At Shenandoah Preschool, creative careers become classroom possibilities

A former Disney animator, a teacher with a culinary-arts background and a movement teacher trained in speech-language pathology bring distinct experiences to Shenandoah Preschool in Lexington. Their backgrounds help give the school’s emphasis on hands-on learning a character of its own.

Mona Koth worked on animated feature films and later on experiences for young children at Walt Disney Imagineering. She has been part of Shenandoah Preschool since 2006 and now provides classroom support. Amanda Bertschi draws on her culinary background and interest in art as a pre-K teacher, encouraging children to explore materials and creative projects.

Bethany Hull teaches movement and music. A former preschool parent herself, she brings speech-language training to activities that combine movement, sound and language.

Director Amy Jarrett leads the school after earlier teaching and administrative roles, including previous work at Shenandoah. The team’s shared aim is to help children build confidence, independence and curiosity as they prepare for kindergarten.

Located in the ground floor of Trinity United Methodist Church on South Main Street, the preschool offers programs for two-year-olds, three-year-olds and pre-K students. Families can arrange an on-site visit to meet the school and discuss a program.

Those varied careers come together in classrooms where art, movement, language and play help children discover what they can do.