Ms Lori: Our Director & 1 of 4 Teachers at Brook Knoll Buddies. Welcome to Brook Knoll Buddies! I’m Ms. Lori, the proud founder and a teacher at my cherished home preschool. Since opening our doors in 2010, I’ve blended my passion for early childhood education with over 30 years of experience working with preschoolers. My journey began in 1994, and each year has contributed to the nurturing environment we offer today.
We believe that play is essential for learning, providing a foundation for exploration, creativity, and growth. Our play-based approach celebrates each child as a unique individual and supports their development through engaging activities.
I’m fortunate to work alongside an incredible team of early childhood educators, each bringing their own wonderful and unique qualities to our program. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of learning from incredible mentors and peers in our community who are dedicated to supporting early childhood education, profoundly shaping and influencing our approach.
Brook Knoll Buddies Teaching Team
Mx. Ava Teacher Ava is a nonbinary educator who uses they/them pronouns. They bring creativity, joy, and positive energy to our BKB teaching team, they are known for building strong connections with each child through play, listening, and care. Ava graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Education, Justice, and Democracy and has experience teaching in both afterschool programs and classroom settings. They are passionate about creating a safe, fun, and joyful environment where children are encouraged to explore, grow, and express themselves. With their boundless creativity, playful approach, and positive energy, Ava brings fresh ideas and thoughtful care to every day, enriching our program and inspiring our team.
Ms. Amy Ms. Amy brings warmth, dedication, and a deep love for early childhood education to our teaching team. With nearly 12 years of experience, she finds great joy in nurturing young children during this creative, fast-growing stage of life. She believes these early years are filled with wonder and opportunity, and that preschool should feel like a safe, joyful place where children are seen, valued, and supported. As a mother of three children, with one in college, one in high school, and one in middle school, Ms. Amy brings both professional experience and a parent’s perspective to her work. Her family has enjoyed being part of the BK Buddies community, and her children love opportunities to visit and connect with our classroom environment. Ms. Amy considers it a true privilege to work in early childhood education. She strives to care for each child with the same gentleness, respect, and love she would want for her own children. She feels grateful to be part of the Brook Knoll Buddies teaching team and believes our school is a special place where preschoolers can explore, create, learn, and build meaningful relationships, truly a home away from home.
Ms Suzy: Ms Suzy brings a deep passion for creating beautiful community spaces and intentional curriculum to her work in Early Childhood Education. She believes child-led, open-ended play creates enriching learning opportunities that spark wonder, curiosity, and excitement. Building meaningful relationships with families is central to her work, as these connections create a strong foundation for children to thrive. Her journey into Early Childhood Education began at the Santa Cruz Public Library, where she volunteered with Toddler Time while earning her BA at UC Santa Cruz. Through this experience, she discovered that working with young children was her calling. She went on to teach at the Cabrillo College Children’s Center while completing her Site Supervisor license, where she developed a deep appreciation for the Reggio Emilia philosophy. This path led her to Discovery Preschool, first at Discovery Soquel and later at Discovery Midtown, where she served as Site Supervisor while earning her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. We are grateful to welcome her to the Brook Knoll Buddies team, where she helps lead and support our play-based practices while nurturing each child’s growth and development. Outside the classroom, she enjoys cooking, gardening, art, and playing the ukulele.
Thank you for considering Brook Knoll Buddies. We look forward to sharing this exciting journey with your family, where every day is filled with fun, learning, and discovery!