Early Childhood Program Faculty
Meet the Early Childhood Program Faculty
ECC 1
Jennifer Barrett-Neet
Jennifer earned a BS in Family and Human Services, Education from the University of Oregon where she was recognized as a Diversity Building Scholar. She also holds a MS in Early Intervention, Early Childhood and Idaho Licensure, Early Intervention/Early Childhood from University of Oregon where she studied early childhood philosophies including Reggio Emelia.
“I’m an advocate for child development and the path each individual child takes to grow," says Jennifer. "Working with young children has always been a passion of mine.” In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, being outside, hiking, camping, and reading. Jennifer and her husband have two young children.
Kadee Christiansen
The ECC 1 classroom welcomed Kadee Christiansen back to the Cutthroat campus in the fall of 2022 as a Teaching Assistant. Kadee most recently worked as an Assistant Teacher at Lakewood Montessori in Boise, a position she held since 2018. Prior, Kadee worked for the Aftercare Program at Sun Valley Community School from 2012-2014 and again from 2016-2018.
ECC 2
Stephanie Ernst
Stephanie Ernst joined the Elementary School staff in 2021 and is now entering her 3rd year as Sun Valley Community School's ECC 2 teacher. She also serves as the ECC Department Chair.
Stephanie brings a wealth of experience as a passionate and dedicated educator to the ECC 2 classroom. She started her career as a Head Teacher at the Children’s School for Mills College in Oakland, California, working with infants and toddlers. Since then, she has worked in the field of early education as adjunct faculty at Solano Community College and Diablo Valley College, where she created curriculum for and taught a variety of Early Childhood courses. Most recently, Stephanie worked for the San Ramon Valley Unified School District where she served as a Preschool Special Education Teacher from 2010-2017 and then as an Early Intervention Specialist from 2017 to 2021. Stephanie holds a BA in Sociology from Westmont College and an MA in Education from Mills College.
Kindra Acker
Kindra Acker fis the teaching assistant for the ECC 2 classroom. Prior to joining ECC 2, Kindra worked as a teaching assistant in the ECC 1 and 3 classrooms. She first joined Sun Valley Community School in 2017 as the school’s After Care Coordinator.
Kindra has a passion for fostering the educational, social, and emotional development of youth combined with an exceptional work ethic. Says Kindra, "I strive to provide a safe, encouraging, and engaging space for students to explore, be creative, and discover their own capabilities." She holds a BS in Human Development from the University of California, Davis, and a Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education from the University of Colorado, Denver.
When not working, she enjoys crocheting, snowboarding, and camping and hiking with her husband and their 2 dogs.
ECC 3
Katharine Weekes
Katharine Weekes is a lead teacher for ECC 3, working with 4-5-year-olds. Originally from Massachusetts, Katharine graduated with a BA in History from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 1990.
She joined Sun Valley Community School in 1994, drawn to the school's culture and traditions, including the dynamic outdoor program, and the Reggio-inspired early childhood center. Of the ECC program, Katharine says, "We see our students as capable and independent thinkers, who are intrinsically motivated to make meaning and connect with their environment through organic play. Our emergent curriculum revolves around the interests of our students. Most importantly, we foster close relationships with our families and create a classroom environment that feels safe and nurturing, where our students push themselves to learn and grow."
When she's not teaching, Katharine loves to ski with her family (husband Jack, Sun Valley Community School class of '85, son John '20, and daughter Lucy '25), and hike with the family dog, Ernie.
Nancy Moore
She previously owned Creekside Center in Bellevue, where she provided developmentally appropriate childcare for children 6 months to 5 years. She also served as the Center Director and teacher for A Place for Kids, the childcare center for the Advocates, and was also a preschool teacher at the Little River Preschool in Hailey.
Nancy is a graduate of Casper College in Casper, Wyoming with an Associate of Applied Science - Home Economics with emphasis on Early Childhood Education. In addition, completed her CDA Credential by the Council for Professional Recognition overseen through the CDA National Credentialing Program.
ECC Specialists (Music, Performing Arts, Science)
Tom Downey, Science
Former Middle School Math + Science Teacher Tom Downey transitioned in 2023 to teach Elementary Science and provide mathematics extensions and support. Additionally, he serves as the Middle School Track & Field Coach and Science Dept. Chair. Tom joined the SVCS faculty in 2019. A beloved educator in the Wood River Valley, Tom was one of the founding faculty members at Pioneer Montessori, the Head of School there for two years, and their Elementary School Director for 14 years. In the summers, Tom offered wildly popular science courses for elementary-aged children throughout the valley. With over 20 years of experience teaching, a Masters in Education from Loyola University, and a Certificate of Distinction from the American Board for the Certification of Teacher Excellence for grades K-8, Tom has the experience, knowledge base, and infectious passion to make an impact in our ES program.
Students and parents beam that Tom has a way of bringing science and math to life for kids of all ages. A former student describes Tom as having “a special way of talking to students, and celebrating their learning,”
Lindsey Emmer, MA, LPC; EC Atelierista (Art Studio Teacher)
Lindsey holds an MA in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology & Art Therapy from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Idaho. Prior to teaching Lindsey owned and operated HeArt Space Counseling, where she worked with children using child-centered and strength-based methods of talk, art, and play therapy. Lindsey finds pure joy in supporting children in their process of exploring and learning about materials, becoming creative problem solvers, and creating a space for them to express their ideas, interests and feelings in a variety of ways.
Outside of work, Lindsey loves to play and spend time in the mountains biking, hiking, skiing, going to the lake and camping with her husband Jay, son Jack, and two dogs, Neko and Bandit.
Aftercare Coordinator
Millicent “Millie” Kozak will join the Elementary School as the new Aftercare Coordinator. Since 2018, Millie has worked as the Adult Day Program Director for the Smith Agency in Aurora, Colorado, where she developed enrichment programs to ultimately encourage individuals to live more independently. Prior to this role, Millie was the Smith Agency’s Adult Day Program Manager, a role she held from 2016-18. Millie earned her BA in Studio Art and History from University of Colorado and a Post Baccalaureate Work for Occupational Therapy from Cleveland State University.
The ECC is a place where we foster trusting partnerships with our families. If you ask our parents, they will tell you that we truly know their children. Our program offers an unique environment where children are inspired to play and explore. When kids feel nurtured, they will take risks, learn and grow. Whether building with recycled materials, writing a collaborative class book, or snowshoeing around our campus, our students are engaged and intrinsically motivated. Most importantly, we like to have fun!
Katharine Weekes, ECC 3 Class Faculty and Current Parent