skills the children learn on a daily basis.  Everyday I am amazed by them, what adorable, energetic and inquisitive children!

Kiran Robertson: Art Teacher/Specialist

Kiran has spent most of her young and adult life working with children.  While in High School she began volunteering at a special education school near her home.  She loved the work and continued teaching both typical and special needs children through college. After college, she rounded out her expertise by having 3 children of her own.  She learned that all of the education in the world can not adequately prepare you to actually be a parent.  Nor can it prepare you for the precious gifts your children will be.

Kiran attended UCLA, studying Social Psychology with an emphasis in early and special education.  When it came to final career choices, Kiran made her life-long hobby of art her career choice by attending Art Center College of Design, in Pasadena, California, where she earned her BFA in Illustration.  
Shortly after graduating from art school, Kiran began volunteering at the Aids Service Center in Pasadena, teaching art classes to children and families living with HIV and Aids.  This is where Kiran came to the profound understanding that children are innate artists.  They lack inhibition and have not yet started the process of self-critique. 
 After college, her professional career began to flourish.  She joined the newly developing force of digital artists and was a pioneer in what would be the huge industry of Interactive Design.  She worked for educational companies, gaming companies and was an early part of the growing bubble that would eventually become the Dot Com Era.  She was there to see that bubble burst and very fortunate to work through all of the fall out.

Since her children were born, Kiran has run her own freelance design company, called Lovejoy Design.  She has managed to continue her passion for art and design while raising 3 wonderful children, all of whom have attended A Child Becomes.

Brenna Bond:  Office and Business Assistant

Brenna, like many on the staff, found A Child Becomes through her children who attended the school and thrived under Teacher Shelley’s tutelage.  After they graduated, Brenna stayed on and has served as dance teacher, assistant teacher in the Caterpillar class and also works in the office.  She has a BA in French and Sociology from Allegheny College, an MA in Anthropology from the University of Washington, has been through the ESL teaching program at UCLA and is currently working on a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology at the Washington School of Professional Psychology.

I feel so fortunate to be able to make any contribution I can to this school.  My children were so well prepared for Kindergarten as a result of going through this program.  It’s wonderful to be a part of that same experience for every student who comes through our doors!

Ann Limbaugh:  Office and Business Assistant

Ann has two children both of whom have spent lots of time at A Child Becomes.  Her son is enrolled at Lafayette Elementary and her daughter at A Child Becomes.  Ann grew up in upstate New York, went to college in Ithaca, NY and lived in Colorado for a few years before moving to Seattle.  She’s worked in various industries including advertising, video production and retail.  Most recently, she worked for REI leading a team of business analysts. After her second child she left the working world and now spends her time at soccer games, gymnastics practice, the school library, birthday parties and when she has extra time, volunteers with the West Seattle Food Bank and the Admiral Neighborhood Association.  She loves taking pictures, camping with friends and family, pilates, and snowboarding and is excited to be working at a school with great energy, enthusiastic teachers and happy kids!

B. Sebonne “CB” O’Francia:  Office Assistant

CB works on Mondays for A Child Becomes in the office. She loves being around the children, watching them learn and mature. Her other job is Office Administrator of West Seattle Baptist Church.

I am married with two adult offspring. West Seattle has been my home for approximately 40 enjoyable years, which is certainly a change from southern Arizona my birth/childhood state.