The Community Preschool at SOU

The preschool is operated as a self-support program under the supervision of the School of Education. The staff consists of master teachers who oversee the day to day operations including practicum, work study students and volunteers.

Rebecca Tree Director/Teacher

 I have served in the early childhood field for over 35 years beginning in Colorado prior to moving to southern Oregon in 1990. Twenty-five years ago, I founded a non-profit program which still serves a diverse population of children. I currently teach as adjunct faculty at Southern Oregon University at the graduate and undergraduate level. I consider myself a research junky and strong advocate for play with a global and holistic view of best practices. It will take more than a village to remedy the challenges and trends that impose inappropriate mandates on teachers of young children, the children themselves, along with unnecessary pressure on strained family units using fundamentally unbalanced views of learning and teaching practices. I pose these questions when considering young children and education; “What is it to be fully human?”, “What do children and families need?”, “What are schools for?” and “What does it mean to be well-educated?” After so many years, this I know; our work with young children is not teaching the 3 and 4-year-old to be 5. It is more about our own compass and regard for children; helping them navigate their individual journeys while becoming more connected to others, to the stuff that makes up the world and their ability to think and imagine possibilities.  

Julie Kasiah, Teacher

Julie Kasiah worked at the Schneider Children's Center from 2005 to 2014 before joining the Community Preschool at SOU.  She is enrolledin the Oregon Childcare Registry through Portland State University, and is a volunteer for the Ashland School District.  She has 2 daughters currently attending Oregon State University.