FACULTY & STAFF
All of our Teachers and Aides are dedicated, qualified professionals. They have all acquired the necessary educational courses in Early Childhood Development, with many attaining graduate degrees. To see a detailed biography please click on the Teacher’s name.
Tyler Longpre, Director and Owner
Tyler began working at Valley Vista Preschool back in 2002. She continued working throughout high school and college, leaving to teach fourth grade at a local private elementary school in 2014. Tyler continued to work at the school during summers as she was needed, continuing her ties to the school and her friendships with the teachers. She purchased the school in 2018 and became the Director. Tyler holds a California state multiple-subject teaching credential and a degree in Communications. As a teacher and a mother to twin boys, Tyler understands the value and importance of a quality preschool program to encourage success in elementary school and beyond.
Jessica Chen-Moreno, 3’s Teachers
Since 2000 Jessica has been an integral part of the Valley Vista Staff. She started as a classroom aide and is currently a lead teacher in the Three-Year-Old classroom, as well as the on-site director for the afternoon program. She attended Cal State Long Beach where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a minor in Early Childhood Education. She is married to her high school sweetheart and lives in Glendale.
Angie Wells, Teacher’s Aide
Angie has been with Valley Vista since its inception in 1999 and has been in Early Childhood Education for over 30 years. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Woodbury University, as well as her Early Childhood Education certification from UCLA. Angie was a lead teacher in our PreK program for many years until she decided to step away from leading a classroom and enjoy being an aide. She has three sons, three grandsons, and one granddaughter.
Jill Allen, Aide
Jill received her Early Childhood Education in 1990 at Lake Tahoe Community College and also at UCLA. She used her education to teach preschool in Lake Tahoe. After raising two children in La Crescenta, she joined the team in 2013. Jill is married with two adult children, one grandson, and two granddaughters.
May Chen, Aide
May joined Valley Vista in the fall of 2012. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in 1998 and completed her Master’s Degree in English Language Teaching in 2020 from Assumption University in Bangkok, Thailand. She has taken her Early Childhood Education courses from Glendale Community College. May is married and has one daughter, an alumnus of Valley Vista, and lives in La Crescenta.
Erika Schmied, Aide
Erika became a member of the Valley Vista Preschool team in the summer of 2022. She grew up in the Foothills community and since she was eighteen, Erika has been working in various child development programs in the area. Erika attended Glendale Community College and has earned multiple Early Childhood certificates ranging from Infants through Afterschool. She lives locally with her husband and has one daughter.
Julia Shifflet, Pre-K Teacher
Julia joined us in the summer of 2021. Previously, she’s been a three-year-old teacher and a counselor at various non-profit programs. Julia recently earned three AA degrees in Child & Adolescent Development, Early Childhood Education, and General Education, and is working toward her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education at CSULA. She also has an Associate Teaching Certificate and one in Teaching Children with Special Needs. Julia is originally from Idaho but moved with her family to La Crescenta years back.
Emily Cordova, Aide
Emily recently joined the team in February of 2023. She has worked with children since 2019, first beginning as an after-school tutor for kindergartners, then working with preschool age children. She began working with preschoolers in early 2021 and absolutely loves working with them! Emily graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development in 2022 from CSUN and is currently working toward a Master’s Degree in Education and a teaching credential.
Maritza Umanzor, Two-Year-Old Teacher
Maritza joined Valley Vista in the fall of 2023 as our two-year-old class teacher. She received her education in ECE at Glendale Community College and continues her education, taking more classes towards earning her bachelor’s degree. She’s been teaching young preschoolers for a few years and is excited to be an integral part of our two-year-old program! Being bi-lingual, she incorporates Spanish into her curriculum daily. She’s married and lives in Glendale.
Happy Teachers Grow Happy Students!