Pre-K Team
Donna Lynch
Donna holds a Master’s Degree in Reading from Holy Family University, a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Bloomsburg University, and Elementary Certification from Holy Family University. Donna has been teaching Pre-Kindergarten at GFS since 2015. In 2017, Donna assumed the role of Curriculum Coordinator, working as a mentor to all of our teachers. In 2022, her role expanded as she was named the Assistant Head of School.
Donna’s background includes experience working as an Elementary Learning Support Teacher in both Central Bucks and Bristol Township School Districts. She believes that our young children learn best through play and creates opportunities for inquiry both in the classroom and in our outdoor spaces. Donna has a passion for helping her Pre-Kindergarteners grow intellectually, emotionally and socially. Her classroom setting is inviting, nurturing and provides a structure for kids to explore and learn. She is certified in Learning Without Tears – Readiness and Writing, Language and Literacy, and Numbers and Math.
As Assistant Head of School and Curriculum Coordinator, Donna works with both individual teachers and group-level teaching teams to develop, implement and evaluate the School’s curriculum on an ongoing basis. She supports teachers and serves as a coach in the matter of classroom management and teaching methods. She coordinates the School’s afternoon programming and works closely with the Head of School on managing the daily operations of GFS. Donna has served on the PAIS Steering Committee and has participated in professional development opportunities with NAIS, PAIS and Friends Council on Education. Her son, Ryan, is a graduate of GFS.
Lauren Grace
Lauren Grace holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Gordon College in English Language and Literature. Her background includes working for many years at a small independent bookstore, working in floral design, and participating in social justice activism-where she was first introduced to Quaker values.
While raising her own young children, Lauren worked as an assistant preschool teacher and ran her own home-based preschool program. She is inspired by the educational philosophies of the Waldorf School, Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and Mr. Rogers. Lauren believes children learn best through play and being led by their own sense of wonder and curiosity.
Outside of school Lauren enjoys gardening, knitting, baking, and reading. She lives in the Pennypack woods with her husband, four children, dog, cat, crested gecko and six chickens.
Cheri Kaliner
Cheri holds a Master's Degree in Elementary Education from The American University and a Bachelor's Degree from Washington University in St. Louis. She joined the teaching staff at GFS in the fall of 2017 as a Pre-Kindergarten teacher.
Cheri began her career teaching 5th grade and then Kindergarten in the Philadelphia area. While raising her young daughters, she remained active in the field of education as a reading and math tutor for elementary school-aged students. As her children became more independent, Cheri began to substitute teach in the Wissahickon School District. Thereafter, she returned to teaching full time, starting with the kindergarten program at Tiferet Bet Israel in Blue Bell, before finding her niche teaching Pre-Kindergarten.
For Cheri, providing a nurturing and caring classroom, where each child feels valued and self-confident, is paramount to her teaching. She has a passion for children's literature and leads two of the Enrichment classes at GFS.
Ann Kaplan
Ann holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Philadelphia University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She joined the teaching staff at Gwynedd Friends School in the fall of 2017.
Ann began her career in Marketing and Management. Once her children were born, she retired from the corporate world and began to volunteer with a number of school programs, such as Art Goes to School. In 2007, Ann began volunteering for the Early Childhood Education Center at Tiferet Bet Israel. Ann also participated the Lasko fellowship program, which specializes in working with children with special needs. As a result, she was invited to run training sessions for the rest of the TBI staff. Ann was subsequently hired as an Assistant Teacher at the ECEC at TBI in 2011.
Ann believes that the classroom environment should be child-centered with a play-based curriculum. She feels that it is important to meet children where they are, developmentally, and to nurture their self-confidence. Most of all, Ann believes in a strong arts program as her philosophy is that children learn best through art, music, and self-expression. Ann leads the Art Enrichment at Gwynedd Friends School and spent years curating the yearly art show for the ECEC at TBI.
Beth Johnson
Beth holds Masters degrees from Cedar Crest College and Mercer University in Reading and Holistic education. She also holds a Bachelors degree in Elementary & Early Childhood Education from Temple University. She has been in education in various roles since 2001, teaching just about every grade from preschool to high school and is certified in the state of Pennsylvania as a K-12 Reading Specialist, K-8 Elementary educator and PS-3rd grade Early Educator. She began her career teaching kindergarten in Philadelphia, and had the opportunity to teach in Georgia, Florida, New Jersey and Maine before returning to settle in Pennsylvania. She has taught in public, private, parochial, and independent schools. Beth has created innovative and motivating reading programs and administered developmental reading and writing assessments as a Reading Specialist. As an administrator, Beth maintained an open door policy as the director of a large PreK Counts program in Allentown, PA.
Beth is a life long learner, always exploring new research in education and asking questions to further her craft. She feels most at home in early childhood education classrooms and strives to instill a love of learning in young minds just stepping into school. Her classroom is a warm and inviting place for all who enter and her approach to education is totally holistic focused. It truly takes a village to educate a child.
When Beth isn’t teaching, she enjoys spending time with her young family, traveling, gardening and reading. She feels fortunate to be a member of the Gwynedd Friends School community.
Pam Nauen
Pam Nauen holds a bachelor’s degree from Kenyon College and has completed course and field work in elementary education at Bank Street College of Education. While living in Hawaii, she worked as family literacy specialist for Hawaii Literacy with the goal of helping parents to prepare their young children for school. She established a toy and book library at Mayor Wright public housing development in Honolulu, as well as a little red wagon traveling library which brought books and literacy activities to doorsteps. After having children, Pam worked as a volunteer librarian at Global Leadership Academy West in Philadelphia.
Pam joined Gwynedd Friends this year as a Pre-K assistant teacher. She takes great pleasure in discovering who each child is and how they see the world. She strives to create a classroom environment in which children feel safe, valued and supported as they explore their world, connect with their community and follow their curiosity.
When she is not in the classroom, Pam loves to bike, read, travel and spend time with her family.
Lori Brosnan
Lori holds a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Mercy University in New York. She also holds an MBA in Accounting and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from St. John’s University in New York. She has worked in both the education and corporate environments.
Lori’s professional career began in the Finance Department of Verizon, Inc. where she spent over 14 years holding various finance positions before turning her attention to teaching. After leaving Verizon to raise her family, Lori volunteered for a year as a part time Computer teacher, teaching Basic Computer skills. This was a career changing experience for her. She discovered her love for teaching and realized that this was the career path for her.
Her previous experience includes being a Teaching Assistant at Hobbit House in Gwynedd Valley, a Lead Teacher at St. Gerard Majella in Kirkwood, Missouri and a Lead Teacher at Chappaqua Friends Nursery School in New York.
Lori loves working with young children and finds great satisfaction in helping them grow and develop both socially and academically. She believes in letting children explore their interests and helping them discover the world around them through inquiry and self-discovery.
Catherine Wuenschel
Catherine has worked in many different school settings teaching Preschool up to 12 graders in Camps, as an Outdoor Educator, Nutrition Educator, Garden Educator and as a Professional Chef. She received her BFA from Tyler School of Art, worked around the world as a Film Editor, Recipe Developer, Food Stylist, Executive Chef and Executive Director of a Preschool. She has years of experience watching how young children are naturally curious and creative. She enjoys getting to know and understand each individual's strengths and weaknesses so that she can support and encourage growth, kindness and confidence.
When she is not working at GFS, she can be found tending gardens, hiking with friends or traveling to visit dear friends far away.
