My name is Julia Umstead and I have lived in Lewisburg for the past 7 years with my husband and 11 year-old daughter. I graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2004 with a B.S. in Rehabilitation Services and in 2010 with my M.Ed in Adult Education. I was a preschool teacher from 2005-2011 at the Bennett Family Center at Penn State University. In my years at the Bennett Center, I had the opportunity to mentor early childhood university students and acquire certificates in extensive early childhood development trainings. I had also conducted trainings pertaining to sensory integration and literacy in the classroom at early childhood conferences. I am very excited to be teaching young children again in my new place at Kinderfolk.
My name is Kristin Kraus and I am excited to be joining the Kinderfolk Teacher team this year! My family and I moved to Lewisburg in 2017 and we were fortunate to discover Kinderfolk on day one…two of my three children will be Kinderfolk Alumni!
I was raised in Denver, Colorado and am a 2002 graduate of Loyola College in Maryland with an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education. I began my teaching career in the Baltimore County school system in 2002 and while teaching second grade there I received my Master’s Degree in Special Education (also from Loyola) before moving to Pennsylvania in 2006. From 2006-2013 I was an Elementary Special Education teacher in the Central Bucks School District just outside of Philadelphia. I have been a stay at home mom for my three children (Stewart:11, Sebastian:8, Poppy:4) for the past 8 years and can’t wait to get back in the classroom!
I grew up in the Boston area and graduated from the University of Massachusetts-Boston with a degree in English Literature. I first came to Lewisburg in 2003 with my husband David, who is a Chemistry Professor at Bucknell, and immediately fell in love with the area. Over the years, I’ve met so many great people as I have become involved in the local community through volunteer work with the Public Library for Union County, the Lewisburg Arts Council, and Cub Scout Pack 3509.
Both of our children, Henry (16) and Holly (12), are Kinderfolk alum. My husband and I really appreciated how well the program prepared our kids for school that when the opportunity arose to become a part of the Kinderfolk family, I jumped at the chance.
My name is Alexis Gutierrez and I have lived in Lewisburg for the past five years with my husband and three children, ages 7, 8, and 10. I graduated from Indiana University with a B.S. in English and earned a Master’s in Library and Information Science from Drexel University. I’ve worked as a librarian in three states, and I especially enjoy sharing stories and books with children, as well as music and movement activities. My son loved attending preschool here, so I know what a special place this is for children. I am very excited to be teaching at Kinderfolk!
Christina is Kinderfolk’s substitute teacher and classroom Fairy Godmother. She has two daughters: Kaelyn, who is starting her sophomore year at Moravian College; and Ella, who is in 7th grade this year. Ella is a Kinderfolk alum, having been a member of both the AM and PM classes. When she isn’t called in on official substitute teacher duties, Christina sometimes surprises the class with an unannounced visit, often bearing treats and always ready to read and play with the Kinderfolkers…she truly is our fairy godmother!
kinderfolkpreschool.com 