We have an amazing staff at Caterpillar College.
Rachel Quinn founded the Caterpillar College in March of 2007. She and her staff grew the program by providing each student with individualized attention, challenging academics and engaging experiences. Most importantly, it has always been fun! With rapid growth, the school quickly ran out of space and needed to look for more space every few years. In the summer of 2014 the Caterpillar College found its permanent home.
Taking responsibility for your child is something Mrs. Quinn has taken very seriously for over 25 years. One of her key strengths is foresight; the ability to think about what could go wrong long before it does. As the director of Caterpillar College she wears many hats, but your child’s safety is always the top priority.
Communication is the second priority. There may be times when Mrs. Quinn is unavailable during the day, but – particularly if you text or call – she will do her very best to respond that same day. Of course communication is a two-way street and Mrs. Quinn makes herself available to parents before, during and after business hours by way of a phone call, text or in person.
The third priority is making the most of every teachable moment with your child. Sometimes the best lessons happen out of the context of the formal curriculum. Sometimes these can be the best opportunities to teach your child.
Although Mrs. Quinn is the director, she is also a teacher because teaching is her first love. Mrs. Quinn’s teaching philosophy is to cater to each child’s needs and learning ability. Every child does not learn at the same pace, but they are always able to learn. The Caterpillar College curriculum was developed from years of research and development and has been proven to work well in preparing students for their next level.
Having fun is very important at the Caterpillar College. Each year - about half way through the four-year-old class - it is amazing to watch as the students just blossom. They start to take ownership of the material and become confident and empowered. This is fun for the children and the staff! But the students also have fun all along their cobblestone path.
Before establishing the Caterpillar College, Mrs. Quinn directed preschool programs affiliated with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and the YMCA in Illinois. She has over 25 years of experience in early childhood education. She began teaching preschool with her first child because a group of like-minded teachers/parents were dissatisfied with a lack of academics in all state-funded childcare/preschool programs. Mrs. Quinn is also a surgical nurse. She attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI and Bradley University in Peoria, IL.
Hello. I'm Kim Downey and I've been a teacher at Caterpillar College for almost 8 years.I love being able to teach at Caterpillar College where we focus on academics while having fun! I also teach a yoga class to our students where laughter and happiness fill the room as we stretch, balance, and learn new poses.
I am a Michigan State Graduate with a B.A. In Elementary Education with Minors in Psychology and History. I have completed graduate level classes specializing in Reading and spent several years as a reading tutor.
