Our Faculty
Sorrento Valley Children's Center
Enhancing the joys of childhood since 1983.
Carol Burkhart - C0-Founder
In 1976, Ms. Carol earned her master’s degree in Child Development from the University of Tennessee with one goal in mind: establishing an early childhood program in San Diego that met and exceeded the basic principles of truly excellent Early Childhood Education. She spent the next seven years gaining invaluable experience which included directing a federally funded Head Start program, directing a private preschool program, and teaching a course on Parent-Child Education at Palomar Community College. During this period, she was fortunate to meet Elena Juarez, a gifted preschool educator who shared her vision: A play-based program where children would learn from first hand experiences with emphasis on their socioemotional growth and development, led by a nurturing, professional staff. Sorrento Valley Children’s Center then proudly opened its doors in 1983. Today, 43 years later, Ms. Carol still brings her boundless enthusiasm and commitment to our early childhood program. It is a point of pride that Sorrento Valley Children’s Center is now welcoming its second generation of children from parents who are themselves alumni of our program. In her spare time, Ms. Carol loves travel, long walks, and entertaining.
Elena Juarez - Co-founder
Ms. Elena is one of the co-founders of Sorrento Valley Children’s Center. She is a a lifelong San Dieagn, born at San Diego’s Balboa Hospital. She earned her degree from SDSU and holds a Lifetime CA Elementary Teaching Credential. Prior to teaching preschool, she implemented and taught a program for the Escondido Elementary School District. She was a classroom teacher here at Sorrento Valley Children’s Center during its first twenty years. At home, she has a husband of 56 years, a daughter and a grandson, four horses, three cats, and two dogs. She is active in her church, and serves on the boards of the Californio Bridlehorse Association and the Sorrento Valley Town Council.
She and Carol Burkhart had a vision for a school that would provide young children a place to grow and learn in an environment that would ‘Enhance the Joys of Childhood’. She is so proud of our staff and our curriculum that addresses the development of the whole child. She looks forward each year to meeting the new families that join us.
Char Mueller - Director
Ms. Char is so delighted to say that in her 45 years of working in the field of Early Childhood Education, the last 34 years have been spent here at Sorrento Valley Children’s Center!
She taught in our Pre-K classroom for 30 years and transitioned to her current role as director in 2022. While she was worried she would miss her cozy classroom, she now has a school full of cozy and joyful classrooms to visit each and every day! She is so proud of our thoughtfully planned play based learning program, our small class sizes, and our amazing teachers, who are the very heart of our program! Ms. Char loves greeting the children each morning and waving (or high-fiving) them home at the end of a fun-filled day! Her favorite part of her years spent here at Sorrento Valley Children’s Center is when former students return to visit! Our children return to share milestones – from the first “tooth fairy” visit, to college acceptances, to marriages and families! She is so grateful for the community we continue to grow here at Sorrento Valley Children’s Center.
Ms. JJ - Room 2
Ms. JJ is thrilled to be teaching her second year at SVCC! She absolutely loves teaching two-year olds, and feels honored to be such an integral part of their learning what she deems “how to people,” i.e. helping them develop confidence in themselves, socialize and share with kindness, hone those fine and gross motor skills, and begin to really discover who they are in this big world! Ms. JJ is very grateful for the support she receives for her weekly lesson plans from SVCC staff and families. Some of her favorites units are Physics for Toddlers, Space… The Final Frontier, and Make Way for Little Artists! which aligns with our yearly SVCC art show! She is very proud of her meticulously curated classroom library which contains over 300 books that she circulates weekly based on the week’s theme. Ms. JJ is also a registered nurse who worked in operating rooms and with spinal cord injury rehabilitation patients before finding the joy of Early Childhood Education. When she isn’t teaching, Ms. JJ is an avid reader, a maker hobbyist (whose upcycled creations regularly get incorporated into her classroom), and an enthusiastic, grateful world traveler. She believes in community, lifelong learning, and sensible shoes. :)
Ms. Gigi - Room 3
Ms. Gigi has been an Early Childhood Education teacher for over ten years! She has a great passion for working with children and nurturing their only childhood. She loves to build, create, develop, and bring children’s interests into the learning experiences of her curriculum. When teaching, she immerses academic domains such as social, cognitive, self-regulation, literacy, and language skills. She believes that children are unique, capable, resilient, strong, messy, emotional, playful, curious, eager, and surprising in all the best ways. She is so happy to build thoughtful relationships with your children and your family. She feels honored to teach your child, keep them safe, and instill in them a love of learning. When she isn’t teaching, Ms. Gigi loves the beach, yoga, hiking, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, music, reading, baking, and being with friends, family, and her beloved dog Zeke. She thrives on time spent outside! She also loves collecting things and is always thinking, “How can I use this in my classroom with the kids?”
Ms. Bailey - Room 4
Ms. Bailey has been an Early Childhood Education teacher for six wonderful years. When she’s not hosting Frozen soundtrack dance parties in her classroom or pretending to eat the yummy sandbox creations her class makes outside on the playground, she’s reading or spending time with her beloved dog and cat! Ms. Bailey considers Sorrento Valley Children’s Center to be her home away from home, and thinks the community here is something truly special. She is grateful for the warm and comforting environment that positively influences not only her but all of her students as well. Her favorite thing about SVCC is how close knit the community of teachers and families are and the special bonds she has created. Inside her classroom, the small group sizes help her easily work one-on-one to meet each child's needs. She values connections, respect, and communication together with her classroom families as she fosters a love of school for years to come! Ms. Bailey is always looking for ways to learn and grow each and every day and always says that each year of children teaches her something new.
Ms. Laura - Room 5
Miss Laura worked as a preschool teacher at SVCC in 1984 through 1986 before moving to the Midwest (Michigan/Ohio) to teach (K-6) elementary school. She loved SVCC so much that she came back 40 years later to teach preschool here again! Miss Laura believes the founders/staff are exceptional, the outside play areas are expansive and fabulous, and the play-based learning environment is the best experience for young children. She enjoys music and singing with the children, as well as reading children's books with enthusiasm and her expressive voice. Miss Laura is known for wearing many colorful necklaces with varied shapes and designs. She believes (as John F. Kennedy said) that "Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future." Children INSPIRE her with their innocence, curiosity, acceptance, love, and a sense of wonder for all things. Being a spark to ignite their learning is thrilling to her!
Ms. Jenna - Room 6
Ms. Jenna has her degree in Child Development and a multiple subject teaching credential from San Diego State University. After graduating, she substituted in elementary and preschool classrooms and decided that preschool really is where her heart is. The children are so curious and excited about learning! She has been teaching at SVCC for over 20 years. She taught in the 3 year old classroom for 9 years and then moved over to teach the Transitional Kindergarten class. During their year with Ms. Jenna, the children develop skills that help them to be successful Kindergarteners! Some of her favorite themes to teach are Nocturnal Animals, Snow and Ice, Space, Butterflies, Art, and the Ocean. She instills a love for reading by choosing high interest books and reading them expressively. She likes to make up silly songs and has been known to ride a tricycle or swing on the swings.
Ms. Sheri - Room 7
Ms. Sheri is a native San Diegan and has been a proud member of the SVCC family for going on 13 years! Her classroom is SVCC’s two and a half year olds, and she finds teaching them not only a pleasure, but a privilege. Ms. Sheri has served children and families for over 30 years now, in many different capacities in the Early Childhood Education field, but teaching young children has always been her greatest passion! Two year olds are full of curiosity, love and energy! They are natural explorers. She views her role as a facilitator and guide, as well as caregiver of the whole child. Ms Sheri looks at each day as an opportunity to learn, grow, laugh, and make memories! Captured moments and photo documentation are a huge part of her daily curriculum, and pictures are shared generously and daily with parents! There is love and fun every day in Ms. Sheri’s classroom!
Ms. Kristina - Room 8
Ms. Kristina entered her tenth year in the Early Childhood Education world this fall! She is a military spouse and so thankful to have had career opportunities all over the world, from Japan, to Florida, to back home here in Southern California. Over the course of her career, she has found beauty in meeting each child with kindness and compassion, and how profound it can be in building relationships with her students. Her highest priority is that her students feel abundantly safe and loved. She places emphasis on each child feeling truly seen and cared for in her classroom. In Ms. Kristina’s classroom, they play to learn! In addition to her weekly lesson plans, the room, its learning centers, and all materials are intentionally set up so that no matter what the children are engaged with, they are actively strengthening areas of development. She also believes whole-heartedly in the power of uninterrupted play. So many skills, lessons, creativity, and imagination are just waiting to be organically discovered during this time in a child’s life! When Ms. Kristina is not spending time with some of her favorite little besties, she is most likely with her own 3 (soon to be 4) year old and her husband! They love to spend time outside together, try new foods, and roam the zoo!
Ms. Jan - Subsitute teacher
Ms. Jan loves being the substitute teacher at SVCC!! She loves sharing joy and laughter with the children. Living a day through a child's eyes keeps her young and teaches her kindness. Being silly is the BEST!
MR. ben - Science Lab Teacher
Mr. Ben enjoys teaching young children science because he gets to witness their joy and excitement as the science projects unfold. In his class, the children get to explore everything from a chemical reaction to engineering, which always makes it a learning adventure! As a past student of SVCC, he feels honored now to be teaching in our Science Lab!