Meet the 2020-2021 ICPC Board

Nicole Hester, Cooperative Play Academy

This is Nicole’s fourth year serving as President of the ICPC Board. For the 2020-2021 school year she is looking forward to working with the Board to reach the goal of updating school Standards and the ICPC Bylaws. As ICPC President, her job includes connecting with member schools in the form of providing guidance, assistance, and support; hosting ICPC Board and committee meetings, and attending Presidents' Council meetings. Nicole has served as President, Director and Teacher at Edgewood Preschool Cooperative, and started Cooperative Play Academy, Inc. At CPA, she currently serves as the Director and Teacher. 

Samantha Ooley, Maple Seeds Cooperative Preschool

This is Samantha’s third year serving as the ICPC Director. In the position, she has worked with Board members to revise and update Classroom Participation Training, revise and update Standards, and bring talented and dedicated members to the growing ICPC Board. She has worked to create stronger and more positive relationships between the organization and member schools, as well as between the member schools, and created and maintained professional relationships with the Indiana Cooperative Development Center, Ivy Tech Community College, Early Learning Alliance, and more. In the absence of a fundraising chair, Samantha has also successfully completed fundraising efforts. Currently, Samantha is working with a committee to revise and update ICPC Bylaws. Samantha has a master’s degree in Philosophy and has completed focused studies in educational theory and educational philosophy. As a co-op parent, she has served as Class Rep and President at Edgewood Cooperative Preschool and on a fundraising committee at Maple Seed’s 

Tiffany Dow, Alumni

This is Tiffany’s second year on the ICPC Board. She served as Co-VP of Standards last year and is looking forward to serving member schools again this year. For the 2020-2021 school year, she hopes to accomplish a review of the Standards in order to make them applicable to all schools, no matter if they are meeting in-person or virtually. In her role as VP of the ICPC Board, Tiffany will also host the Presidents' Council meetings for the 2020-2021 school year. Tiffany is an alumnus of Downey Cooperative Preschool & Kindergarten where she served as President, Co-President, and Class Rep. 

For the 2020-2021 school year, Tiffany will track Standards for: 

Cooperative Play Academy, Downey Cooperative Preschool & Kindergarten, Edgewood Preschool Cooperative, Maple Seeds Preschool Cooperative, Northeast Cooperative Preschool & Kindergarten, and Speedway Co-op Preschool.  

Mindy Dant Gordon, Downey Cooperative Preschool & Kindergarten

This is Mindy’s first year serving on the ICPC Board. At Downey, she has served as Class Rep, President and Co-President, and Co-Treasurer. During her two-year term as president, Downey’s executive team grew the membership by opening two 2/3 classes and adding a parent and child class. Now, Mindy teaches the 4/5 class at Downey. She has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. Mindy is excited to learn more and make a difference as a member of the ICPC Board. As Co-VP of Standards, she also hopes to guide member schools in understanding and following ICPC Standards.

For the 2020-2021 school year, Mindy will track Standards for: 

Apple House Preschool Cooperative, Carmel Cooperative Preschool, Geist Orchard Cooperative Preschool, Meridian Hills Cooperative Nursery School & Kindergarten, Nature's Pointe Cooperative Preschool, and Parkview Cooperative Preschool. 

Mary Rose Simons, Alumni

This is Mary Rose’s fourth year serving as treasurer of ICPC. In previous years, she implemented responsible budgeting practices and streamlined the financial processes so that transactions like grant applications and billings can be completed online. This year, Mary Rose hopes to help guide ICPC financially as the Board prepares for an unprecedented year. Mary Rose has served as a teacher for many years and learned accounting from her mother who is an accounting professor and CFO. She has served on the school boards of three cooperative preschools: Edgewood Preschool Cooperative, Meridian Hills Cooperative Nursery School & Kindergarten, and Carmel Cooperative Preschool. 

Melissa Ranck, Meridian Hills Cooperative Nursery School & Kindergarten

This is Melissa’s first year serving on the ICPC Board. As ICPC Secretary, she hopes to take a lead role in updating the ICPC Bylaws and strengthening communication between the ICPC Board and member schools by taking minutes at Presidents Council meetings and posting them in a timely manner. At Meridian Hills, Melissa has served as Co-President and Membership Chair and has sat on the Social Committee and Membership Committee. 

Teresa Hinkle, Nature’s Pointe Cooperative Preschool

This is Teresa’s eighth year serving as the New Teacher Trainer for ICPC. Teresa has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Purdue University and an infant-toddler certification from the Programs for Infants & Toddlers/West Ed. She has worked in the field of Early Childhood for over 30 years and has served as a board member for the Indianapolis Association for the Education of Young Children. Currently, Teresa is the 4/5s teacher at Nature’s Pointe; prior to that she served as the stay and play and 2/3s teacher. As a co-op parent, she served as Class Rep and Parent Ed Chair. In her job as ICPC New Teacher Trainer, Teresa has outlined training material for the program and recently created virtual materials that will allow hybrid (virtual and in-person) learning for new teachers. Teresa has also helped rewrite the ICPC Classroom Participation Training curriculum, working to make the program virtual, as well. In the 2020-2021 school year, Teresa hopes to continue to work with the ICPC Board to put together training modules for parent education.  

Liz Lawson, Maple Seeds Preschool Cooperative

This is Liz’s first year serving as an ICPC New Teacher Trainer. She’s been a co-op preschool teacher for 19 years, currently serving as the 2/3s teachers at Maple Seeds. As a co-op parent, Liz served as Membership Chair, Classroom Participation Training Chair and Co-President. She has also held numerous positions on the ICPC Board over the last 27 years and has worked as an ICPC Classroom Participation Trainer, helping to update the program. Over the summer, she worked with the CPT team to transition the program online. In the 2020-2021 school year, Liz hopes to lead new teachers in an understanding of play-based preschool and give them the tools they need to be successful co-op teachers.

Ashley Shanklin, Apple House Preschool Cooperative

This is Ashley’s first year serving on the ICPC Board. She hopes to help facilitate a close community with ICPC teachers while also providing meaningful learning opportunities for them. Ashley has a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University. She’s taught preschool, from ages 2 to 5, for three years at Apple House. As a co-op parent, Ashley served as Co-President at Apple House before becoming a Teacher. 

Linda Foley, Meridian Hills Cooperative Nursery School & Kindergarten

Linda has served on the ICPC Board many times during the course of her 20 years as Teacher at Meridian Hills. In her role as Teacher Support Chair, Linda is hoping to help support teachers during this unique time in their lives and careers. She plans to help teachers stay connected in a disconnected world. Linda has a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education with a Special Education minor and a Kindergarten endorsement. She is also a Nature Explore Certified Teacher and a Handwriting Without Tears Certified Teacher. She has taught preschool for 26 years, 20 of those years at a co-op where she has also served as Assistant Director for seven years. As a co-op parent, Linda served as Secretary, Parent Ed Chair, and on the Membership Committee. Linda also holds the heartwarming distinction of being a graduate of the preschool where she now teaches.   

Jamie Schroll, Nature’s Pointe Cooperative Preschool

This is Jamie’s first year on the ICPC Board. Over the summer, she helped the Classroom Participation Training team transition the sessions to an online format. In the 2020-2021 school year, Jamie is looking forward to assisting with the development of Parentpalooza (an annual ICPC event that includes speakers who address parents, teachers and community members on topics associated with early childhood) and other Parent Ed events throughout the year. Jamie has a Master of Education degree in Early Childhood Education. She taught Kindergarten in Lawrence Township for eight years. Currently, she is a co-op parent at Nature’s Pointe where she serves as Parent Ed Chair and has previously served as Secretary and President.

Heather Kauffman, Maple Seeds Preschool Cooperative

This is Heather’s second year on the ICPC Board. She served as Co-VP of Standards before transitioning to the Communications Chair this year. Heather has a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing. She has worked as a freelance journalist for 20 years and served as editor for three national children’s magazines, where she aligned the publications with Common Core Standards. Currently, she serves as a Specials Teacher at Maple Seeds where she also served as the 3/4s teacher for two years. As a co-op parent at Maple Seeds, Heather served as Class Rep, NAEYC Chair and served on the Membership Committee. For the 2020-2021 school year, Heather is looking forward to opening as many communication channels as possible between the ICPC Board and the membership, as well as helping to attain recognition for ICPC and member schools in the greater community. 

HELP WANTED! ICPC is currently seeking a Fundraising Chairperson who can help with efforts to draw attention to our organization in the greater community and raise funds that will go towards fee reductions, grants, and more, to the benefit of our member preschools and the parent organization. The ICPC Board could only be improved with the addition of another creative and dedicated person, especially during these uncertain times. Please reach out to ICPC Director, Samantha Ooley, if you have an interest in the position.