About Us

All of us who teach and guide the programs at Pembroke Kids are college educated teachers with years of experience and a passion for working with young children. Our commitment to early childhood education is expressed in many ways. We take pride in our lovely environment, the quality of our curriculum, and the welcoming atmosphere that encourages parental involvement. Ours is a safe and nurturing environment of discovery and learning for young children. Pembroke Kids is owned by Steve & Andrea Caris of Avon Lake. Their very first family dog was a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Charlie. His boundless enthusiasm and happy spirit was the inspiration for the name of our school.

Andrea Caris has a Master of Arts in Teaching and is permanently licensed to teach Nursery through grade 6 in New York State. She has also held two education administration positions. The first position was as an Education Director at a Title 9 Kindergarten-Head Start Program in New York City, and the other was as a Lower School Admissions Director for an independent school in Connecticut.

Steve Caris has a Masters Degree in Learning Disabilities, and is permanently licensed in New York State as a K-12 Special Education teacher. He also has a Sixth Year Diploma in the teaching of Computers and Technology. He has taught for 30 years, and for the past 15 years he has developed innovative technology education programs in independent schools. He is the former Director of Technology at Lake Ridge Academy in North Ridgeville. Steve is Director of the Digital Discovery Center in Avon Lake.

Kim Young is a graduate of Xavier University and has a degree in Early Childhood Education. She taught preschool in both Michigan and Ohio for six years, and taught 4 years in an inclusive special needs preschool. She also has her 5-year Ohio teaching license.

Kelly Whitmore is a graduate of the The Ohio State University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences as well as her Masters of Education in Early Childhood Education. She has a three-year-old through third grade teaching license. Kelly has experience in Preschool, Kindergarten, and Second grade classrooms as well as in after school programs.

Robyn Bally has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Cleveland State University and is licensed to teach Pre-Kindergarten through 3rd Grade. She has taught in both a differentiated 1st and 2nd level classroom and a 3 year-old preschool classroom. Robyn also has experience as a reading tutor.

Krista Deemer is a graduate of Kent State University where she received a BA in Early Childhood Education. She has taught for 5 years, and has experiences in inclusive classrooms and early childhood assessment. She is working towards her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Intervention at the University of Toledo.

Nicole Miller is a graduate of Ashland University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Education with an endorsement in Pre K – 3rd. grade. Last year she was one of our mixed-age preschool teachers. She also has experience teaching Kindergarten and First grade.

Chrissy Bell is a graduate of Ashland University where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Education for grades pre-K through 3rd, as well as an Ohio Reading Endorsement for grades pre-K – 12. Christina has experience in pre-school, Kindergarten and 3rd grade classrooms, as well as tutoring in reading.

Brooke Doerner Brooke has a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in History and Early Childhood Education from Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia. She is licensed to teach PK-3 in Ohio and Virginia. She has taught kindergarten in independent schools for seven years. Her teaching experiences include teaching at Lake Ridge Academy in North Ridgeville, Ohio and Canton Country Day School in Canton, Ohio.

Jeffrey C. Lefèvre II holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art & Technology from The Ohio State University and is licensed to teach Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade Visual Arts. He currently teaches in the Digital Discovery Center with children in Kindergarten through 6th grade. Jeff also holds a minor in Film Studies and enjoys creating art in several mediums including clay, digital media, glass, photography, printmaking, sculpture and video.

Jackie Glasscock is a graduate of Ohio University where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education. She is licensed in Ohio to teach preschool-kindergarten, with a reading endorsement K-12.

Sue Becker has taught preschool in Westlake for many years. She has helped develop a preschool summer camp and brings a wealth of hands-on experience with young children to our program.

Susan Vance-Koch taught Spanish and is currently the Choir Director for the Avon Middle and High School. She taught elementary music in the Avon Lake Public School system for 29 years. Susan teaches Early Childhood Music, guitar, voice, and piano lessons in addition to performing with the True North Chorale. She graduated with a double major from Heidelberg University, Tiffin, OH in both Music Education and Spanish. She received her Masters in Music from Akron University, and is certified in Kodaly and experienced in Orff-Schulwerk and Dalcroze.

Margie Shea-Turner is a reading and writing specialist and literacy curriculum consultant to Pembroke Kids. An Adjunct Professor of Early Childhood Education at John Carroll University, Hawken School, Lyndhurst, Ohio, Margie has designed and taught Early Childhood Courses for John Carroll’s Graduate Intern program, and has many years of Early Childhood teaching and consulting experience.