Staff

Hello, I’m Dexter Smith, more commonly referred to as “Mr. Dexter.”  I am a native Chicagoan born and raised.  I have worked in the field of Early Childhood Education for 30 years.  During those years I have mostly worked with community based non-profit organizations in a variety of roles.   I have been a Preschool Teacher, Program Manager of a multisite early childhood respite care program; Facilitator of Professional Development for community based and public-school early childhood teachers and education leaders; Director of early learning programs for Preschool for All, Early/Head Start; Education Coordinator for Head Start grantee; and an Adjunct College Instructor teaching Child Development.  My educational background is Family Sciences, Curriculum and Instruction Early Childhood Education and Education Leadership and Policy Studies.  I am committed to having programs of excellence that honor the needs and values of families and their children and support the ingenuity, creativity and know-how of educators.  So, I bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to my role as Director and a strong commitment, passion and dedication to creating collaborative relationships that fosters continuous quality and program service excellence.  

My name is Mrs. Solomon, I am a wife, a proud mother of two incredibly awesome young men, and an early childhood educator. I've earned a Bachelor of Science in early childhood education from Chicago State University.  I have also earned a Professional Educator License and endorsements for ESL and Special Education. My training, and personal and professional life experiences have afforded me the ability to exemplify and practice the spirit and science of early childhood education pedagogy, create and facilitate learning communities that are responsive to the needs of individual children, promote and sustain family engagement by establishing strength-based partnerships with families. I'm excited and honored to work with children, families, the community, and my colleagues.