Directors/Owners

Our school is run by a two woman show- Jeannie and Susan. We like to think of ourselves as a dynamic mother-daughter superhero team, but most of the time we’re just regular people. In the summer sun of 2017, we gathered up our friends and family and worked very hard  creating a space to welcome children. A few months later, we opened the doors to our first  enrolled children which included Susan’s children, and Jeannie’s grandchildren, Jude and Via. Together, we have slowly been shaping the school into an engaging learning space that reflects the interests and needs of our group.

Turns out, a lot of preschoolers have younger siblings, and two years after the preschool started we opened our infant/toddler site. Unfortunately, the pandemic hit that Spring and we were forced to close the infant/toddler site and operate mixed age emergency child care for a few years at the preschool site. During the first pandemic year we also ran a small K/1 program that provided in-person screen-free education for the school year.

As the urgency of the pandemic lifted, we had an unexpected opportunity to buy the house right next door to the preschool and ran our first summer of school age camps in 2022. That fall we also opened Sprouts, a reenvisioned and much closer version of our previous infant/toddler house.

It has been a truly wild and fantastic ride.

Jeannie Suihkonen

I am proud to say that I have chosen to be in the Early Childhood Education field for 35 years! During this time I both owned and operated my own successful family child care business and taught at Head Start, A Family Place Relief Nursery, and Nike’s Vivian Stringer Child Development Center. I have my degree in Early Childhood Education and I am also a trainer of child care workers through Portland State University, Center for Career Development. For me, being with children is not a way of work, but a way of life. As Deb Curtis puts it, I aim “to put the adult agenda aside and see the perspectives and the amazing ways [children] experience the world.”

I am also the mother of two amazing children who are now adults. They have grown our family to include their awesome partners and my two wonderful grandchildren. I have always believed that there is nothing more important than taking great care of our children, not only because it is so much fun but because it invites a better tomorrow for all of us.

Susan Nasiombe

Working for and with children is an unrelenting passion of mine that has only grown stronger in each new phase of life. I have had the incredible privilege to travel internationally, to earn a Masters degree while studying Social Justice Education, to marry my great love, and to be called ‘mama’ by two strong and curious children. I have grown tremendously during time spent as a preschool teacher in private centers, Head Start, and family child care, and I am excited to be a creative force behind a program of my own.

Teachers

You know that feeling when you leave your child in the care of someone else, and you totally know it’s going to be fine and they’ll have an amazing time, but also you feel that pang of grief as you let go? That’s kinda how Susan and Jeannie felt as we began hiring teachers so that we could step out of the classroom and into the office more often.  The energy, creativity, and beauty these teacher bring into the space each day has been awesome to witness. They have caring relationships with our children and work tirelessly to evoke wonder, and spread curiosity. We couldn’t ask for a better team.

Just so you are aware, all of our teachers are required to pass a criminal background check, have a current pediatric First Aid & CPR certificate and Food Handlers card. They are also required to take Oregon’s required provider classes and receive an additional 15 hours of annual professional development.

Teacher Abby

I’m Abby and I’ve been at Wild Pear since summer 2019. I have an associate’s in education that I completed while working at Wild Pear, and I spent the two years before joining the school working as an aide for children with special needs. I love being part of a community that values children and their needs. I look forward to continuing to learn and grow with all of the children and teachers at Wild Pear.

Teacher Bree

Hi there,

Teacher Kylee

My name is Kylee Jones and I have lived in Oregon my whole life. I started working at wild pear in July 2022 and I can’t wait for the next school year! Before working at Wild Pear, I was nanny for a 2 year old boy and a caregiver/med tech at an adult care facility. My most recent role as a nanny inspired me to become a preschool teacher and expand my career into child care.

Teacher Chloe

Hi, my name is Chloe. I grew up in a small town bordering a reservation in eastern Oregon. I am proud of my Native American and Filipina background and enjoy incorporating teachings from each when possible. I have always loved working with children and animals, so Wild Pear quickly became the perfect fit. My daughter, Charlie, and I moved to Portland in early 2022 and have loved ending up here. I’m the oldest sister of three and now have three cats, but I dream of having as many animals as possible. I have babysat since I was finally deemed old enough, nannied, and volunteered in many child activities. One of my many hobbies includes reading, attempting to have plants, thrifting, and making a weekly bouquet of flowers for my home every Sunday.

It is my pleasure to promise kindness, safety, and love to all of the children we get to encounter at Wild Pear. It’s a gift to be a part of such a fun and essential part of these children’s lives.

Teacher Sam

Teacher Shyloh

I recently graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with my bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and I am very excited to begin my teaching journey here at Wild Pear. Working with children is something I love because it brings me joy to watch and support them as they make discoveries about the world around them. I admire the curiosity and fearlessness they bring to the classroom and believe that there is a lot we can learn by working with children. Throughout my life, I have been lucky to spend time with children of all ages through work, school, and volunteer opportunities, but over the last four years I have spent most of my time working with children ages birth through 8 while completing my degree. This year I am looking forward to meeting all the wonderful students, families, and staff members at Wild Pear and spending lots of time outside!