Our Teachers

Prudence Kolano
3 Day Combo Teacher and Director

Prudence Kolano is starting her 3rd year at Sunnymont-Westside. Prudence loves teaching and watching children learn through exploration. She is known for her easy, infectious smile and for making everything seem like it’s just part of the adventure.

Prudence has been a teacher for the past 23 years. She started by teaching Kindergarten, First and Third Grades at elementary schools in San Jose. Both of her own children attended local co-op preschool programs and during that time, she fell in love with the co-op nursery school model.

Besides making her classroom an adventure for children, Prudence had always wanted to make sure it was always a place that offered loving support to each family as their children grew, as well. And “Parent participation schools are a special places for observing this growth. It is a special time! I get the privilege of connecting with each child and their family in a way that didn't always happen within the elementary school classroom.” She also loves the community aspect of a co-op school. She believes that the strong connections and friendships that families form can last a lifetime.

In the decade since deciding a co-op is the place for her, she has taught 1 Day, 2 Day and 4 Day classes at other local parent participation schools.

Prudence has a degree in Environmental Sciences and a California teaching credential. She received the Meritorious Service Award in 2013 and the Honored Teacher award from San Jose State University in 2012. She is the mom of 2 children who went through co-op schools

Victoria Garcia
1 Day and 4 Day TK Class Teacher

We first met teacher Victoria when she was working as a therapist, and came to school to support one of our students. We fell in love with her, and she fell in love with Sunnymont-Westside, and we knew we wanted to keep her. We are thrilled to have her for a 3rd year teaching the 1 Day and 4 Day TK Classes.

Victoria grew up in a home where her mother owned and operated a family child care center, so the importance of early education has been instilled in her for as long as she can remember, and it’s only natural she would find that her passion is working with children. Over the past decade, she has worked with children across various age ranges and developmental levels, from teaching K-6 English language learners through AmeriCorps to teaching in preschool classrooms, to working as an Early Interventionist supporting children with special needs, providing in-home play based behavior therapy and parent training, facilitating social groups and support groups for children affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders and their neurotypical siblings.

Victoria has found great value in teaching through the playful and inclusive art of music and movement, which has been an amazing gift to the children she works with as well as to her colleagues, who’ve learned an immense amount just by listening to her with our kiddos (as well as some more direct learning by taking some workshops she’s facilitated at professional conferences!) She shares her passions for music and young children in her other job with Golden Acorn Music, and luckily for us, in our Sunnymont-Westside classrooms.