Our Staff

About The Village School Staff

Sixteen dedicated staff members make The Village School a very special place to work and play. Each one is a mature, experienced early childhood professional, who strives to make each new day even better than yesterday for the children in her care.

An atmosphere of respect and co-operation as well as camaraderie is evident among the staff and as a result, turnover remains low. Low staff turnover has been shown to improve children’s emotional stability and foster a sense of trust. Average staff tenure is 5 years, the most senior staff member having been with us for 15 years.

Helle White, the owner and director, has a Bachelor’s degree from The University of Michigan and has done extensive post-graduate work in education. She has worked with young children in both public and private settings and has been a child care administrator for over 30 years. She is a member of NAEYC and served on the board of the local affiliate for several years.

Of the teachers and caregivers, two are college graduates, two are working on their Bachelor’s degrees, and one has her CDA (Child Development Associates) degree. All staff members receive many hours of required training throughout the year.

Staff Training

Texas law requires that child care workers have at least a High School Diploma or GED. Once hired, each caregiver and teacher must complete 15 clock hours of training in child development and/or early childhood education each year. Caregivers of infants and toddlers must also receive annual instruction on infant brain development and the prevention of SIDS and Shaken Baby Syndrome. Kitchen personnel and others involved in food preparation receive special training pertaining to food safety and must have a current Food Handler’s Card issued by the City of Richardson. Special training for van drivers is also a part of the training spectrum. 

Additionally, each staff must also have current certification in CPR and First Aid.
The current training requirement for child care center directors is 20 hours per year and adds the business dimension to the above mentioned areas of training.

Many excellent training opportunities are offered through local colleges and universities as well as through such organization as DAPE, DAEYC and Camp Fire. Some of the training is provided right at The Village School during staff meetings and classroom mentoring.

Staff is compensated for training hours.