Conversations with Brigit

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brigit.

Hi Brigit, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As my parents can attest, my two favorite things to play as a child were “teacher” and “office”. During my first year as a Director, I realized, “WOW I’m doing it”, a real-life version of “teacher” and “office”! My childhood, which some may consider difficult, ended up being my gift of perspective and experience, driving my passion for creating a nurturing, loving environment for children to grow and learn.

The journey to discovering and realizing my passion wasn’t always clear to me. After I graduated from Thompson Valley High School, I went to college for one year at UNC for Elementary Education. I was unfulfilled, so I decided to take time off from college for some self-discovery. I worked my way up to a management position at Tully’s coffee shop in King Sooper’s. Although I enjoyed the managerial experience, including developing and maintaining organizational systems and making connections with staff and customers, I knew something was missing. It wasn’t my passion.

Becoming a mother to my daughters at 24 and 26 was such a pivotal time in my life. I love being a mom and viewing the world through their eyes. Fueled by becoming a strong role model to them, I felt a need to go back to college. I obtained an associate’s degree in business management.

After having my children, I began to read books on child psychology and early childhood furthering my interest in the subjects. I started to run an at-home childcare and loved it. It was a combination of personal healing from my own childhood and learning how to show up for my children and others. I became fascinated by connecting the early formative years to how and why people are the way they are. That’s when the spark hit me – from birth to age 8 is such an important time in human development. I have always been a lifelong learner and decided to go back to college again, but this time, it would be for my passion, Early Childhood Education.

My life experiences and lessons have brought me to where I am today. I never understood, at the time, how Business and Early Childhood Education would collide and align so perfectly. I firmly believe everything happens for a reason. When I was asked to become the director of W.H.E.E., the dots started to connect. From my childhood inclinations, to working in managerial roles, to becoming a mother, to running a small business and finally to earning my degree and certifications in the field of education, each experience played a part in divinely guiding me to where I am today. Every day I am able to pursue my passion – caring for children at such a vulnerable, important time in their lives by creating rich, educational, and fun learning experiences. It is truly a gift.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of my biggest challenges along the way was pursuing two degrees while working and raising two little children. It took a lot of self-discipline and motivation, inspired by my dear father who has always been a hard worker. At a young age, he taught me the importance of self-discipline and hard work. He would wake up at 4am, go to work and often volunteer and coach our sports teams.

I adopted this work ethic and would wake up at 3 am, practice yoga, focus on college, work, and navigate motherhood. There were many nights filled with tears and the desire to give up, but every time I saw my children and the world around me, I knew there was something I was born to do to make it a better place. The moment I received my letter from the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, approving me for Director, I burst into tears, reminded of the years of long nights and days, studying and working. Now I have the honor of putting my passion into action.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am currently the director and an educator at W.H.E.E. Preschool, (Walnut Hills Early Education) a non-profit preschool in Greenwood Village. W.H.E.E. Preschool, established in 1972, has over 50 years of specializing in Early Childhood Education. It is a place that truly understands the importance of the early childhood years and how this part of development creates a lifetime impact on a child.

W.H.E.E. was guided for 30 years by the former director, Nancy Rullo. Her passion for early childhood, the W.H.E.E. play-based learning environment, along with the motto “it starts in the heart” finally felt like a place that aligned with my educational values. I am so grateful for her and learned so much from her.

What sets W.H.E.E. apart from other preschools is our play-based philosophy, passion for early childhood, inclusive and dedicated educators, and commitment to our community. Our educators all collaborate in creating intentional, enriching and fun learning experiences for students to thrive. Our curriculum focuses on the “process”, rather than the “product”. We have a yoga instructor who comes to our school once a month and teaches fun yoga classes during school. We foster these formative years with whole child learning opportunities. W.H.E.E. has a dedicated volunteer parent board that is always helpful and collaborative. They volunteer their time to help create an environment that makes W.H.E.E. a community, including food drives, parent get-togethers and fundraisers.

Our staff constantly amazes me with the creativity and constant energy they put into serving our students and families. All educators have college degrees and love learning new strategies and philosophies. We all learn from each other. We truly believe early learning “starts in the heart” with a love of learning developed through hands-on experiences. We believe a child’s confidence, critical thinking skills, and the way they trust their environment all thrive in a loving, nurturing setting. It’s not just a “job” but it is truly a passion for all of us who work here.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
We are currently working on the expansion of our school, creating more space for our children to explore and learn! If you would like to support us and our mission, you can by donating to our 501(c)(3) on our website (www.wheepreschool.com). All donations go directly back to our school. If you are looking for a preschool, I encourage you to set up a tour, Id be happy to meet with you and your child and show your family our fun learning space!

Pricing:

• 3 year olds: $441-590
• 4 year olds: $441-$1230
• we offer scholarships and are a UPK provider

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wheepreschool.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wheepreschool/