Jenny Gastler is serving as Director of the Early Learning Center for her fifth year.  She has served a total of 9 eight years as teacher, teacher’s assistant, and director.   This year she is teaching TRF in the nursery.  Jenny holds a degree in Home Economics Education.   She is married to Greg who is serving as choir director at LHSS.   They have two children -- Katherine is a senior at Concordia-Chicago, and Matt is a freshman at Rolla.

Elizabeth Cook is teaching the preschool class on Tuesday and Thursday.   She is a graduate of Concordia-Chicago, with 9 years of experience in early childhood education, most recently in Ohio.   Her family moved to St. Louis three years ago when her husband accepted a position in the seminary’s practical theology department.   Their son Ben is a seventh grader at Wydown Middle School in Clayton.      

Lisa Kohm is beginning her second year as the teacher’s assistant in the MWF preschool class.   Lisa and her husband Warren live in Kirkwood with their 3 children:  Kaitlyn, 5th grader, Jacob, 3rd grader, and Matthew, kindergarten, at St. Clement School.  All three are ELC “graduates”.

Pat Steele has served as a teacher’s assistant in the ELC since December 1997.   Pat has a BA+30 from Harris Stowe and Wash U.   Pat taught high school before discovering early childhood education.   She taught PE at Kirkwood United Methodist Preschool for 14 years.   Pat and husband John are members of Glendale Lutheran.  Pat and John operate the Kirkwood Volleyball Club and Pat refs for area games.  Their daughter, Carrie, teaches history and coaches volleyball at Parkway South High School.