About Mudpies & Lullabies 

Mudpies & Lullabies Preschool was established in 1996 by owner Anne Williams.  Prior to beginning Mudpies, Anne taught as an elementary school teacher in both the Puget Sound and Vancouver, WA areas for eleven years. Today, Mudpies has grown into what we feel to be one of Central Oregons' preeminent educators of young children ages 3-5.  When the doors opened a decade ago, little did we know that someday we would be serving over 120 families in the Bend area. 

The biggest factor contributing to our success is the professionalism of our  

 staff.  Each of our Head Teachers have obtained their ECE's (Early Childhood Endorsement) . The requirements for the ECE License include at least two years of coursework and 90 hours of classroom practicum by an accredited college.  Our Teacher Assistants are also well qualified; several either have their ECE's or are working toward them.   As a result, we're confident that Mudpies has the best qualified Preschool staff in the area.

Qualifications aside, our teachers truly care for the kids; a visitor to the school will leave impressed after observing the interactions and activities between Teacher and child.  You'll find that we are truly "kid-centric" and love what we do.

Meet Our Staff

Head Teachers:

Mrs. Anne:  Anne graduated from Southern Oregon University with a B.S. Elementary Ed. / ECE and spent the first eleven year of her career teaching grades K-2.  Following the birth of her daughter Hollie, she and her husband relocated to Bend in 1996 to establish her own preschool.  Anne is an active member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and enjoys attending Early Childhood conferences and workshops.  Along with spending time with her family, she enjoys hiking, running, quilting, and working in her garden.

Mrs. Mary:  After receiving her teaching credential, Marys' career began in Northern California with the Palo Alto Unified School District teaching 1st and 2nd grade for six years.  She and her family moved to Bend in 2000 for a "lifestyle" change and began working with middle school students in a church youth program.  Mary has been with Mudpies since 2004 and enjoys reading, cross country skiing, and time with her family.

Mrs. Marcee:  Marcee has been a part of the Mudpies teaching team since 2005.  Before becoming a preschool teacher she directed her own after school program for school age children.  She began teaching preschool after receiving a CDATP in California, which led to extensive training and experience with working with children with special needs, culminating with an "Educator of The Year Award" in 2004.  In her spare time Marcee likes to do things with her family, as well as scrapbooking as a hobby.

Mrs. Kari:  Kari grew up in Bend and is our newest Head Teacher, having joined us in Fall of 2006 after graduating with a Bachelor of Science/Ed. from the University of Oregon.  Kari has traveled extensively to places like Australia, New Zealand, and Ethiopia.  She recently married, and loves the fact that she is able to work with children every day as she's always had a heart for kids and knew from an early age that teaching was her calling.

Assistant Teachers:

Mrs. Micah:  We are lucky to have Micah two days a week, as she is a very busy lady. In addition to working at Mudpies two days a week she is also a full-time student who is looking forward to obtaining her Master's degree for her ECE Licensure.  Micah has been working with young children since 1997 and is looking forward to a long and fulfilling career as a teacher.  When time permits, we can find her snowmobiling, walking with her dogs, hiking, camping, and swimming in the lakes once summer arrives. 

Mrs. Melissa:  Melissa comes to us with a diverse background in both business and the culinary arts.  She and her family are from the Seattle area and relocated to Bend a few years ago.  After having her children, her passion has been directed to the education of children.  She has been a volunteer for eight years, and has received college credit in Childhood Development.  Melissa enjoys cooking, snowboarding, biking, and many other outdoor activities.

Mrs. Karen:  Karen was born and raised in Portland and earned a B.S. in Anthropology from Portland State.  She is currently raising her two children and has spent many hours volunteering in the classroom.  Karen enjoys traveling with her family, excercising, and volunteering for the Bend Theatre for Young People.

Mrs. Amy:  Amy grew up in Sisters, OR, graduating in 1999.  She attended Gonzaga University, majoring in Psychology and working toward certification in Elementary Ed.  After marrying and having her first child, Amy completed her college education in March, 2006, graduating with honors from Eastern Oregon University.  Amy has been very active in the children's arena, serving on policy councils, heading parent workshops, and developing newsletters for parents.  Prior to joining Mudpies, Amy was a Teachers Assistant in both Portola and Quincy, CA.  Amy is currently very busy raising three young children, but in her spare time she enjoys reading, sewing, and working on her independent business interests.