Get to know your preschool and pre-kindergarten team!
Meet Mrs. Wanda McDonnell
Early Childhood Education Director
- Ms. Wanda has three children.
- Best part about working with children: Watching the children get excited about learning
- Favorite subjects in school: World History, Geography and Language Arts
- Favorite movie: The Sound of Music
- Favorite free-time activity as a child: Reading and playing outside
- Ms. Wanda likes all kinds of music! She mostly listen to Country - because it reminds her of home - and Christian Rock.
- She would like to visit Ireland and Australia.
- Soccer was Ms. Wanda's favorite sport to play as a child. She still plays it!
- Favorite vacation destination: Anywhere with her family - her husband and kids
- If she could meet one person from any point in time, Ms. Wanda would meet Martin Luther King, Jr. because she says he had a quiet, calm, wise strength that she aspires to have. Unique facts about Ms. Wanda: * She sleeps very little. * She has a big appetite for finger foods. * She would like to have regular manicures one day.
Meet Ms. Shannon Williamson
Preschool Teacher
Ms. Shannon has one child named Chase, and he is in his early 20s.
Best part about teaching: Watching the faces of children as they grow, learn and discover new things Favorite place to go on vacation: A cruise ship
If Ms. Shannon could be famous, she would be a singer. She thinks she has a terrible voice, but she loves to sing.
Favorite free-time activity as a child: Climbing trees with my brothers
Fun fact most people don't know about Ms. Shannon: She loves to ride motorcycles.
Ms. Shannon's favorite place to relax: On the couch watching a good movie
If she could meet one person from any point in time, Ms. Shannon would meet her son Chase in the year 2030 to find out if he became a loving, honest and successful young man.
Unique facts about Ms. Shannon: * She is very scared of spiders. * She says she is computer illiterate.
* One of her true colors for her personality is orange. Ms. Shannon likes to laugh and make others laugh also.
Meet Ms. Jean Steagall
Preschool Assistant Teacher
- Ms. Jean has two daughters who are in their 20s.
- Favorite thing to do as a child: Play, play, play - and ride her motorcycle
- A fun fact most people don’t know about Ms. Jean: She likes to laugh!
- Ms. Jean's true color for her personality is blue. She am sensitive to emotions.
Meet Mrs. Rena Randall
Preschool Teacher
Ms. Rena has two children, and they are both boys.
Best part about teaching: Ms. Rena loves working with the children and watching them change and grow.
Ms. Rena is a Tucson native! She is a fifth-generation native Tucsonan. Her grandparents moved to this neighborhood near TCDS in 1940.
If she could be the president of the United States, Ms. Rena says she would not want to. However, she says she does like getting involved in politics in small ways in which she feels she can make a difference in and express her opinion.
Favorite free-time activity as a child: Ms. Rena loved to play outside and would spend hours riding and exploring on her horse.
If she could meet one person from any point in time, Ms. Rena would meet Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. She says she would love to be able to pick his brain and observe and learn as he composed music.
Unique facts about Ms. Rena: * She performs with an all-acoustic Western music group called Rena Randall and the Due West Trio. They have recorded three CDs together! She has performed music through the years with some of Tucson's finest musicians. * Ms. Rena knows a lot about neighborhood history. The Tucson Country Day School property was once called "Deer Ranch" before Mr. Cooper purchased the land. * Ms. Rena has performed in rodeos across the state.
Meet Ms. Jordan Bowman
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
- Ms. Jordan has one daughter who is in middle school.
- Ms. Jordan loves country music. It reminds her of family and summer.
- She would really like to visit Jamaica. Ms. Jordan would go with her daughter because it seems relaxing.
- Ms. Jordan played trumpet as a child. She loved being a part of a band that performed so well together.
- Ms. Jordan's favorite vacation destination is Washington. That is where her family is from, and she says the weather is perfect.
Meet Ms. Lilli Wright
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Ms. Lilli has worked at Tucson Country Day School for three years. She is an alumni of Tucson Country Day School, having attended from 5th-8th grade. Ms. Lilli attended Catalina Foothills High School. After graduating in 2016, she decided to pursue her passion in neurosciences at the University of Arizona, with an emphasis on the development on children's brains.
Ms. Lilli has two younger sisters who currently attend TCDS, and her family is actively involved in the TCDS community. Ms. Lilli looks forward to continuing to teach young children and work with their families so that every child can reach their fullest educational potential.
Meet Ms. AnnaJo
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
While this is AnnaJo's first year as a lead prekindergarten teacher, she has been working at Tucson Country Day School in various positions in Early Education since she was a sophomore in high school. AnnaJo really enjoys teaching and watching young kids grow.
AnnaJo is currently enrolled at Pima Community College taking Early Education classes. Her favorite color is orange, and her favorite animal is a lion.
Meet Mrs. Ruth Sherrod
Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten
Art Teacher
Ms. S (as her students call her) has three sons.
Best part about teaching: She enjoys learning with her students. They inspire her.
Ms. S is a Tucson native!
Favorite vacation destination: Anywhere to visit family or hike
Ms. S reads so much that she can't choose a favorite book!
Favorite free-time activities as a child: Art, music and family time
If she could meet one person from any point in time, Ms. S would like to meet any of her ancestors.
If Ms. S could eat only one food, she would choose zucchini fries or grilled zucchini. Zucchini is a versatile vegetable that tastes great by cooking it many ways.
Unique facts about Ms. S: * She enjoys hiking in nature. * She is not a fan of shopping. * Her favorite beverages are iced coffee and iced tea.
Most rewarding moment of my life thus far: I love being a mother. The first time I met my son was the most life-changing experience for me.
Meet Mrs. Kerry LaBombard
Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten Before and After-Care
Teacher
- Ms. Kerry has two children. Her daughters are both adults, and their names are Amy and Sarah.
- Ms. Kerry has two pets. One is a Siamese cat, and the other is a Chihuahua.
- Favorite vacation destination: Ms. Kerry likes to go to Vermont in the summer, not in the winter.
- Favorite book: Gone with the Wind
- Favorite free-time activity as a child: Nature, hiking and growing up at a lakeside camp
- If she could meet one person from any point in time, Ms. Kerry would meet Reverend Frank Rose, her retired minister, artist (water-color), naturalist and mentor. Ms. Kerry says, "He has always held the answer for me, and I would love to spend more time with him."
- Unique facts about Ms. Kerry: * She swims and walks every night at 6:20. * She collects rocks and is making a rock garden. * She is learning to play a cello.
Meet Mr. Jarod Dineen
Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten After-Care Teacher
Mr. Jarod is an alumni of TCDS, having attended here from preschool through eighth grade. He has volunteered as a CIT (Counselor In Training) for two summers at Camp Adventure before applying to work in the Aftercare program.
Mr. Jarod will graduate from Tanque Verde High School this May and will pursue a degree in business and machine manufacturing.
Mr. Jarod enjoys working with his teaching team and helping kids have fun and learn.
Meet Mr. Jarod Dineen
Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten After-Care Teacher
Mr. Jarod is an alumni of TCDS, having attended here from preschool through eighth grade. He has volunteered as a CIT (Counselor In Training) for two summers at Camp Adventure before applying to work in the Aftercare program.
Mr. Jarod will graduate from Tanque Verde High School this May and will pursue a degree in business and machine manufacturing.
Mr. Jarod enjoys working with his teaching team and helping kids have fun and learn.