Qualifications of Teachers and Staff

EDS teachers have been hired for their training, experience, and their ability to work with children. Our teachers update their credentials by attending college classes, workshops, and seminars. All staff are child CPR and First Aid certified.

RITA MACOMBER

1. Rita received the 2008 Exceptional Educator Award from the Mercer Island Preschool Association. She was born in Larmie, WY, and raised on a Colorado cattle ranch. She has a B.A. in Education from Western State College, Gunnison, CO. She is certified in K-12 education, science and coaching. She taught and coached in
   

the Montrose School District for 2 years. Rita married Mark and moved to Minnesota in 1976 where she taught and coached for another 7 years. She has two children, Brooke and Blake. They moved to Seattle in 1986 and she has taught at EDS since 1988. She finds EDS to be a fun and exciting learning experience. Every year is new and different!

MARILEE PILKEY

Marilee was born and raised in Bellingham, Washington. She graduated from Western Washington University with a double major in Education and French. She attended the University of Washington for graduate work in Education and taught French in the Bellevue and Renton school districts. Marilee has two children, Chris and Jarrett. She has loved her teaching experience at EDS and is in her 16th year.

SUSI BUSEY

Susi is a 35 year resident of Mercer Island. Her sons attended Emmanuel Day School in the mid seventies! She attended Lakeside in Seattle and Ryder University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. She has volunteered many hours in the school district as well as the Boys and Girls Club. Susi has worked with an Island psychologist doing home visits and helped develop treatment plans for families with children who have behavioral issues. Many Island children know her as "The Nanny" because of all her years of caring for them.

BECKY BORDA

Becky has lived on Mercer Island for 18 years with her family. She has six children, all of whom have either gone through, or are in the process of attending, Emmanuel Day School; Elizabeth is 18 and a Freshman at Western Washington University, Rachel is 16 and a Sophomore at Mercer Island High School, Jessica is 15 and a Sophomore at Mercer Island High School, Matthew is 13 and in 7th grade at Islander Middle School, Sam is 7 and in 1st grade at Lakeridge, and Zach is 5 and will be in Teacher Rita’s class. She has volunteered at St. Monica’s for 7 years teaching Focus to 4th graders, 3rd graders and the past two years to 2nd graders. Becky has an AA in Science and a Bookkeeping certificate. She enjoys time with her family, reading, hiking, biking, and camping. Becky is very blessed and excited to be at EDS.

MARY MEYER

Mary is a graduate of the College of Education at Texas State University with a Masters in Elementary Education and an Early Childhood - 4th Grade Teaching Certificate. After living in Texas for the past 3 years, she and her husband Brian moved back to Washington state late last summer with their two cats Lola and Nika. Mary has taught 1st grade, worked as a Title I Success for All Students Paraprofessional for 2nd grade, and has volunteered at Phantom Lake Elementary in Bellevue. Mary first decided she wanted to become a teacher while volunteering at an elementary school in 2003 as a member of Americorps*NCCC in Charleston, South Carolina. She is very excited to join the team at EDS and looks forward to a super amazing year with her students!!

DAJANA KURBEGOVIC

Dajana is a recent graduate from the University of Washington and received her B.A. in Early Childhood and Family Studies this last Spring. She is currently attending Seattle University to obtain her Ed.S. in School Psychology. She has been volunteering and teaching in preschools in the city of Seattle for three years, and she loves educating young children. Coming from the war in ex-Yugoslavia, she understands the importance of education.

CHRISTINE FRY

Christine was born and raised in Nuremberg, Germany. She graduated from the University of Erlangen with a degree in Speech and Language Pathology. She has worked in Germany, Alaska and Washington as a speech therapist, preschool teacher and educational assistant.  She loves to work with preschool age children and is looking forward to her first year at EDS. She has been married for 30 years and has 3 children.

CLAUDIA ALLARD - DIRECTOR

Claudia has her B.A. in History from Columbia College, Columbia University in New York and a J.D. from The Washington College of Law in Washington D.C. She spent many years working in healthcare. Previously, Claudia was a 3’s Preschool Teacher at Emmanuel Day School and the Science Specialist teacher at Lakeridge Elementary for the Science Friday Recess Program. She has two daughters; Ava, who attends Lakeridge Elementary, and Anneka, who attends The Lakeside School.