Pre-K Focus Areas
Our program uses the following programs to support our curriculum:
- Zoo Phonics – to work on letter identification and letter sounds
- Heggerty Phonemic Awareness – works on isolating and manipulating sounds in words and blending/segmenting sounds in words
- Handwriting Without Tears – teaches children how to form letters and numbers
Mrs. Rachael Macht
This is my first year here at Canterbury Elementary School as an Integrated Preschool Teacher. I have been in the field of early childhood for 15 plus years. This is my 5th year of teaching preschool. Besides being a school teacher, I am involved in community based organizations where I serve. I enjoy spending time with my family and my dog hiking.
Mrs. Amy Vallandingham
This is my 10th year teaching in Canterbury. I enjoy working with this age so much. Something new happens every day. I believe children learn through play, so we play a lot, laugh a lot and learn through hands on experiences.
On a personal note I have 2 kids at home, a husband and 2 wild puppies to keep me busy. I enjoy going on walks with my family and getting ice cream.
Preschool Screening : Preschool Screening Letter
School Readiness : NECC Council: Our new regional school readiness council
Kindergarten Focus Areas
Language Arts : Letter sound knowledge, High frequency words, Pre-reading/reading skills, Pre-writing/writing skills
Math: Recognizing, counting, comparing, and applying numbers, 2 dimensional shapes and 3 dimensional shapes, measurement
Science/Social Studies: Weather, forces of motion (push and pull), needs and wants, responsibilities, community, cultures and traditions
Health: Social/Emotional, safety, hygiene, nutrition/fitness
Mrs. Marlea Danielson
I began my career at CES in August of 2000. I have taught both kindergarten and first grade. I love spending time with my husband, my two sons and my three dogs. My hobbies include hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding and pretty much anything outdoors!
Ms. Rachel Hagios
I have been teaching Kindergarten at CES since 2017. I have two lovable Golden Retrievers at home named Oakley and Maple. For hobbies, I like to workout, hike, climb, and paint.
Mrs. Mary Tatro
Hello families! My name is Mrs. Tatro. I am a kindergarten teacher at Canterbury Elementary. I graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in child psychology and my teaching certification. I started my teaching career here in 2001 as a kindergarten teacher and then moved on to teach first grade for several years. During that time, I also received a master’s degree in special education from Southern Connecticut State University. I eventually found myself back in a kindergarten classroom. Kindergarten is a magical grade! My favorite subjects to teach are phonics and reading. My goal as a kindergarten teacher is to provide a safe place for my students to feel comfortable and nurtured, so they will all grow to love learning. My interests outside of school are spending time with my family, cuddling with my puppies, working out, and taking long motorcycle rides.