Staff

Confidence

“Larks is a warm and welcoming environment. The small class size allows the teacher to know each student individually and build relationships with them. The kids thrive on the structure of the routine, but are encouraged to build their independence and confidence when choosing their activity.”
– Kate H.

Bridget Federico – Director / Founder

After more than 25 years of working with children I am still amazed by how much I learn from my students and their families. My experience and instructional philosophy closely aligns with the Reggio-Emilia approach to Early Childhood Education and it influences and inspires me both as a teacher and a parent.

I believe that children are strong and capable. As an educator my goal is to create an atmosphere where learning opportunities are embraced and the children are able to create, explore and grow in a safe, nurturing and rich environment. The children learn to communicate and collaborate with each other while re-enforcing a climate of mutual respect and consideration.

As an administrator I seek to create and maintain open and supportive relationships with Larks families. I feel blessed and immensely grateful for Larks and the parent community that supports us in our pursuit of early childhood education excellence.

Education & Certifications

Sean Federico – Consultant / Founder

As a co-founder of Larks I am fortunate to have worked, collaborated, and learned from such an expert in early childhood education. That expert of course is my wife Bridget. The two of us started Larks Preschool together in the fall of 2004 and what an incredible experience it has been to be an integral part in developing our wonderful school. I have tremendous respect and admiration for my wife and watching and learning from her better prepared me to effectively work with children as a School Psychologist. As all educators do, we want children to succeed academically, emotionally, and socially. The path to support children’s development and future academic success is unique for each child, and this is where we excel. Our philosophical and educational approach paired with our personal work ethic allow us to focus on individual needs and student success. This ensures our students are well prepared for entry into Kindergarten and greater success in elementary school.

As a School Psychologist and consultant for Larks I provide staff training around literacy instruction, language acquisition, developmental stages, temperament, and behavioral strategies to support individual student needs. In addition, I work with parents to provide consultation, behavior planning, and as a community resource.

Education & Certifications

Kim Turner

I’ve taught at Larks Preschool for over 3 years now, and have 20 years of experience in early childhood education. Before I had my two children, I was a mentor teacher for over ten years at Boulder Journey School (where I first taught with Ms. Bridget). I have a Masters degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Colorado-Denver and have also spent time as a nanny and teaching at the Commerce Children’s Center in Boulder.

I believe children learn best when they are interested and excited about the topic so I like to plan activities and projects based on the children’s interests. I also believe children learn the most while they are playing. I love that Larks gives children so much time to explore and play with different materials and their peers so the children get the most out of their time at school.

When I’m not teaching, I love to spend time with my husband, Brad, and our two sons Graham, 8, and Colin, 5. I also like to read, play tennis and cook.

Education & Certifications

Rachel Gatschet

I am lucky to have a career that I love! I started babysitting when I was 12 years and from there accepted my first teaching position at a childcare center when I was 17. From that point forward I’ve dedicated myself to supporting and teaching young children. I earned my associate degree in Early Childhood Education in 2011 and am both teacher and director qualified. I joined Larks Preschool’s team in 2018 (full time) and it’s been a great fit.

I enjoy watching and supporting children learn new things, and I love that they can always put a smile on my face. To ensure I continue to develop my skills and continue to further my education I actively attend workshops, conferences and trainings every year.

In 2013 I became a mother and in 2016 we welcomed my second child. Becoming a mother has certainly played an important part in developing my understanding of children. Family and maintaining friendships is very important to me and to that end I conscientiously make time to connect with important people in my life. In my free time (what’s that?), I enjoy painting, hiking and getting outside as much as possible.

Education & Certifications