Teacher Spotlight: Kristina Satchell
Our Teacher Spotlight series highlights one of our dedicated teachers or staff members at FPPK. We’re starting this section with our school’s director, Kristina Satchell.
Several months ago, Kristina Satchell joined our school staff as director. She was already familiar with our school since her 4-year-old daughter was a student. It was through that experience as a parent that she realized FPPK was a really special community. .
She brings a wealth of experience and a forward-thinking approach to education. She has shaped many education programs during her extensive career as an educator by leading teacher training initiatives and providing invaluable guidance to new parents as they navigate the early childhood years.
As an educational consultant, instructor, and coach, Kristina has been at the forefront of shaping progressive early education programs. Kristina serves as a consultant for Bank Street College Education Center and one of her most recent positions was director of a home-based Early Head Start program in the Lower East Side. With her diverse and enriching background, we are excited that Kristina has joined the FPPK community and know she will enhance our outstanding program.
Educational Background and Experience
Kristina earned a master's degree in Infant and Family Development and Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special and General Education Dual Certification from Bank Street College of Education. She also holds a bachelor's degree in Art History with a Visual Arts Concentration from Barnard College, Columbia University.
Her Family Centered Approach
Bank Street College of Education has a 100-year reputation worldwide as one of the foremost educational institutions, with a progressive approach to shaping innovative teaching practices with a focus on child-centered learning.
Kristina adopted Bank Street's educational approach based on hands-on learning through engaging in diverse experiences in the classroom through play and social interactions. This approach is particularly notable for its inclusivity and how it caters to all types of learners. . Kristina consistently emphasizes prioritizing a family-centered approach to education, placing them at the core of all our endeavors at FPPK.
FPPK classroom support The Bank Street Developmental Interaction Approach that recognizes that all individuals learn best when they are actively engaged with materials, ideas, and people, and that authentic growth requires diverse and nurturing opportunities for ongoing social, emotional, and cognitive development.
Children at FPPK will love to learn through play, hands-on experiences, and making accomplishments that foster self-confidence and excite their natural drive to learn more new things.
Her Personal Life
Kristina has always known children would be an essential part of her life. Kristina is a mother of two children (ages 4 and 10). She embraces cultural diversity and is multilingual, speaking Spanish and Portuguese. She has also taught ESL (English as a Second Language) for Korean speakers, taught at the American School in London, UK, and made a film documentary in Sao Paolo, Brazil.
First Presbyterian Preschool and Kindergarten (FPPK) cares for children ages 2.5 years to Kindergarten. We offer each child the care and compassion they need to become confident and engaged life-long learners. It's where they start that helps them finish. Learn more about giving your child the right start at FPPK School.