Katie Derby grew up in Puyallup, WA near the ocean and mountains of the Pacific Northwest. She graduated from Wartburg College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with a focus in Art Education. Shortly after graduating from Wartburg she continued her schooling and earned her Master’s Degree in Creative Arts and Learning from Lesley University.
Katie has been teaching elementary and early childhood age children for twenty-one years. Of those twenty-one years, fifteen were spent teaching children three to six years old in private and public formal classroom settings. The last eight years she has added to that teaching experience by educating and caring for 0-5 year olds through the daily care and preschool program in her in-home family child care. Katie says she "is driven by the excitement and passion young children bring to life!"
Katie currently lives in Rochester, MN with her 3 year old puppy Trudi Judi and 1 year old puppy Wanda Pickles. Summertime at Katie's Kinder Garden is laid back and full of fun and lots of outdoor play! After all the little munchkins have gone home, the summer evenings and weekends are typically spent relaxing with friends around a campfire, taking in the fun and beauty of Minnesota through little road trips, visits out West and South to connect with family and friends, and time spent tending the flower gardens or working on home projects. It is so exciting to experience the beauty and bounty of all that hard work and time traveling!
During the Fall, Winter, and Spring Katie dedicates her days to her child care and preschool students. In her time off she enjoys celebrating the seasonal holidays with family and friends, watching movies, crafting and painting, escaping through any number of great book adventures, or creating new savory concoctions in the kitchen.
In the Summer of 2015 Katie made the switch from public educator to family child care provider, making a ten year old dream of wanting to own her own small business and preschool come true! Bringing her early childhood experience in teaching to her in-home child care business these last eight years has been a thrilling adventure. Add to that the many joys of nurturing children from 2 months through 5 years old and beyond, and she couldn't be happier with the path she has chosen!
Katie has been teaching elementary and early childhood age children for twenty-one years. Of those twenty-one years, fifteen were spent teaching children three to six years old in private and public formal classroom settings. The last eight years she has added to that teaching experience by educating and caring for 0-5 year olds through the daily care and preschool program in her in-home family child care. Katie says she "is driven by the excitement and passion young children bring to life!"
Katie currently lives in Rochester, MN with her 3 year old puppy Trudi Judi and 1 year old puppy Wanda Pickles. Summertime at Katie's Kinder Garden is laid back and full of fun and lots of outdoor play! After all the little munchkins have gone home, the summer evenings and weekends are typically spent relaxing with friends around a campfire, taking in the fun and beauty of Minnesota through little road trips, visits out West and South to connect with family and friends, and time spent tending the flower gardens or working on home projects. It is so exciting to experience the beauty and bounty of all that hard work and time traveling!
During the Fall, Winter, and Spring Katie dedicates her days to her child care and preschool students. In her time off she enjoys celebrating the seasonal holidays with family and friends, watching movies, crafting and painting, escaping through any number of great book adventures, or creating new savory concoctions in the kitchen.
In the Summer of 2015 Katie made the switch from public educator to family child care provider, making a ten year old dream of wanting to own her own small business and preschool come true! Bringing her early childhood experience in teaching to her in-home child care business these last eight years has been a thrilling adventure. Add to that the many joys of nurturing children from 2 months through 5 years old and beyond, and she couldn't be happier with the path she has chosen!