Meet Our Educators

Dedicated & Certified

FPI has the best preschool teachers in Fredericksburg! Each class has a teacher and a teacher’s aide. They are responsible for planning and implementing the school’s curriculum which is based on monthly themes that also correlate with the seasons. Both teachers have earned bachelor's degrees and are trained in first-aid, health screening, and CPR.

Wendy Cannon

Program Director /Four's Program Teacher

Wendy Cannon has been the teacher for our 4’s class since the spring of 2002. Her love for FPI began when she was a member from 1999 to 2001 while her daughter, Hannah, was a student. After a long-term substitute job at Head Start, she realized how much she loved working with preschoolers and accepted the position at FPI!

She is also the Program Director for FPI, so you can contact her with any questions about our curriculum at program_director@fpionline.org.

Currently, Mrs. Cannon also works for a local non-profit, The Doctor Yum Project where she is a cooking instructor, outreach specialist, and preschool curriculum liaison. She enjoys developing new recipes and teaching families that healthy food is delicious and fun too! Mrs. Cannon can also be found volunteering at The Table at St. George’s every Tuesday helping people in our community who are struggling with food insecurity. Mrs. Cannon loves the beach, cooking, running, reading, music, playing games, and hanging out with friends, family, and her dog, Gus!

Jamie Soper

Three's Program Teacher

FPI welcomed Jamie Soper as the three's teacher in 2015! Mrs. Soper earned her bachelor's degree from Mary Washington College and taught kindergarten in Spotsylvania County for 9 years. The Soper family fell in love with FPI when their oldest daughter attended the school. Mrs. Soper is inspired by the school's learning through play philosophy. Her favorite part of the co-op is partnering with families to provide a positive foundation for each students' education!

Debbie Michel

Assistant Teacher

Debbie Michel is the strong rock that holds up FPI. Before her start as the assistant teacher in both the three and four-year-old class, Mrs. Michel also had two of her children in the FPI program. She keeps the classroom organized, clean, and running smoothly from one transition to the next. She is often responsible for setting up the manipulatives and puzzles at the beginning of the day and the centers during the day. She also helps keep students on track so that there is minimal interruption and maximum engagement. Mrs. Michel has been a dedicated member of FPI's staff since 2001!

Marcia Ransom

Music Teacher

Mrs. Ransom received a bachelor's degree in Music Education from Brigham Young University. While a student, she observed and worked at a weekly Preschool Music class, sponsored by the university to provide students with more learning experiences. In later years she completed 3 levels of Kodaly Music Certification. When her five children were little, she taught lessons and music classes out of her home. Now that her children are all big, she found she missed those little preschool years.

Mrs. Ransom really enjoys teaching music to this age group and the children really love their music day at FPI!

Maura Schneider

Yoga Teacher | E-RYT200, RPYT

Maura has taught yoga to adults and children in Fredericksburg for nearly 10 years. In FPI yoga classes, she uses games and repetition to introduce traditional yoga poses and sequences, which teach kiddos mindfulness, concentration, body awareness, and confidence. In addition to leading adult, prenatal, and preschool yoga classes, Maura is a writer and award-winning storyteller. She’s also mama to two FPI alumni. FPI has really enjoyed having yoga as a great addition to our monthly calendar!