OUR STAFF
Director and Lead Preschool Room Teacher
Allison Crapo
Skytown has been a special place for me. In 2012, I was working as a stay at home mom with a newborn and an almost 2-year old. I was looking for a space where I could be involved in my children’s education: I was looking for more than a drop-off, pick-up preschool where I had no clear idea what my children were doing during the day. The tour of Skytown illuminated to me that a different kind of education was possible, and we selected to enroll our daughters here: we joined the toddler room with my older daughter, and stayed through it all, from 2012-17.
To say Skytown was life-changing for me is true, but the extent it is true is amazing only in retrospect: being a parent in a co-operative preschool gives you insight into how to parent, so being part of Skytown made me a better parent. But as a participant on the floor as part of our co-op requirements, I realized I loved teaching young children, and I could have a bigger impact on teaching young children than advocating for them as a lawyer. I decided to quit being a lawyer (a civil advocate for youth in the juvenile justice system with unmet mental health needs), and I pivoted and earned an M.A. in Early Childhood Education from Mills College.
I especially loved my graduate program in Early Childhood Education: connecting theories to the practices that I saw embodied at Skytown, and dreaming of new practices based on the theories we were learning. I also got the opportunity in 2018 to travel to Reggio Emilia, Italy, for their conference on their philosophy of education.
Since summer 2022, I’ve been the Director / Lead Preschool Teacher at Skytown, where I continue to grow and learn and struggle, because doing hard work takes, well, work. This work isn’t easy (there are easier teaching jobs out there). But I am here because I want to give back to the community that helped raise me as a parent and a teacher, and that helped raise my children who know how to advocate for themselves, who see the world as a responsive space, and who had the experience of feeling safe (emotionally and physically) while they started forming their identities.
Lead toddler room teacher
Nancy Ankrum
As a preschool/toddler teacher for 17 years, I believe that children are more able to absorb the material being taught in an environment that is flexible and adjusts to the needs and interests of the children. By incorporating their interests, they feel a sense of ownership to the curriculum and therefore, are more willing to participate in the activities being presented.
With many years of experience, I have gained knowledge of the many different temperaments that can be encountered in one classroom and they all must be nurtured and supported in their own unique way. I strive to create a partnership with all my parents to assure that the needs of every child in the program are met.
In the end, what I hope the children acquire from their preschool experience are: the ability to resolve conflicts, negotiate with others and all of the basic skills that are necessary to move on and have a great experience in kindergarten.
Toddler & Preschool Teacher
Zenaida Alberto
I was born in Mexico City and lived there until I was thirteen years old. I come from a family of ten children, and I am the youngest. I enjoyed my childhood because I used to spend every summer at my grandmother's house. She lived in a small town located in Oaxaca, so I had the freedom to explore nature and eat the most delicious food, fruits, and homemade tortillas.
I began working with children right after I graduated from high school as a teacher assistant. I decided to take my early childhood education classes, which provided me with the opportunity to understand and learn more about children’s developmental stages and how to support them individually based on their needs. I feel lucky that I had the chance to work with professional co-workers that provided me with knowledge and opportunities to improve my teaching skills. I have worked with infants up to preschoolers in diverse types of programs such as play-based, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia which gave me the knowledge and teaching skills that I have today. You never stop learning about life in a school, so I am open to learning new things and ideas and I enjoy sharing mine. Seeing children grow is rewarding because it gives the joy of making a difference in their development and future.
Christina Ugaz
Administrator
I became part of the Skytown community in 2024 when my son became a student and he has grown and thrived in the program. I am delighted to support the Skytown community now as the Administrator. I have over nine years of administrative experience and am so happy I have the opportunity to contribute these experiences and skills to Skytown. This is a truly special place, doing incredibly important work, and I love being a part of it!