My name is Emily Ruiz and I am excited to act as the Floater Teacher at Park Maitland Preschool this school year. Prior to Park Maitland, I was an assistant teacher at a private preschool in Tallahassee, FL. During my time there, I not only fell in love with Early Childhood, but the close relationships I developed with both students and their families. I recently graduated from Florida State University (Go Noles!) with my B.S. in Special Education. I loved being a Seminole so much, that I am now pursuing my Master’s of Curriculum and Instruction through FSU virtually. Once all of my education is complete, I hope to transition to a lead early childhood teaching position so

that I may continue to watch young minds grow.

My name is Liesel Reinersmann and I'm excited to be the teacher for our K-4 (PreK) classroom. I have a B.S. in early childhood

development and an A.S. in special education. I have been teaching ages 0-5 for over ten years. I have worked at private preschools as well as early head start and head start classrooms. Prior to Park Maitland I was employed as an early intervention specialist and I am very excited

to return to the classroom. When not in the classroom, I spend my time reading (mainly sci-fi or fantasy series) or doing something crafty! My main artistic hobbies include

cross stitching, pyrography, and playing ukulele. I love to travel and play board games with friends. I am originally from Philadelphia and moved to Charleston, SC in 2010 where I met my boyfriend. We subsequently moved to Orlando and we’ve been here for six years so far with our two cats, Daisy and Flynn.

I’ve been teaching young children for countless years - really it’s been so long I’ve lost count! I have multiple credentials that qualify me to work with young children. However, the love I receive from the children and families in my care is what

keeps me coming back every day. I love my job and consider it my life’s vocation. When not taking care of your kids, I have three of my own; ages 17, 14, and 11. I’ve been married for 19 years to a man who takes better care of me than I likely deserve. I enjoy going to the springs (but not the

beach), canoeing, streaming TV and YouTube, and I’d read a book but who has the time with all this quality streaming content. I also have 2 cats, a dog, a guinea

pig, and a fish tank that I’ve been in the process of setting up for a year. It’s coming along nicely.

A native Maitlander, I grew up in Dommerich Estates and attended

Dommerich Elementary, Maitland Middle, and Winter Park High, then went onto graduate from the Teaching Academy at UCF! Post college, I taught Kindergarten for Orange County Public Schools just before marrying my high school sweetheart and moving across the country to California, where I lived in the Bay Area for two years. Craving the "big city lifestyle," we took advantage of job opportunities, packed our winter clothes, and relocated to Chicago, IL. In Chicago, I switched gears from Elementary to Early Childhood, teaching a class of 3 year olds at a private preschool in

the heart of the city. Originally imagining myself as a fifth grade teacher, it was here where I unexpectedly found my passion for Early Childhood. In June, after four wonderful years of living and teaching in Chicago, we decided to move home to be near family (and better weather!) My upbringing has had a huge impact on the way that I feel about exposing children to the arts, which is one major reason I found myself at PMPS. I believe that young children thrive when taught through music,

movement, drama, and fine arts, and you will often find me singing and dancing with my students! Most importantly, I enjoy

helping children find their sense of self while supporting their growth as individuals.

My name is Kristen Wells and I will be working as a Preschool Assistant Teacher. Prior to coming here, I began working in child care 4 years ago. I started as an Infant and After School care teacher

and after working part-time, I realized how much I enjoyed being in the child care atmosphere and switched to full-time. I am the oldest sibling of 4 brothers and 4 sisters so being around children is everything I know. I will be furthering my education this spring to get my degree in Elementary Education. After that I plan to start my career in being a Kindergarten teacher. I can't wait to begin this year at Park Maitland Preschool and am excited for all the new experiences here!