Meet the Team

All of our staff meets the Colorado Department of Early Childhood minimum rules and regulations. Each staff member is checked with the Central Registry maintained by the Department of Human Services against a list of known child abusers, fingerprinted and checked with the CBI and FBI for past convictions and trained in CPR, First Aid and Universal Precautions. Our Lead Teachers are trained in Medication Administration.

We are a professional staff selected for our educational training, work experience and love of children. We are a dedicated team working together to provide children with a positive school experience that promotes academics as well as social and emotional development. Our focus is to be positive role models by exhibiting patience, kindness, enthusiasm and creativity in a safe and loving environment.

All teachers participate in staff orientation and attend ongoing training workshops and seminars.

Amy Retchless

Owner/Director

I am a fourth generation Coloradoan. I grew up in Longmont, then went on to graduate from CSU with a BS in Human Development and Family Studies. I completed two internships working with Head Start along with several practicums through CSU’s Early Childhood Center.  I have been teaching for the past 26 years, starting with 11 years with SVVSD followed by my private preschool. I absolutely love my profession. I strive to model joy and the excitement of learning. A parent once said that I had a gift for preschool, I honestly couldn’t agree more. I work hand in hand with educating the children and their families on why what they are doing in preschool is so important and why I truly believe a play based/child lead foundation is essential to the child’s future success. Education of young children is a community effort and one that I take very seriously. 

Miss Gina

Teacher

I grew up in Arvada/Westminster.  I am married and have one son.  We moved to Frederick in 2005.  In 2006, my son started preschool, where I began volunteering.  I realized the joy in working with the children brought to me, I made working with children a career in 2009.  I am very thankful every day that I get to do something that I really love.  I enjoy helping the little children start their adventure in learning.  To me, there is nothing more satisfying than helping a child and seeing them laugh, learn, and grow.  I am dedicated to ensuring that Miss Amy’s Neighborhood Preschool offers a safe, comfortable, educational and fun experience for preschool students.

Therese May

Teacher

Hi there!  My name is Therese May.  I am really looking forward to this school year!  I want to help children discover the world, explore new things, and develop a love of learning.  My teaching journey began when I was eight years old and discovered how much I loved working with younger children.  I studied history and elementary education at CU and earned my master’s degree in literacy from CU in 2013.  Reading is a passion of mine that I hope extends to my students.  I taught 3rd grade for five years at Legacy Elementary in Frederick, and my husband and I relocated to this wonderful town.  I took a break from teaching for a few years to be home with my children, Cecilia and Gabriel. I sent Cecilia to Miss Amy’s Preschool and loved the nurturing and creative atmosphere Amy provided.  I began working with Amy in 2019.  Being a child’s first teacher is such a special job that I do not take for granted.  I treasure the relationships I have built with students, and the relationship that we create between a student and his/her education.  

Miss Dori

Teacher

As a Colorado and Frederick native I am thrilled to be serving a community that has served me so well.
From a very young age I played school and teacher in my own pretend classroom in my parent’s basement and was often the family babysitter or ‘kid magnet’ as my mom would say at family functions. I always knew I was meant to work with children. From babysitting jobs at 12 through preschool and childcare center jobs through high school and college my passion for Early Childhood Education has only grown. After attending MSU Denver with a Human Development degree, my husband and I started our own family and I have been fortunate enough to stay home my 3 kids full time and provide part-time drop-in care out of my home.
I’m excited to continue spending my days with preschoolers and continue to spread awareness on the importance of early childhood play and education. You can often find me in the classroom sitting on the floor with the children reading a story, singing a song or playing with them. I am so grateful to be part of your child’s early childhood years.
In my free time I enjoy supporting my kids at their sporting events, cheering on all the Colorado sports teams, camping, fishing, gardening, tending to our flock of chickens and dancing.

Kylie Rusco

Teacher

I grew up in Firestone and recently graduated from Frederick High School in 2023. I am pursuing my love for Young Minds at Grand Canyon University online while studying early childhood education. Growing up, I was always viewed as the “Mom” of the group, and I always strive to nurture those around me. I fell in love with the preschool age group because they are curious, constantly changing, and want to learn more. I aim to ensure each child feels comfortable and has fun while learning, which is why I love the atmosphere at Miss Amy’s. In my free time, you will find me playing with my dog Bear, reading a good book, listening to my favorite music, watching my favorite sports teams, or paddleboarding. I am excited to grow and learn more about early childhood education and its impact on students!