About Us

Welcome to Saint Raphael Preschool's Virtual Tour

Click Here To View Saint Raphael Preschool's COVID Agreement/Guidance and Resources

School Details

By the state of California, Saint Raphael Preschool is licensed for children ages 3 years through Kindergarten.

Program: 4.5 hours daily (Two classrooms: Angels & Saints).

Offers: 2 (T,Th), 3 (M,W,F), 4, or 5-day attendance (Our Saints class is a minimum of 3-day attendance).

Ratio: 1 teacher for every 7-8 children, with extra support from teacher aides.

Children must be fully potty-trained before starting preschool.

180 school days plus a Summer Program.

Extended Care is offered for an additional fee (8:00 am-4:30 pm).

United with Saint Raphael K-8 Elementary School and Church.

Click Here: Preschool 2021-2022 Calendar

Schedules

Angels Class (3-4-year-olds) and Saints Class (4-5-year-olds)

Schedule: 8:30 am-1:00 pm Monday-Friday (2, 3, 4, or 5 days/week. Our Saints class is a minimum of 3-day attendance).

Extended Care

Before-school care is available from 8:00 am-8:30 am
After-school care is available from 1:00 pm-4:30 pm

Class Size

Angels - 16 children with 2 teachers and 1 teacher aide.
Ratio 8:1

Saints - 22 children with 3 teachers and 1 teacher aide.
Ratio 7:1

Marin Quality Counts

Saint Raphael Preschool is a proud member of the Marin Quality Counts Program. Marin Quality Counts is a program apart of the Marin County Office of Education. Our teachers are high quality teachers that are receiving extra training in order to improve their skills. Your child's brain develops the most within the first five years of their life. Which is why the Marin Quality Counts program aims to provide the best quality early care and education for your child within these years. To learn more about our teaching program visit Marin Quality Counts' website: http://marinschools.org/ece

Saint Raphael Preschool

Curriculum

Developmentally appropriate activities for Religion, social-emotional development, language and literacy, English-language development, mathematics, visual and performing arts, physical development, health, history-social sciences, and science. We are also proud members of the Marin Quality Counts Program. At Saint Raphael's Preschool, we provide a healthy and safe environment for your child. We also provide numerous activities for active, engaging, hands-on learning.

Our "Angels" class focuses on the transition to a group experience for our 3-year old children with special attention to their social/emotional development and adjustment. We offer the children a variety of experiences in art, math, music, dramatic play, movement, stories, large/small motor development, and provide ample social interactions with adults and their peers.

Our "Saints" class (Pre-Kindergarten) continues what has begun in our Angels class and focuses on offering our 4-year old children opportunities to develop their readiness for Kindergarten. We sing, play, draw, and explore letter sounds and various themes throughout our year as the children grow in many skills that will support their success in Kindergarten.

Our Teachers and Staff

Click a photo to learn more about us!

Edith Yates, Director of St. Raphael Preschool, lives in Greenbrae with her husband and has two grown sons who graduated from St. Raphael School.  Her oldest son graduated from Pitzer College and works in the mid-west at a technology company while her younger son is attending Santa Clara University and studying computer science.  Edith has been involved in Early Childhood Education for over 25 years and has taught in family child cares, in preschools for the infant-toddler ages, and in Pre-K programs since 1993. Edith joined Saint Raphael Preschool as the Head Teacher in 2004 when our Preschool opened. With Edith’s knowledge and experience, she helped start our program by developing the daily curriculum and organizing the safe, educational, and nurturing environment. 

 Edith received her Child Development Associate Teacher Permit in 2002, her Early Childhood Certificate in 2004, her Associate Degree in Science and Early Childhood Education in 2006 and her Child Development Site Supervisor Permit also in 2006.  To enrich her own knowledge of early childhood education, Edith attends many conferences, workshops, and seminars throughout the year. She also has been a Mentor Teacher selected by the Marin CARES Program to help mentor and advise newer ECE teachers on providing quality care for young children. Staying active with her peers through professional meetings and workshops has allowed Edith to build a strong network and be seen as an expert in her field. Edith’s background is Spanish and she has a strong calling to serve the multi-cultural families at Saint Raphael Preschool as they enter a primarily English language educational system. With Edith’s cheerful, vibrant, funny, loving, and determined personality, every child receives the proper foundations for his or her education. Edith’s philosophy of teaching has been to treat every child with respect, tolerance, discipline, kindness, and love.

 Edith’s love for her community and children continues. She has been a St. Raphael parishioner for 27 years and in the past has volunteered with the Parish Children’s Liturgy.

Saint Raphael Preschool

Edith Yates

Director of St. Raphael Preschool

Schnabie Beard is excited to teach for the third year here at Saint Raphael’s Preschool.

Schnabie is a mother of two boys, Jeremiah, 19, a sophomore at College of Marin, and O'marion, 15, a sophomore at San Rafael High School. Schnabie is from a small town in Alabama but has lived in San Rafael since 2009. She loves to run, walk, and stay fit in her free time but her favorite thing to do is spend time with her beautiful family!

Schnabie’s passion is working with young children. She has helped instill positive morals and educate growing minds since she began working with children in 2009. She finds so much joy in finding the positive qualities in every child she works with and helping those qualities to blossom and grow.

Schnabie has worked at a number of San Rafael city schools including San Pedro, Glenwood, and Bahia Vista Elementary Schools. She has also supported the Summer Bridge Program as an Instructional Assistant for the past four summers. This program successfully supports rising Pre-K students to ensure they are Kindergarten ready. Most recently, Schnabie worked at Redeemer Preschool for 4 years as the lead teacher for the 2-year-old classroom. Additionally, Schnabie has run the Sunday School Program for children (ages 2-7 years) at her church for the last six years.

Schnabie is continuing her education as an early childhood educator and majoring in child development. She is looking forward to working with and getting to know the Saint Raphael community!

Saint Raphael Preschool

Schnabie Beard

Angels Teacher

Lily Pachas is happy to be in the Saints classroom with a team of dedicated
teachers, but most of all she is overjoyed to have found a place where she can
combine her love of teaching and faith!

Lily started her career as an artist and as a graphic designer in the bay area. She
moved to Los Angeles, California, and taught art at a Reggio Emilia preschool in
Santa Monica. There her passion for working with children grew as she was teaching art to
three-year-olds. As Lily continued on her journey working with children she
worked as an assistant teacher at two different preschools and was also a summer camp
counselor. To attain her professional goals Lily moved back to the bay area and
began taking early childhood education classes. Lily has not turned back and
has continued gaining more experience by attending frequent workshops, specifically those on
art with children and the Reggio Emilia Philosophy of teaching.

In the classroom, Lily brings a variety of interests and talents to her teaching
which includes art, music, and the Spanish language. She believes by observing and
documenting the children and their interests she creates a classroom
environment that gets the children engaged, excited, curious, and happy.

Lily has now been teaching in various preschools in Los Angeles and Marin
County for over ten years. She is happy to be working again with some previous
teachers she has worked with in the past. Lily mentored Schnabie Beard at Redeemer Preschool, loved having her as a co-teacher and they both have now become friends. During that time Lily also met Melissa Pakka and became friends with her as well. Lily is grateful for the opportunity to be working with such amazing teachers again. The timing could not have been better!

Lily was born in Peru but grew up in Marin County. While already having a BA in
Art she will be continuing her education to pursue a Master’s Teacher’s Permit in
Early Childhood Education. She has also been a member of San Rafael’s Art Works
Downtown since 2017 and participates in their art shows. She is a mother of a
sweet, one-year-old son and has several pets. In her spare time, Lily enjoys
spending time in nature, creating art, and loving her son and family!

Lily is smiling

Lily Pachas

Saints Teacher

Melissa Pakka is a graduate of California State University, Chico where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies with her Area of Concentration in Child Development.

After graduating from the Chico State Credential Program with her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, Melissa jumped right into elementary teaching and started her career teaching 5th grade in Santa Rosa, California. After completing her first year of teaching grade school, Melissa taught that following summer in a preschool and absolutely fell in love with the age group! After working just one summer with preschoolers Melissa had found her true passion...Early Childhood Education!

Melissa has now been teaching in various preschools in Marin County for over 15 years and holds an Early Childhood Education Directors Permit from the State of California. In fact, Melissa even worked here at Saint Raphael Preschool from 2007-2015 in the classroom with Mrs. Yates and is so thrilled to be back teaching at such a loving, fun, faith-based preschool! For Melissa, being a part of a child's first school experience is beyond special to her and she cherishes every minute of it.

Melissa lives in Novato and in her spare time enjoys spending time outdoors in nature, going to concerts, exercising, and loving her 4 nephews!!

Miss Pakka smiling

Melissa Pakka

Saints Teacher

Hazel is excited to start her second year of teaching here at Saint Raphael Preschool. 

Hazel was born in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico, and came to the United States when she was 14 years old. It was not easy for her to adapt to a new country, culture, and language, but with effort and love, she did it. Hazel became a teacher so she could help children under the same circumstances. She wants other children to never give up and to never stop following their dreams. Hazel believes that children learn through play as play helps to nurture imagination and give a child a sense of adventure.

Hazel is married, has a seven-year-old daughter, Danitza, and lives in Mill Valley. Hazel loves shopping, exercising, and learning things about fashion and makeup. She also loves to travel and explore new places.

Hazel has over ten years of experience working with children. She started working as a teachers assistant but her passion for working with children inspired her to continue with her education. She has several Early Childhood Education Units from Chabot College in Hayward (Alameda County) and continues to work on her Associate Degree in Human Development. Hazel thinks it is important to continue learning and developing her skills, so she has taken extra classes to achieve multiple certificates in Guidance and Behavior Management, Curriculum, and Challenging Behaviors. Hazel has worked in many different schools, most being Christian schools. She believes that is important to teach children about religion.  In the past Hazel has been an after-school teacher where she worked with children (ages 6-12 years old), helping students with assignments and leading a variety of activities and games. Hazel also worked at Elmhurst Learning Center for 3 years as the lead teacher for the 2-3-year-old classroom and following that was then the lead teacher for the TK classroom. Most recently, Hazel worked at Corte Madera Montessori Preschool, and in addition to all of that, she even taught adult English classes in Mexico.

Hazel cannot wait to spend the next year learning and growing with the children of Saint Raphael Preschool!

Saint Raphael Preschool


Hazel Llamas

Angels Teacher

Teena is a teacher in the Saints' classroom and this is her fourth year teaching at Saint Raphael’s Preschool. She has been a preschool teacher for ten years and has also worked in school-age after-care programs in the past. Teena grew up in the Philippines and moved to the United States twenty years ago. Today, she lives in San Rafael with her husband and four children (ages 11 to 21). Teena discovered her passion for teaching after homeschooling her two older children for three years. Teena holds an Early Childhood Education Associate Teacher Permit as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Communication from the University of the Philippines.

Teena believes that children learn a lot through play, exploration, and meaningful interactions with adults and peers. Preschoolers have so much to learn before they move on to Kindergarten and she is thrilled to be a teacher in the Saints class to support this learning. Most of all, Teena is happy to have found a place where she can combine her love for teaching and her faith and love for God and be able to share that with all families.

Saint Raphael Preschool

Teena Madison

Saints Teacher

This is Wendy's second year teaching at Saint Raphael Preschool. Prior to working at Saint Raphael’s, Wendy worked at Venetia Valley K-8th Elementary School for two years. There, she taught second language learners the English language and provided assistance to many other teachers in various grades. Wendy grew up in Marin County and is currently attending Santa Rosa Junior College. She is in the process of receiving her Associate degree in Child Development and is on her way to transfer to the school of her dreams, Sonoma State University. There, Wendy plans to get her teaching credential.

Wendy loves working with children. They bring her happiness because children are a reminder of all the good that is in this world; as their hearts are pure and their friendships are sincere. Wendy believes that teachers play an important role in educating the future of this world. She knows that if ever she has a difficult morning, there will be sweet little angels waiting at school to brighten up her day. Wendy just adores being around children because they are loving and sweet.

Wendy believes Saint Raphael’s was a true calling from God. She felt that there was a reason why that calling (Mrs. Yates) reached out specifically to a random girl who happened to be at the right place and at the right time. Because of this opportunity, Wendy feels closer to God and is reminded of the blessings we tend to ignore. She gained much more than she expected working here as she is reaffirming and making her faith stronger. Wendy is very thankful and blessed to be working at Saint Raphael’s.

Saint Raphael Preschool

Wendy Santiago

Angels/Saints Teacher

Prior to teaching at St. Raphael’s, Kathy taught for 12 years at Good Shepherd Preschool in Novato.  Prior to that, Kathy taught 13 years at various other preschools, one in San Rafael and the others down in the Peninsula. She grew up in Pacifica and received her BA in Child Development from San Francisco State University as well as her Early Childhood Education Site-Supervisor Permit issued by the State of California.

Kathy loves working with children. They are so much fun to work with and keep her feeling young and energized. They all are so unique and add their own special quality to the classroom environment. Saint Raphael's was the one preschool in San Rafael that had the exact qualities and philosophy that she was looking for, for herself as a teacher. Everyone at Saint Raphael's is kind and nurturing to all children, parents, and other staff members.

Kathy and her husband have been married for 27 years, although they have known each other for 35 years. He is her high school sweetheart and they live in Novato and have two sons, Ryan 22, and Jack 20.

Kathy thanks you for the wonderful opportunity you and your children are giving her by allowing her to be their teacher.

Saint Raphael Preschool

Kathy Damato

Substitute Teacher
Saint Raphael Preschool is also happy to have Teacher Aides providing extra support in the classrooms.

Dominican Students &
Teaching Aides