Preschool Team

EARLY CHILDHOOD DIRECTOR
SUZANNE CONTRERAS
I have been working with children for 16 years now of all ages from 6 weeks - to 12 years old. Also coached Gymnastics and dance. My favorite thing about working with children is knowing I helped them grow in life and watching it happen each year. My favorite children's book is "Where the Wild Things Are'. Favorite Bible verse: Corinthians 13:13: And not these three remain faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. In my free time, I love to take my son, Vinny, to Disneyland to see Mickey Mouse.
PRESCHOOL TEACHER
CRISTELLA VELLANOWETH
My name is Cristella Vellanoweth, I am a Blessed Sacrament School Alumni attended 1st-8th grade. I have been working in the Early Childhood field for over 30 years. In those years I have cared for and taught all ages from Infant to 14 yrs, including being the director for 12 years of a large infant/toddler, preschool & after school program. I enjoy working at Blessed Sacrament, because of the strong faithful community it holds. One of my favorite books to read to the children is The Grouchy Lady Bug by Eric Carle. My favorite Bible verse is "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16
PRESCHOOL/PRE-K TEACHER
KIMBERLY CRUZ
I enjoy working with Preschool and Pre-K students because I genuinely love children and enjoy watching them grow and develop into confident, self-sufficient learners. I like how the Faith/Religion aspect of the school instills morals, a sense of direction, and closeness to faith within learning for our teachers, students, and their families. A little bit about me is that my favorite book is The Great Gatsby and my favorite bible verse is "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."-Jeremiah 29:11
PRE-K TEACHER
YVONNE MACEDO
I've been working at Blessed Sacrament for two years as the Pre-K teacher. I've been teaching for over 30 years. I obtained my Early Childhood Education at Cerritos College. I am dedicated to teaching the children about Jesus and preparing them for a successful Kindergarten experience. My goal is to guide the children to become confident, compassionate, loving, respectful and self-motivated learners. The children will develop life-long friendships, personal responsibility, reading, writing skills, and much more. I love kids and it fills my heart to watch them grow. I'm also excited to be part of this wonderful team of teachers.
EARLY CHILDHOOD AIDE
CHI PHAN
I enjoy working with Pre-school because it's a time when they are learning to be independent and start building good habits. They learn to form routines and learn to follow classroom rules to that will prepare them for life and school. What I like about the Faith/Religion aspect of the school is that they are taught to pray to God everyday, to be helpful and respectful towards teachers and others. My favorite bible verse is "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:6-7
EARLY CHILDHOOD AIDE
NICOLE ARGANDA
The thing I love most about working in preschool is watching the little ones learn and grow. Seeing their great big smiles when I walk in changes my whole day and brings me such great joy. I believe the fair/religion is one of the best things about the school. Teaching the little ones that God will always be there for them is a blessing. My favorite book would have to be The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. My favorite Bible verse is Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
EARLY CHILDHOOD AIDE
STEPHANIE GALLARDO
I am a full-time student at California State University Long Beach. Soon I will obtain my Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development and Family Studies. I enjoy working with young children because I love to see how they learn, develop, and interact with their environment. It is exciting to see when they have accomplished a developmental milestone. I enjoy that every day is different and there is always something new to learn from them. Working with young children is fun to be around and I love their energy and overall big characters. What I like about the Faith/Religion aspect of the school is that at a young age the children are beginning to hear the Lord's words and learning to be respectful to their teachers and peers. My favorite books are "Brave New World" "Into the Wild," and "The Alchemist." My favorite Bible verse is "I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:13.