Now Enrolling for the 2026 - 2027 School Year

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TEACHERS AT ALDRICH

Our wonderful staff is welcoming, compassionate, and knowledgeable.

Year after year, the teachers and staff provide our children with a loving and caring environment. You will find that they enjoy developing relationships with your child and your family.

Emilie Dailey

Teacher, Room 4 and Spanish Enrichment

Emilie Dailey

Emilie returned to the Aldrich faculty in 2021, having previously taught here from 2013-2018. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and has worked in early childhood for 20 years.

Terri Farlow

Teacher, Room 7

Terri Farlow

Terri came in Aldrich in 2000 and has worked as a team and lead teacher. She has training in health and child development from Rochester Area Vocational-Technical Institute and Rochester Community and Technical College.

Jill Finnan

Teacher, Room 7

Jill Finnan

Jill earned a multidisciplinary degree in elementary education and psychology from Bethel College. She worked in several child care centers as an assistant and lead teacher before having children of her own. Since that time she has done volunteer work with children of all ages and homeschooled her daughters.

Nicole Forliti

Teacher, Room 2

Nicole Forliti

Nicole has been with Aldrich School since 2011. She maintains a Minnesota Teaching license and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education from the St. Cloud State University.

Cindy Gagnon

Teacher, Room 1

Cindy Gagnon

Cindy ran an in-home daycare for many years. After she retired from her in-home daycare, she knew she needed to be around children. She found her way to Aldrich and absolutely loves it!

Annie Getchell

Director

Annie Getchell

Annie has a Bachelors Degree from the College of St. Benedict where she graduated in 2006. She joined the Aldrich faculty in 2018, and previously worked 4 years as a preschool teacher and 4 years as an Assistant Director of a preschool program. Annie was honored to serve on the Aldrich Board of Directors for 4 years, where she learned all about the Aldrich philosophy and fell in love with the Aldrich community.

Miriam
Haacke

Teacher, Room 6

Miriam Haacke

Miriam attended Aldrich as a child and began her teaching career at Aldrich as a Teacher’s Aide in 2015. She previously directed an after-school program for at-risk elementary schoolers. Miriam studied music at North Park University in Chicago, IL, and you can also find her playing original music around town under the name “Miriam Halleen.”

Stef Herbst

Teacher, Outdoor Adventures Enrichment

Stef Herbst

Stef joined the Aldrich staff in 2018. She is a Registered Nurse with a background in pediatric nursing.

Mary Herges

Substitute Teacher

Mary Herges

Mary has been on the staff at Aldrich since 2007. Previously, she was a lead classroom teacher at another local nursery school for twelve years and has been in Early Childhood Education for almost 30 years. She received her BA from the University of Minnesota and also holds a current RN license from Rochester Community and Technical College.

Serena Hokanson

Teacher, Room 5

Serena Hokanson

Serena has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Special Education, and taught special ed for several years before deciding to stay home with her children. She is excited to get back into teaching now that her children are in school full time.

Susie Johnson

Teacher, Room 9

Susie Johnson

Susie joined Aldrich School in 2016 after teaching four year olds at another preschool in Rochester. Prior to that she taught kindergarten in Wisconsin for 21 years, twelve of those team teaching with a Special Education teacher. She received her BA degree in Elementary Education from Concordia College.

Ann Kahn

Teacher, Room 7

Ann Kahn

Ann joined the Aldrich staff in April 2018 with 16 years of experience at a local child care center. She has a preschool CDA.

Steve Kasica

Teacher, Room 3

Steve Kasica

Steve has nine years of experience working with students across multiple age groups, and also coaches cross country and track & field at Century High School. He has a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Colorado Boulder, and is completing a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of British Columbia.

Melissa LaForest

Teacher, Room 2

Melissa LaForest

Melissa has a degree in Elementary Education, and ran an in-home daycare program for three years prior to coming to Aldrich. While her older child was attending Aldrich, she talked with the staff about her dream of working at Aldrich- and was so excited when a teaching position became available!

Jenny Landon

Teacher, Room 9

Jenny Landon

Jenny has taught in early childhood education for 24 years and is excited to join the Aldrich team!

Liz Luehrs

Resident Substitute

Liz Luehrs

Liz earned a Bachelors of Sociology from Western Colorado University in 2009. Since then, she has worked with young children in a variety of settings.

Carrie Manguson

Assistant Director

Carrie Manguson

Carrie joined the Aldrich office team in October 2014 and transitioned to the role of Assistant Director three years later. She was born and raised in Rochester & is happy to be raising her family here as well! She graduated with a degree in Elementary Education from University of Minnesota in Duluth. She previously worked at two local childcare centers as a Lead Teacher and later as the Assistant Director and Director of Education.

Jazmin Marquis

Teacher, Room 4 and Spanish Enrichment

Jazmin Marquis

Jazmin holds a Computer Science degree from Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in Mexico, her home country. After working for six years at IBM in Mexico City, she moved to Rochester, and started a career in education. She worked for the Rochester Public Schools District with first and second graders for two years as a paraprofessional, while completing a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University, St. Paul. She joined Aldrich in 2019.

McKenzie Miskimins

Substitute

McKenzie Miskimins

McKenzie grew up in Caledonia, MN and moved to Rochester to begin her college education. She is currently working towards a degree in Early Childhood Education at Winona State University.

Anna Mittelstadt

Teacher, Rooms 3 and 6

Anna Mittelstadt

Anna has 25 years of experience working in the childcare field. She attended Mankato State University and studied child psychology and early education.

Caitlin Newberg

Teacher, Room 5

Caitlin Newberg

Caitlin joined the Aldrich teaching staff in 2022. She has experience in child care and early education with children who ranged in age from infancy through school-age. She loves watching the leaps in development that happen in these early years.

Jolene Olson

Teacher, Room 1

Jolene Olson

Jolene started substituting at Aldrich in 2008 before transitioning to an aide and eventually lead teacher. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Wisconsin- La Crosse and has many hours of continuing education focused on play based learning and child development.

Cheryl Payne

Office Coordinator

Cheryl Payne

Cheryl has been with Aldrich as Office Coordinator since April of 2015. She previously served on the Aldrich Board of Directors from 2009-2011. She has a BA in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Jinx Payne

Substitute Teacher

Jinx Payne

Jinx is currently attending college at the University of Wisconsin in LaCrosse studying K-9 Education. Since she is away at school, she will most likely only be at Aldrich during her winter and summer breaks.

Logan Petzold

Teacher, Room 8

Logan Petzold

Logan has been coaching swimming in Rochester for the last 12 years and is happy to embark on the journey of preschool teaching! She has a BA from Hamline University and a MS in school-aged counseling from UW River Falls.

Nancy Plute

Substitute teacher

Nancy Plute

Nancy is thrilled to be back at Aldrich as a substitute teacher and classroom materials donation coordinator after 16 years of teaching at Aldrich! Her favorite pastime is consignment shopping, shopping at estate sales and heading to Savers on Tuesdays. She is looking forward to a great year at the #1 preschool in Rochester!

Kate Rauch

Teacher, Room 2

Kate Rauch

Kate is started at Aldrich School in 2016. She has taken advantage of both paid and volunteer opportunities working with children over the last 20 years as well as the intense immersion program that is motherhood.

Marcia Riggs

Teacher, Room 1

Marcia Riggs

Marcia has a music education degree from Wartburg College and a special education endorsement from Buena Vista University. She taught instrumental music at a public school in Iowa before moving to Minnesota and has taught private music lessons for 17 years.

Jamie Rocholl

Teacher, Room 5

Jamie Rocholl

Jamie earned an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education and later earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education from University of Wisconsin Whitewater. Her teaching experience includes doing in-home childcare, center based childcare, after school care, playgroups and teaching PreK.

Rachel Skinner

Substitute teacher

Rachel Skinner

Rachel graduated from Hope College of Holland, Michigan in 1994 with a Bachelors or Arts degree, double majoring in psychology and sociology. From 2002 to 2005, she worked at another local preschool as a lead teacher. Rachel came to Aldrich in 2005 and has served in the roles of lead, team, assistant, and aide teacher, working with all age ranges.

Bethany Smith

Teacher, Room 8

Bethany Smith

Bethany has been with Aldrich since 2022. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Washburn University (Kansas). She taught Special Education for 5 years in Kansas before moving to Rochester, MN. She has been working with young children in some manner for over 20 years.

Kendra Verhage

Teacher, Room 1 and 3

Kendra Verhage

Kendra first came to Aldrich as a substitute teacher. This year she is assisting in Rooms 1 and 3. She holds a BFA in Theater from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Nicci Watson

Substitute Teacher

Nicci Watson

Nicci has taught at Aldrich School since 2013. She has dual degrees in Elementary Education and Special Education from Xavier University. She taught special education in a small community just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, prior to moving to Rochester. She is a former Aldrich board member and served on the original Board of Directors for the Children’s Museum of Rochester, a group of parents and community leaders who worked together to bring the museum to Rochester.

Jenn Wesely

Teacher, Room 2

Jenn Wesely

Room 2 teachers for our 2 year old program

Jenn Wiens

Teacher, Room 3

Jenn Wiens

Jenn is an Aldrich alumna and joined the teaching staff in 2022. She has a degree in Early Childhood Development and more than a decade of experience in early childhood education. Jenn is passionate about creating an inspired, exploratory, and safe environment for children to play, learn, and grow.

Linda Wilkins

Substitute Teacher

Linda Wilkins

Substitute teacher
"The teachers, directors and office staff are wonderful to work with. They treat all the families like an extension of their own. This is a wonderful place to be a part of."
Aldrich Parent2025 - 2026 School Year
“Aldrich feels like a second home to my kids. The staff are so warm and welcoming, and I know my kids are in great hands at Aldrich!”
Aldrich Parent2025 - 2026 School Year
“The teachers watch over my daughter closely and speak to her kindly, making sure she can feel safe and enjoy her time at Aldrich.”
Aldrich Parent2025 - 2026 School Year

JOIN THE ALDRICH TEAM

Our program is always accepting applications from qualified individuals who are passionate about early education.

Aldrich offers a family friendly, flexible work schedule with part time to full time hours, no weekends or evenings and holidays off!  We offer a 25% tuition discount for part time staff and 50% tuition discount for full time staff.  Other benefits include:  paid sick time, paid personal time, paid holidays, paid inclement weather days, health Insurance, life insurance, education allotment, retirement savings account with employer matching after 3 years.

We are looking forward to growing our Aldrich Family to do the important and rewarding work we do each and every day!

 

Current openings: 

Assistant Teacher (Part to Full time)

Substitute Teacher

 

Aldrich is an inclusive employer. 

EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION