Our Teachers | Winters Chapel UMC Preschool

Our Staff

Beth Newton

I am honored and thrilled to have been given the opportunity to serve as your new Preschool Director for the upcoming 2022-23 school year. Preschool and all it holds has a special place in my heart and has been a passion of mine for over 17 years! I believe in the importance of providing high-quality programs for all children. I consider it my privilege and honor to support the AMAZING teachers at WCUMCP so that they are able to provide your children with excellence in early childhood education. My personal goal is to work closely with the school faculty in providing supportive, nurturing, and Christian environments for the children. I plan to continue helping children and families to discover new relationships, to discover new ideas, to construct knowledge through play, and to cultivate a joy for learning. In addition, I look forward to working with the church and its staff to support one another as we show the children, families and community God’s love for all of us. WCUMC Preschool is an extraordinary preschool and I am very excited to be a part of this family. Prior to becoming the new Preschool Director at WCUMC, I had been a teacher in the 3’s class at Norcross First UMC Preschool for 12 years and then as the Director of the Preschool for the past five years.

I live in Duluth with my loving and supportive husband Lee for 38 years now and we have raised four amazing sons. In addition, we have four wonderful daughters-in-law (the only way to have girls in this family) and two fun and energetic grandsons. In my free time I love to garden, Shop, and cheer on our local sports teams. I’m a huge Braves fan!

Christina Dupuis

Christina is excited to begin her first year on staff at Winters Chapel Preschool. Her son, Brayden, graduated from the Cool Cats last year; and her daughter, Madison, will be a Monkey. Christina has spent her entire life in the dance industry as a student, then professional and now she owns her own studio. She loves teaching kids of all ages, but preschoolers are her favorite.

Martha Anne Singer

Martha Anne Singer is starting her 11th year at Winters Chapel Preschool. She has a bachelor's degree in Special Education and taught for 5 years in the Chicago Public School System. In her prior years at Winters Chapel, she taught Math and Science, assisted in the Flying Fish (3 year old) room and been lead teacher in the Flying Fish room. She has 3 children - Jake (20 at GA Tech), Jordan (19 at GA State University), Cara (16 at North Springs High School) and pug, Lou. She is excited to teach Mindful Mondays and STEM this year!

Luz Garcia

Luz is originally from Guatemala. She has been a member of the surrounding community for 9 years. She loves working with children and is the lead teacher in the Marvelous Monkey class. Luz is happily married to her husband David for 13 years and is mom to three children ages 12,10,and 5 years old, and pug Milo.

Diane Chappell

Kellie Meehan

Diane Chappell will return for her 19th year at Winters Chapel as our primary substitute Diane has a B.S. in Psychology and a Masters in Therapeutic Recreation from Georgia State University. Diane teaches her Fun & Games Galore P.E. class at several schools in the area including ours. Diane’s daughter, Lindsay, will be a senior at the University of Georgia this year.

Kellie Meehan was a parent at Winters Chapel. She has twin girls in Middle School that will be home schooling through the Georgia Virtual Academy again this year. Kellie has helped us with logistics for Kids Closet and around the school, filling in where needed for the past 11 years. She loves the outdoors and vacations at the beach. She will be instrumental this year in helping us adhere to CDC cleaning/disinfection guidelines.

Allison Parkes

Kelly Romano

Shaina Rodriguez

Allison Parkes was a Winters Chapel parent for three years, and began working as a substitute during that time. This will be her eighth year as a two year old teacher. She will be in the Lucky Ducks this year. Allison has a degree in Political Science from Berry College in Rome, Georgia, and she worked at Turner Broadcasting for ten years. Her daughter Lindsay is a ninth grader and son, Wade, is an 11thth grader at Dunwoody High School. Daughter Brooke, is a 6th grader also at Peachtree Charter Middle. .

Kelly was born and raised in Marietta, GA. She graduated from Kennesaw State University with a degree in Exercise and Health Science. This is her 12th year teaching at Winters Chapel Preschool and has been teaching the 2’s class for 8 of those years. She is married to husband, Matt, and has 2 children ages 15 and 11. Outside of school she enjoys being with family and friends, walking my dog and playing tennis.

Shaina enjoys working with children of all ages. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development from the University of Rhode Island. After moving to Atlanta with her husband in 2014, she taught young toddlers at a Montessori school. Shaina started substitute teaching at Winters Chapel two years ago before becoming the lead teacher for the Playful Pandas. Shaina’s two sons have attended Winters Chapel since they were babies. Eli is now in first grade, and Caleb is in kindergarten at Crossroads Christian Academy. In her free time she enjoys doing art and science projects with her children, baking, hiking, spending time with her husband, and playing with their dog, Pickles.

Marissa Wadsworth

Marissa Wadsworth is excited to begin her 4th year teaching music at Winters Chapel. She finds joy as she sings, dances, and creates music with young children. She received a BA in Music Education with an elementary music specialist emphasis from Brigham Young University. She has four children: Adelyn in 5th grade, Hudson in 2nd grade, Elsie in the Cool Cats class, and Bennett in the Lucky Ducks.

Erin Canal

Erin Canal is no stranger to Winters Chapel. She volunteered her time serving on various school committees and helped organize the library. Most importantly, her daughter Mira, now a 1st grader, is a former student. Erin has a BA in psychology and a Master’s in library and information science and has worked in various capacities with children including 12 years as a private school librarian. In her free time, she enjoys family hikes, tennis, cooking, and gardening. Erin is excited to assist with the Cool Cats!