Leadership & Staff

The School is led by experienced educators who are passionate about its mission.  A lead teacher and assistant teacher are present in each of the eight classrooms, with additional staff in place to support our children’s nutrition, safety, and learning needs. All teachers meet or exceed the minimum state requirements for education level, years of experience, and health & safety training.

Bouchaib Akbaoui

Bouchaib Akbaoui

Co-Teacher - Food Services

About Bouchaib
Cassandra Behrens

Cassandra Behrens

Class Teacher

About Cassandra

Cassie brings a variety of experiences to her work as a Lead teacher in the toddler program.  She has worked in clinical settings, classrooms, and administrative roles supporting children and families.  Cassie earned a Bachelor’s degree in Art Therapy from Carlow University in 2015.

Madisyn Bender

Madisyn Bender

Class Teacher

About Madisyn

Madisyn has worked with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers for the past 9 years.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education from Millersville University in 2021.

Claudia Chavez

Claudia Chavez

Co-Teacher

About Claudia
Susan Cooper

Susan Cooper

Co-Teacher

About Susan

Susie came to the St. John Neumann School for Children and Families in November of 2021 with 9 years of valuable experience in early childhood education and her Child Development Associate credential. She enjoys helping children learn and develop and values building strong relationships with our students and their families.

Ana Elliot

Ana Elliot

Co-Teacher

About Ana
Zulaika Febo-Young

Zulaika Febo-Young

Director - St John Neumann School

About Zulaika

Zully has several years of experience working in special education. She is passionate about enriching the lives of children of all abilities through meaningful and engaging learning experiences. She holds an Associate of Arts in Teacher Education and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Her experience, both professionally and as a classroom volunteer in her local school district, has helped her gain the skills and knowledge to support the needs of children in a positive, supportive, and nurturing environment. In her free time, Zully enjoys spending quality time with her husband and four children.

Sarah Jeffery

Sarah Jeffery

Director - Mary Francis Bachmann School

About Sarah
Maddie Lehr

Maddie Lehr

Class Teacher

About Maddie
Nicole Marcello

Nicole Marcello

Class Teacher

About Nicole

Nicole has 11 years of experience in the early childhood education field, serving families in Lancaster and Dauphin counties, and teaching children of all ages from birth through kindergarten. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Millersville University. Nicole is happy to be serving her hometown of Columbia. She looks forward to supporting our community and young children as they explore, learn, and grow!

Kierstan Mclasky

Kierstan Mclasky

Co-Teacher

About Kierstan

Kierstan has been working with young children for the last 4 years.  She earned her Child Development Associate position during that time and she brings that knowledge to her work at SJN where she serves as a teacher and Food Service and Nutrition Assistant.

Carissa Noel

Carissa Noel

Co-Teacher

About Carissa
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