Dez Delahanty

Head Teacher
(He/Him)

Dez enjoys spending time with his menagerie of animals, including 1 dog, 1 cat, 1 gecko, 2 frogs, and 2 snakes. He loves to hike and camp and hopes to visit every National Park some day. He draws, paints, and plays guitar, and he’s lived in Seattle all his life.
He finds it gratifying to teach children how to navigate their big feelings and watch them explore their environment. Children make more sense to him than adults, and he truly can’t image doing anything else in this life.

Sarah Miles

(She/Her)

Sarah enjoys playing DND (3.5 years with the same group), hanging out with friends, and spending time in the beautiful outdoors when the weather is behaving.
Her favorite part about working with kids is watching them learn and figure something out. It’s such a privilege to see the “aha” moment, as well as witnessing major milestones like walking and talking. They make her laugh every day.

Courtney Stillwell

(She/Her)

Courtney is a passionate educator, having almost 15 years of experience in early childhood education. She loves helping kids discover their own skills and strengths by fostering love and care.
She’s also passionate about music, is a DJ and music producer all over the U.S. and is pursuing a degree in electronic music production. She loves the outdoors, painting, and meeting new people!

Martha Buchta

(She/Her)

Martha enjoys singing with two local choruses, attending concerts and musicals, and traveling. She is also a huge Seattle Kraken hockey fan!
Her favorite parts of being an educator include teaching children to acknowledge their feelings and use their words for self-advocacy and watching her students learn new skills and then achieve them on their own. She considers it an honor to be a part of your child(ren)’s life.

Pata Sebial

(She/Her)

Pata loves to travel, especially to Europe and specifically Italy. She’s excited to be visiting Barcelona soon! She’s also an amazing cook.
Her favorite thing about working with children is that they’re fun, they are eager to learn and grow. She LOVES being at SIDC, and never gets tired of coming to work.

Pata has been an SIDC teacher for over 14 years.

Phaivanh Sisurath

Head Teacher
(She/Her)

Phaivanh loves spending time with her family, cooking delicious food, gardening and taking long walks.
Her favorite thing about working with kids is seeing them develop through different stages, learning their numbers and letters, becoming more independent, expressing their feelings, and problem solving. The kids make her so happy, and she’s amazed by them.

Phaivanh has been with SIDC for 34 years.

Vicky Barrientes

(She/Her)

When not at SIDC, Vicky can be found gardening, spending time with her family, and drawing.
She loves watching the kids grow before her eyes and getting to be a part of that growth. She enjoys helping them learn what to do, and then eventually seeing them do it on their own. It’s gratifying to make a difference and be a part of their growth.

Vicky has taught for 14 years a SIDC.

Kathy LaRocque

Head Teacher
She/Her

Kathy enjoys bike riding on trails in the Puget Sound area, Spokane, and Coeur d’Alene, as well as cooking cozy soups, stews and chilis in her crock pot during cold months.
The PreK kids bring joy to her heart through their curiosity, eagerness to learn and try new things, and their individual personalities. She loves the partnerships with families as they support the child’s individual needs and goals.

Kathy has taught for 27 years at SIDC.

Elzada Lofton

(She/Her)

Zada enjoys socializing and entertaining friends and family, as well as sharing good food with her neighborhood. Known as a social butterfly, she loves meeting new people and taking walks with people in her community. She loves going to plays, luncheons, church, and helping others that are in need.
Her favorite part of working with children is seeing how much they learn, seeing the “light come on,” and the joy and love they share with others.

Zada has been teaching at SIDC for 21 years.

Alana Clay

Floating Teacher & Kitchen Manager
(She/Her)

When not at SIDC, Alana enjoys drawing and reading, as well as ceramics and pottery.
She loves working with children and watching them grow older. It’s amazing to see them become their own unique individuals.

Maggie Godwin

Floating Teacher
(She/Her)

Maggie loves to hang out with her family, explore our beautiful state of Washington with her husband and their dogs, and go to the beach to look for seashells. What she likes most about working with kids is connecting with them and their families, creating memories that they will bring with them throughout their lives. Maggie still remembers her own preschool teacher! 

Lily Saunders

Floating Teacher
(She/Her)

Lily has worked with young children for three years, and her favorite part is watching them hit their developmental milestones, reading books and singing songs with them. In her free time, Lily loves to bake bread, read, and hike with her friends and family!