Janet Dekker

I grew up in Fremont as the 3rd of 12 children, and began working with young children in the high school regional occupational program. I attended Ohlone College and participated in the Early childhood program there. For over twenty years I’ve worked in both city run and privately owned preschool programs in the area. Most of that time was spent working closely with 2-5 year olds, with some experience as Assistant Director, at a large child care center here in Fremont. It wasn’t until my own son began preschool that I became involved in the co-op setting. When he and his teacher moved on to elementary schools, I fell right into the role of teacher here. Using my experiences as a Teacher, Assistant Director, and as a parent in the co-op, I feel that working closely with the children and their families is where I belong.

Marsha Yarbrough

Education: Master’s Degree in Education, additional coursework in Parent Education and Early Childhood Studies.

Teaching Experience: Teaching preschool art classes through the Fremont Recreation Department.  Teaching preschool children and their parents at Hayward Adult School and Fremont Parent Nursery School.

As a teacher, my initial goal is to make both parents and children comfortable in the classroom.  The children play, make friends, explore a variety of activities, and learn to communicate with others.  The parents act as classroom aides and work closely with me to make their child’s school experience a positive one.  At monthly meetings parents learn how they can support their children’s growth and education.  In this nurturing environment, learning takes place naturally.  For me, it is an honor and a joy to be a part of this process each year.