Our Director

Cathe Erhardt is the Director of Elim Christian Preschool. She is responsible for establishing goals, plans, schedules, and day-to-day management while working closely with the school staff to create a good relationship between students, families and school. Looking for ways to improve our preschool keeps her creatively busy. One example is our association with United Way and the Devereux Institute which greatly helps our assessments of each child and our school in general. All staff attended Devereux training for 10 hours during the 08-09 school year to be better equipped to interact with your child. Additionally, a user-friendly physical education curriculum, designed especially for us by Dave Adamson (a preschool dad with a degree in sports medicine), was recently included. Cathe, the mother of two adult children, has lived in the Lake Stevens area with her husband, Tim, for over 33 years. Cathe holds an Associate of Arts Degree in General Studies and teaches piano most afternoons. She has 20 years of preschool experience, ten years managing the Elim school and ten years teaching in Marysville at Little Angels Preschool.

Our Teachers

Charlene Bloomingdale begins her twelfth year with our school by continuing to teach one of our 3-year-old classes and a 4-year-old AM class. Her enthusiastic interaction with our preschoolers, whether reading a book or leading a game, makes class time more fun. She enjoys using her imagination to inspire creativity in children. Charlene loves to garden, work with children and plan teas for ladies! When Charlene isn’t spending time with Brad, her husband of 30 years, you can find her stamping or doing other creative projects. Charlene also enjoys time with her 27-year-old daughter Rachael and 21-year-old son, Jared.

Teresa Heap teaches downstairs our 4-year olds 3-day AM & 3-day PM classes as well as a 2-day AM 3’s class. Teresa taught here the first year the preschool opened in the fall of 2000, and we are thankful she returned 8 years ago and will continue to teach again for her ninth consecutive year. She finds preschoolers full of love and energy, eager to learn and absolutely adorable! Teresa works patiently and well with her charges. In college, Teresa majored in psychology. She also worked for the Lake Stevens School District as an educational assistant for 3 years. She and her family (sons Kirt, age 22, and Kody, age 18) enjoy skiing, hiking, fishing and camping. Teresa herself likes attending Bible studies, sewing, and cross-stitching.

Deborah Pulley continues teaching for a fourth year our 4-day-a-week AM 4-year-olds class as well as a 2-day a week afternoon 3-year-olds class. Deborah’s experience includes working with Debbie Carter and Margaret Smith in both the 4 and 3-year old classes at Elim Christian Preschool for 3 years as well. Her educational experience includes early childhood college level classes. Deborah loves working with preschoolers. She delights in seeing “the light go on” when a child achieves understanding in an area. Her open and friendly ways draw children to her. Debbie substituted as an Educational Assistant in Lake Stevens and loves interacting with her 2 children, aged 14 and 18. She enjoys camping with her family and watching her husband Tom coach a majors baseball team.

Elim Christian Preschool also places an assistant in every class to ensure a teacher/student ratio of no more than 1:8.

Please go to Registration for exact class days, times and teachers.