My name is Janette Zumbo, and I love working with preschoolers!

I’m in my ninth year teaching developmental preschool for North Thurston School District. Before joining North Thurston, I previously taught preschool in Gig Harbor, WA; as well as in Salt Lake City, UT. I earned a bachelor’s degree in special education from Utah State University with dual endorsements in early childhood (birth-5 years) as well as teaching students with exceptionalities K-12. My master’s degree, which I received from the University of Utah, is also in special education.

I believe that children learn best when they have secure, consistent relationships with responsive adults; and opportunities to build positive relationships with peers. Play is the vehicle in which young children learn so many things: among them, self-regulation, language, cognition and social competence. It is the vehicle for learning in my classroom. My teaching priorities are social/emotional skill development; stimulating, language-rich learning experiences; and collaboration with families and school staff to build a solid foundation on which each child can create a lifetime of success.

I currently serve as a lead teacher for North Thurston's Early Learning program; as Mountain View preschool team lead; and earned my National Board Certification as an Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood in December 2018. Additionally, I am a member of the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children).