Shepherd of the Valley Preschool

Our Teachers

Miss Julie

Julianna Strong is the director of Shepherd of the Valley Preschool. She received her Bachelor of Science at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, NM. Julianna is native to north valley New Mexico. She has worked as a childcare giver and advanced her way into a center specialist, and now a director. Outside of the preschool, Julianna loves spending time with her husband and kids. Julianna enjoys watching a good baseball game, camping, and taking her family out to discover nature. She is passionate about working with children to reach their potentials through play and discovery. She is excited to take on this new journey to help develop your children’s creativity and imagination.

Miss Margy Margy Montoya is the lead Pony teacher and has been at Shepherd of the Valley Preschool for 10 years. She is currently taking classes at New Mexico Highlands University CNM toward a degree in Early Childhood Multicultural Education. Margy was born and raised in Albuquerque and attended Shepherd of the Valley Preschool in 1995. When not at work, Margy is busy caring and playing with her sweet little girls, Amelia and Calla and new addition Nollie. She likes hanging out with her family swimming and camping! At school, she enjoys playing outside and creating artwork with the children. Margy is excited to continue to learn with the children!

Miss Gen Genevieve Larranaga has been at Shepherd of the Valley Preschool since 2013 where her son attended preschool. She assists Margy in the Pony group. Gen is married to her high school sweetheart, and they live with their two teenage sons in the North Valley where they were born and raised. She enjoys swimming, camping, backyard BBQ’s, movies, and loving on her sons and animals. Before Gen came to work at the preschool, she did IT work for 25 years at Sandia Labs and PNM. She is thrilled to be at the preschool doing art projects, playing dress-up, rolling out play-doh with the children and working with the wonderful staff.

Miss Myranda Myranda Bracken began working at Shephard of the Valley Preschool in 2023 and has over 10 years of preschool teaching experience. Myranda is married to her college volleyball teammate Daniel, and they live in Albuquerque with their dog Syrup. Myranda still plays volleyball on a regular basis, volunteers for Special Olympics of New Mexico, and in her free time, enjoys hanging out with family and cheering on her Alma Mater, the New Mexico Lobos. Myranda graduated with an associate’s degree in Teacher Education in 2017 and obtained her bachelor’s degree in Art Studio in 2023. Myranda’s favorite thing to do at work is doing artwork with the students and bringing out their creativity.

Miss Susan Susan Hulsey has been part of the SOVP community before she became a TA. All three of her kids have been at Shepherd. She is a huge support to the school as she served on the Family Engagement Committee. She has a history is foreign affairs and family support an is also obtaining a masters level certification in Early Childhood. Susan is commited to the school and families. She is busy being a mom of three and getting them to their activities such as swimming, track, and skiing.

Testimonials

“We love SOTV!!” - Lisa S

Philosophy

Shepherd of the Valley Preschool program is centered on the conviction that young children learn best when their hearts, hands and minds are engaged. Our developmentally appropriate preschool is child-centered and based on the knowledge of how children grow and what they can do—socially, emotionally, cognitively, and physically at each stage of development. We believe that children learn best through play.

We passionately create safe environments, both inside and outside, that are rich in the materials preschool children require in order to grow physically, intellectually and emotionally. We believe that children need ample time and opportunities to explore and discover at their own pace. We provide rich and stimulating learning experiences that encourage coactive play, creativity and empower children by allowing them to initiate and direct their own play. We value outdoor time because it promotes learning in all developmental areas. Our outstanding playground provides opportunities for children to experiment with math and science concepts, strengthen their physical skills, encourage their imaginative and cooperative play, advance their social and emotional skills and enhance language development.

Our educators have extensive training and experience in early childhood education and are dedicated in providing a positive, non-pressured, non-judgmental atmosphere for children. Because of our low child-educator ratios, we have the time to develop a trusting and authentic relationship with every child and understand each child’s individual needs and learning styles.

Quality education is a partnership, and our preschool fosters a strong home-school connection. We host many events that build positive relationships and encourage a feeling of community and fellowship. Family involvement is an integral part of Shepherd of the Valley Preschool, and our quality program, cherished traditions and special sense of belonging are due to the high level of participation and support of our families.

Childhood should be a time of joy for all children. We believe that a diverse student body enriches the life experiences and lives of all children. Children are unique individuals, and we are committed to providing each child with a caring and supportive atmosphere where he/she is nurtured and respected.

About our program

We are NAEYC Accredited