About Us

Sophie Beck - Teacher & Owner

Staff

Sophie is a passionate and fun-loving teacher from Seattle. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Painting & Drawing from the University of Washington, where she also studied music and was an active member of the Husky Marching Band. She has 6 years of experience as a teacher and administrator in both center-based and family home childcare programs in Seattle, where she has primarily worked with children between 18 months and 6 years of age. She loves incorporating music and art into her teaching practice as a means of fostering creativity in young children. In her free time she enjoys painting, reading, going to concerts, and playing with the Husky Alumni Band.

Luçien Sonnenburg - Lead Teacher

Luçien has over ten years of experience in early education (most recently as a Montessori teacher), and has worked with children up to 6 years old. Their educational background is in therapeutic skincare practices, with a past career as a licensed esthetician and Aveda Institute graduate, where they worked in spas for nearly five years. In addition, they are a multidisciplinary artist and event curator with a passion for nurturing creativity and wonder in others. Nature is one of their greatest inspirations, and they care deeply about ecological conservation. In their free time, they love backpacking, cooking, making art and music, gaming, reading, writing, and performing. They currently reside in Snohomish County with their polydactyl tabby cat, Luna!

Will Pautler - Lead Teacher

Teacher Will has been a substitute in Seattle’s public preschool and after-school programs for the past four years, and she’s thrilled to call Naiad her new home! Prior to working in preschool, she worked with adolescents in high-acuity care at Overlake Hospital. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Washington, where she also played in the Husky Marching Band! When not tooting her horn or being in a museum, you can find her spoiling her fluffy orange kitty, Anton. One of her favorite parts of working with children is watching them find their voice and giving them outlets to express it.

Dylan Ost - Music Teacher/Volunteer

Dylan works full-time as a musician in and around the Seattle area, and occasionally lends his time and talents to volunteering at Naiad Preschool. In addition to being a skilled guitarist and piano player, he has also worked with kids as a lifeguard and a music teacher. He has a degree in Politics, Philosophy, & Economics from the University of Washington - Tacoma, where he also studied music. When he’s not volunteering at Naiad, Dylan runs live band karaoke events around town, and can sometimes be found performing in the Greenlake area. In his free time, he enjoys rock climbing, playing even more music, and spending time with his partner (who happens to be the owner of Naiad Preschool).

Lacey & Theo - Household Members

The residents of the upstairs unit in our building are more than just friends, they’re family! Lacey (Sophie’s mom) and Theo (Sophie’s brother) live in the unit above Naiad Preschool, and occasionally pop down to say hi and help out.

Kids feel secure when they have predictable routines and confident when they have freedom. Our daily schedule is predictably structured so kids always know what’s coming next in their day. We have large blocks of time committed to free choice play, as well as opportunities for teacher-guided learning activities. Exploring the natural world is also an important part of our program, so we have regular scheduled outings to Green Lake Park and the surrounding neighborhood. See a copy of our daily schedule here: Daily Schedule

Daily Schedule

Good food can be the cornerstone of a good day, so we are committed to providing kids with a variety of nutritious, home-cooked meals. We also believe in the importance of a varied diet and exposing kids to a wide array of foods, so our rotating menu features a lot of international flavors and seasonal produce. You can see our full menu here: Menu

Menu

Creative expression and freedom of choice are cornerstones of our philosophy, so we develop an open-ended emergent curriculum designed to engage with the kids’ interests. The needs and interests of young kids are ever changing, and we do our best to cater to every individual’s unique preferences. For this reason, we develop new curriculum for every week that is based around a central monthly theme.

Curriculum

Our school is a licensed family home childcare center located just two blocks from Seattle’s scenic Green Lake. Our indoor space consists of a large active play and dining area adjoining an open kitchen, a separate art space, a cubby room for kids to store their belongings, and a cozy nap room/quiet space complete with books and cozy nooks. We have a backyard space for outdoor play in addition to Green Lake Park a short walk away.

Facility

Our Space

  • The Sun Room (main play area)

  • The Cubby Room

  • The Green Room (art & music space

  • The Moon Room (nap room)