Preschool Staff

The staff of Christ Church Preschool are loving, caring committed Christians who are dedicated to the healthy development of young children. Each staff member has been selected for their expertise in early childhood education, as well as passing the stringent requirments for working with your children.

Cathy Fiala
Christ Church of Oak Brook Preschool Director

3-Year Old Teachers

Patti
Keough
I’m Patti Keough and I’m very excited to be teaching here at Christ Church of Oak Brook. Working with young children has always been my passion. I received my bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master of Arts degree in Theology from Mundelein College of Loyola University. After graduating I taught the second grade for five years, and then stopped to raise my family. Once my children were older I returned to teaching where I taught preschool for eight years, special needs preschoolers for four years, and then at-risk and multi-needs children for three years. I am happy to be back in a faith-based preschool and am having fun in my fourth year here at Christ Church.

Kathy
Weidner
I am teaching in the 3's classroom with Patti Keough. I love being part of your children's early childhood education. I feel blessed to be working for my fourteenth year at Christ Church of Oak Brook Preschool. Everyday is new and exciting in our classroom. Thank you for sharing your children with us. I always enjoy getting to know all of our new friends.

4-Year Old Teachers

Jan
Gonzalez
I am Jan Gonzalez and I teach the 4-year-old class here at Christ Church. I have a degree in education from Calvin College and pursued a Masters degree in Children’s Literature. I have over ten years of experience teaching Kindergarten and second grade. I am happy to be in my fourth year of teaching preschool.

I enjoy a lively classroom that allows children to learn in a variety of ways. My desire is to provide a loving Christian environment for each child. I am blessed to be a part of our wonderful, caring staff at CCOB.

Mary
Rutkowski
My name is Mary Rutkowski; also known as “Miss Mary” and “Moses” to those who attended VBS last year. I am currently a preschool teacher for the 4-year-old class and have been teaching at Christ Church for two years.

It is so rewarding seeing the world through the eyes of a child. Children learn while having fun! The joy I experience playing and teaching God’s children is overwhelming. Seeing their personalities and God given talents shine through via a play-based preschool setting is such a blessing. A child is God’s most perfect gift to the world and all children are unique in their own special way.

Prior to becoming a preschool teacher in the 4-year-old class, I had the pleasure of being a substitute teacher for all three classrooms. It is amazing to witness the different stages in child development that each preschool class offers.

4-and-More Teachers

Diana
Gauger
I am happy to be teaching for my ninth year here at Christ Church of Oak Brook Preschool. This is a wonderful program.

To let you know a little about my background, I graduated from Moody Bible Institute with a Christian Education major, then went on to get a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Elmhurst College. In addition to my work at the preschool, I have done substitute teaching for several years at a variety of grade levels. On-going education and certification classes are an important part of my continuing career development.

Cecilia
Hagist
I have been living in the western suburbs for almost eight years and I am glad to be part of the Christ Church of Oak Brook Preschool.

I have Bachelor of Science with a major in Psychology from Anahuac University in Mexico City. Currently, I am a graduate student at Concordia University in River Forest pursuing a Masters of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education

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I have been around preschoolers for more than six years as a summer camp art director, summer camp counselor, and teacher’s assistant (for two, three and four- year-olds), substitute teacher, and swimming instructor.