Our Team
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Sheila Pharis - Executive Director[email protected]
Hello, I’m Sheila - I’m a 23 year resident of Austin, originally from Southeast Texas. I’ve been working with and raising children for the last 25 years. I have done everything from babysitting and nannying to running afterschool programs and summer camps. My education includes an English BA and 3 semesters in ECE from ACC. I am a people watcher and the people I love to observe most are children. We have so much to learn from them; they can teach us about ourselves as well as about how to love and care for them. My philosophy of Early Childhood Education is based on the belief that every child deserves a safe space to be themselves and explore; when they have that, they will thrive in every way. Sheila Pharis - Directora EjecutivaHola, soy Sheila. Soy una residente de Austin hace 23 años, originaria del sureste de Texas. He estado trabajando con niños durante los últimos 25 años. He hecho de todo, desde niñeras hasta ejecutar programas para después de la escuela y campamentos de verano. Mi educación incluye una licenciatura en inglés y 3 semestres en ECE de ACC.
Soy un observadora de personas y a quienes amo más observar son a los niños. Tenemos mucho que aprender de ellos; pueden enseñarnos sobre nosotros mismos y sobre cómo amarlos y cuidarlos. Mi filosofía de la educación de la primera infancia se basa en la creencia de que cada niño merece un espacio seguro para ser ellos mismos y explorar; cuando tengan eso, prosperarán en todos los sentidos. |
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Adryana Aldeen - Director of Advancement[email protected]
Hello, I am Adryana Aldeen. I am originally from Puebla, Mexico but have been a resident of Texas for over 30 years. I possess a vast amount of experience that spans over 25 years with nonprofit organizations, organizations in intergovernmental and public relations, and in addition I have served as a public policy commentator and consultant on business marketing and Latino community issues. I have provided community service and high-level development coordination which has established a solid foundation for me to spearhead development efforts as Mariposa continues to grow. My educational background includes cross-cultural studies. I am excited to invite you to the great opportunity and blessing of being partners with Mariposa as a donor.Mariposa functions successfully because of people who care to help us with their financial gifts. Therefore, we can provide for educating toddlers by using a 2-Generation approach: high-quality, nurturing care and development to children of low-income families and parent support and educational programming. I would love to meet you and talk to you about Mariposa's impact in Montopolis, which is a Latino neighborhood. One of the poorest neighborhoods in Texas in terms of income. I am married to Doug; we reside in Austin and together we are parents of six incredible young adults. Among the things that I love are to travel, cooking a healthy meal, public speaking and create awareness on health issues. Adryana Aldeen - Directora de AvanceHola, soy Adryana Aldeen. Soy originaria de Puebla, México, pero he sido residente de Texas por más de 30 años. Poseo una vasta experiencia que abarca más de 25 años con organizaciones sin fines de lucro, organizaciones de relaciones públicas e intergubernamentales, y además me he desempeñado como comentarista de políticas públicas y consultora en marketing empresarial y asuntos de la comunidad latina por muchos años. He brindado servicio comunitario y coordinación de desarrollo de alto nivel, lo que ha establecido una base sólida para encabezar los esfuerzos de desarrollo a medida que Mariposa continúa creciendo. Mi formación académica incluye estudios transculturales.
Me emociona invitarle a la gran oportunidad, y a la bendición de poder ser parte de Mariposa como donante. Mariposa funciona con éxito gracias a las personas que se preocupan por ayudarnos con sus donaciones financieras. Así podemos ayudar a educar a los niños pequeños mediante el uso de un enfoque de 2 generaciones: cuidado y desarrollo de alta calidad, cariño para los niños de familias de bajos ingresos, y apoyo para los padres y programación educativa. Me encantaría conocerlos y hablarles sobre el impacto de Mariposa en Montopolis, que es principalmente un vecindario latino. Uno de los barrios más pobres de Texas en términos de ingresos. Estoy casada con Doug; residimos en Austin y juntos somos padres de seis increíbles jóvenes adultos. Entre las cosas que amo están viajar, cocinar, una comida saludable, hablar en público y participar en crear conciencia en asuntos de salud. |
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Lizzy Castaneda - Teacher[email protected]
Hello, my name is Lizzy and I'm excited to accompany your child at Mariposa and get to know you and your family. I have nearly 15 years experience with children of all ages with a focus on early childhood. My daughter is in elementary school and we enjoy watching live music and crafting at home together. Lizzy Castañeda - MaestraHola, yo soy Lizzy y estoy emocionada de acompañar a su hijo en Mariposa y de poder conocerlos a usted y a su familia.
Tengo casi 15 años de experiencia con niños de todas las edades con un enfoque en la primera infancia. Mi hija está en la escuela primaria y disfrutamos juntas viendo música en vivo y haciendo manualidades en casa. |
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Jeffrey LevinHey!
My name is Jeffrey. I’ve been working in childcare for over a decade. Started off teaching chess in Chicago, San Francisco, and then Portland. Whilst living in Portland, I worked in an at-home daycare in North Portland. I also worked at an elementary school in SW Portland. After that, I worked for the YMCA at various locations throughout the city, and then took a position at a preschool in NE Portland. I’ve been living in Austin and working at Mariposa for a year now. Every day, I get to spend a lot of time with the children at the school. We focus on finding words to express big feelings in their not-so-big bodies, exploring all the bugs and animals drawn to our garden, reading books to help their mental development, and whatever their young minds might be interested in on any given day. I look forward to seeing you and your child! Jeffrey Levin - Maestro¡Hola!
Mi nombre es Jeffrey. He trabajado cuidando y enseñando niños desde hace más de una década. Comencé a enseñar ajedrez en Chicago, San Francisco y luego en Portland. Mientras vivía en Portland, trabajé en una guardería en casa en el norte de Portland. También trabajé en una escuela primaria en suroeste de Portland. Después de eso, trabajé para el YMCA en varios lugares de la ciudad y luego tomé un puesto en un preescolar en el noreste de Portland. Hace un año que me mude a vivir a Austin y trabajo en el Centro Mariposa. Todos los días paso mucho tiempo con los niños de la escuela. Nos enfocamos en encontrar palabras para expresar grandes sentimientos, aunque son tan pequeñitos en su tamaño, a explorar todos los insectos y animales que vienen a nuestro jardín, leer libros para ayudar a su desarrollo mental y lo que sea que interese a sus mentes jóvenes en un día determinado. ¡Espero verle pronto a usted y a su hijo! |
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Sayda Mejia - Teacher[email protected]
Welcome! My Name is Sayda, I am going to be one of your child’s teachers. This has been my first year ever being in a classroom and I'm very excited about all the fun and interesting learning opportunities your kids will have. I'm new to Austin area. I am from Dallas, raised in waterloo, Iowa. I've been living in Texas for about 7 years. I live with my husband, two kiddos and my pup. I have been working with kids since I've been a teenager, I enjoy my time with them they are so much fun, and I love seeing them grow. Also, I'm such a big kid. Sayda Mejia - Maestra¡Bienvenidos! Mi nombre es Sayda, voy a ser una maestra para su hijo. Este ha sido mi primera ocasión de enseñar en un salón de clases y me encuentro muy entusiasmada con todas las oportunidades de aprendizaje divertidas e interesantes que tendrán sus hijos.
Soy nueva en el área de Austin. Soy de Dallas, criada en Waterloo, Iowa. He estado viviendo en Texas durante 7 años. Vivo con mi esposo, nuestros dos hijos y mi cachorro. He estado trabajando con niños desde que era adolescente, disfruto de mi tiempo con ellos, son muy divertidos y me encanta verlos crecer. Además, soy como una niña grande! |
Our History
Founding
In 2018, Mariposa Family Learning Center was founded by Austin City Lutherans as an expansion of their outreach to the neighbors of Southeast Austin.
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February 2018
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December 2018
Location for the new early learning center is secured with a Memorandum of Understanding with the Montopolis Friendship Community Center.
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Location
Throughout 2018 and into 2019 ACL raised capital to invest in renovations for the building and salaries for the initial admin and teaching team.
July 2019
Work begins to rehab the school building at Montopolis Friendship Community Center. Many from the Austin City Lutherans community worked to contribute financial support and volunteer labor to create a beautify space for children in Southeast Austin.
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November 2019
Sheila Pharis is hired as Executive Director of Mariposa Family Learning Center. Sheila is a passionate advocate for equality and high quality child care for all children. Her dedication to education and loving care is a guiding principle in Mariposa's curriculum and child care practices.
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Open to Families
In early 2020, Mariposa set about establishing the child care practices that would set us apart from typical centers and a subsidized tuition model that would ensure that our center would be within reach of Montopolis and Southeast Austin families.
January 2020
With our first team of teachers hired for our preschool classoom, Mariposa concentrated on developing best practices and high quality curriculum for our future families.
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February 2020
Our enrollment efforts - that had been underway since late 2019 - resulted in 4 families ready to send their little ones to us on our first day of operations - February 27th, 2020.
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Covid 19
On March 13th Mariposa closed for what was thought to be temporary precautions against the Covid19 global pandemic that was starting to affect families in Austin. Once it became clear that the closure had no definite end the Mariposa Team got together to stay connected to our children and families.
April 2020
Mariposa teachers begin Zoom circle times with families 2 times a week, we also put together activity packets that included materials, books, and games for families to do at home, we also filmed Youtube videos to encourage families to play and craft together.
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August 2021
Following CDC, Austin Public Health, and Travis County Health guidelines, Mariposa reopened our classroom to families who needed to get back to work to support their families and begin to recover from the economic impacts of the Covid19 pandemic. We continue to operate within all current guidelines and to take reasonable health precautions.
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Reopening
In August of 2020, the Center reopened to the families who stuck with us during the closure and to new families who needed accessible high-quality child care. In March of 2021 we started our first food and nutrition parent programming with a school garden.
March 2021
Mariposa Meals is our family food and nutrition program. We held 3 gardening days and 2 information sessions to share with families our Food & Nutrition Guidelines for school lunches and snacks. We garden each week with the children and send home fresh produce twice each week.
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Expansion - Fall 2021!
This summer the Mariposa Family Learning Center voted to take over the Montopolis Friendship Community Center building. We are going to use the space as offices, a teacher resource room, family programming space, and a community hall. We are working to open an infant classroom in December of 2021! See our ongoing Expansion Campaign here.
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Adryana AldeenNovember 2021
Adryana Aldeen is hired as a part time Director of Advancement for Mariposa Family Learning Center. Adryana comes from a long-term career in the Spanish speaking media and in community and cross-cultural service among the Latino community. She takes responsibility for managing Mariposa’s Strategic Initiatives as they relate to funding priorities. |
In order to help protect ourselves as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Con el fin de ayudar protegernos mientras continúa la pandemia de COVID 19.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Texas Health and Human Services, and the Texas Workforce Commission have provided special infection control considerations during COVID-19.
Los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades, los Servicios de Salud y Humanos de Texas y la Comisión de la Fuerza Laboral de Texas han provisto consideraciones especiales para el control de infecciones durante COVID-19.
The information presented here will help us develop and implement a plan, based on these considerations, for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses at our school.
La información presentada aquí nos ayudará a desarrollar e implementar un plan basado en estas consideraciones, para la prevención de la propagación de COVID-19 y otras enfermedades en nuestra escuela.
Los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades, los Servicios de Salud y Humanos de Texas y la Comisión de la Fuerza Laboral de Texas han provisto consideraciones especiales para el control de infecciones durante COVID-19.
The information presented here will help us develop and implement a plan, based on these considerations, for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses at our school.
La información presentada aquí nos ayudará a desarrollar e implementar un plan basado en estas consideraciones, para la prevención de la propagación de COVID-19 y otras enfermedades en nuestra escuela.
New guidelines to follow:
Nuevas pautas a seguir
1. Restrict and prohibit people's access. Only essential school personnel will be allowed in.
Restringir y prohibir el acceso de las personas. Solo se dejará entrar a el personal indispensable de la escuela.
2. Pick-up and drop-off happens “at the car”. Require that children be picked up and dropped off from school, unless it is determined that there is a legitimate need for parents to enter school.
Exigir que se recoja y deje a los niños fuera de la escuela (En el auto), a menos que se determine que existe una necesidad legítima para que los padres ingresen a la escuela.
3. Before allowing entry, evaluate everyone, including children, by measuring each person's temperature when they arrive at school every day. Health check that includes updates on exposures, temperature check, and general well-being check
Antes de permitir la entrada, evalúe a todas las personas, incluidos los niños, midiendo la temperatura de cada persona al llegar a la escuela todos los días.
4. The use of masks is required (Adult).
El uso de máscaras es requerido (adultos).
5. Most of the games and activities will be outdoors. Continue and emphasize cleaning and disinfection protocols to eliminate the virus and reduce the risks of disease transmission.
La mayor parte de los juegos y actividades serán al aire libre. Continuar y enfatizar los protocolos de limpieza y desinfección para eliminar el virus y reducir los riesgos de contagio de enfermedades.
Restringir y prohibir el acceso de las personas. Solo se dejará entrar a el personal indispensable de la escuela.
2. Pick-up and drop-off happens “at the car”. Require that children be picked up and dropped off from school, unless it is determined that there is a legitimate need for parents to enter school.
Exigir que se recoja y deje a los niños fuera de la escuela (En el auto), a menos que se determine que existe una necesidad legítima para que los padres ingresen a la escuela.
3. Before allowing entry, evaluate everyone, including children, by measuring each person's temperature when they arrive at school every day. Health check that includes updates on exposures, temperature check, and general well-being check
Antes de permitir la entrada, evalúe a todas las personas, incluidos los niños, midiendo la temperatura de cada persona al llegar a la escuela todos los días.
4. The use of masks is required (Adult).
El uso de máscaras es requerido (adultos).
5. Most of the games and activities will be outdoors. Continue and emphasize cleaning and disinfection protocols to eliminate the virus and reduce the risks of disease transmission.
La mayor parte de los juegos y actividades serán al aire libre. Continuar y enfatizar los protocolos de limpieza y desinfección para eliminar el virus y reducir los riesgos de contagio de enfermedades.
On the prohibition of entry to school.
Sobre la prohibición de entrada.
We will deny entry to anyone who meets any of the following criteria:
Denegar la entrada a cualquier persona que cumpla con alguno de los siguientes criterios:
A temperature of 100.4F or more; Signs or symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, and mild fever; In the past 14 days you have had contact with someone with a diagnosis. If you are confirmed with COVID-19; or if you are under investigation by COVID-19; or are ill with a respiratory illness; o In the previous 14 days, you have traveled internationally to countries with widespread and sustained community transmission.
Una temperatura de 100.4F o más; Signos o síntomas de una infección respiratoria, como tos, dificultad para respirar, dolor de garganta y fiebre leve; En los 14 días anteriores ha tenido contacto con alguien con un diagnóstico confirmado de COVID-19; está bajo investigación por COVID-19; o está enfermo con una enfermedad respiratoria; o En los 14 días anteriores ha viajado internacionalmente a países con transmisión comunitaria generalizada y sostenida.
Denegar la entrada a cualquier persona que cumpla con alguno de los siguientes criterios:
A temperature of 100.4F or more; Signs or symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, and mild fever; In the past 14 days you have had contact with someone with a diagnosis. If you are confirmed with COVID-19; or if you are under investigation by COVID-19; or are ill with a respiratory illness; o In the previous 14 days, you have traveled internationally to countries with widespread and sustained community transmission.
Una temperatura de 100.4F o más; Signos o síntomas de una infección respiratoria, como tos, dificultad para respirar, dolor de garganta y fiebre leve; En los 14 días anteriores ha tenido contacto con alguien con un diagnóstico confirmado de COVID-19; está bajo investigación por COVID-19; o está enfermo con una enfermedad respiratoria; o En los 14 días anteriores ha viajado internacionalmente a países con transmisión comunitaria generalizada y sostenida.
