Meet Our Educators
Janice Powers began at The Toddler Center in 2005 as an Infant room instructor and enjoys working with our young babies. Janice has an Associate in Nursing and is a certified Registered Nurse (R.N.) and our on-site, full-time school nurse at our facility. In addition to her degree, she has completed over 60 credit hours in nursing in 2010. She has been a mother for 20 years and has three girls, all of which have been campers and students through our programs since 1992.
Peggy Fennell began at The Toddler Center in May of 2012 as an Infant Room Instructor and has been a terrific addition to our youngest program. She has a Bachelor of Art in Sociology and Psychology from Concordia College in Bronxville, NY. Peggy worked as the manager at Chestnut Hill Inn on the Delaware River for 15 years, was the secretary and organist for her church for 13 years, and supervised the church’s Sunday school program for 8 years, ranging in ages from infants to preschool. Peggy has been playing the piano since her childhood and has been teaching private lessons to children and adults of all ages for over 22 years. She raised three boys into fine gentlemen with children of their own.
Jenn Keifer has been a Toddler Center instructor since 1989 and is currently our Toddler Room Head during the school year and our Pool Director during the summer, where she also teaches private and group swimming lessons to various age groups. Miss Jenn is the mother of 3 girls who still attend Curiosity programs in the school year and summer as well as the Counselor in Training (CIT) program through our equestrian program. As the Toddler room head, Miss Jenn has developed a fantastic curriculum with her creative ideas that allow the children to try something new every day!
Josie Patzuk began at The Toddler Center in 2004. She currently works with Miss Jenn in our 2 – 3 year old Toddler program. In the past during the summer months she has also worked alongside Miss Janice in the Infant room in addition to opening the Infant room in the mornings year-round. She has been a mother for over 20 years and her nurturing touch has been a wonderful addition to our youngest programs.
Jane Latshaw began with us in 1996 and currently heads our Young Nursery classroom. In the past, she has taught children in our Nursery and Toddler programs during the school year and summer seasons. Miss Jane has been a fantastic member of our staff and truly enjoys watching the children she works with learn and grow.
Maureen Wiley began at The Toddler Center in 2007 as a teacher aide and currently works with our Young Nursery class. Prior to joining Curiosity, she worked for 2 years at the Neighborhood Learning Center in Plumsteadville, PA with various age groups. She is the mother of one son who has been a student and camper at Curiosity since he was 4 years old. Miss Maureen is now working with our Young Nursery and Kindergarten groups.
Norma Czerniak began at The Curiosity Shoppe in 1982 and has been teaching for over 37 years! She is now our head Nursery teacher. Mrs. Czerniak graduated from Temple University with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and has her Pennsylvania Private Academic School Teaching Certification in Early Childhood Education. Mrs. Czerniak loves baking, needlework, reading, snowmobiling, and anything outdoors!
Carol Morrin began at The Curiosity Shoppe in 1992, working with a range of children and classrooms, and is currently our Enriched Nursery instructor alongside Mrs. Czerniak. Miss Carol also began our Sign Language curriculum 10 years ago and has been instructing sign language for our Toddler through Enriched Kindergarten programs. She is the mother of 4 children who have all grown up here at Curiosity!
Danielle Marshall joined Curiosity in 2010 as a Teacher’s Assistant to the Toddler room instructors. She has had tremendous experience working with children of various ages, including infants, young toddlers, toddlers, pre-kindergarten, and autistic support. Miss Danielle is currently the Assistant Teacher in our Nursery programs. She enjoys playing softball in a local women’s league and has lives in Doylestown with her husband of 15 years and three boys.
Joan Dinlocker began teaching at The Curiosity Shoppe in 1982 and has been teaching for over 30 years! She currently teaches our Pre-Kindergarten class, but has also taught Nursery, Kindergarten, and our Kindergarten Enrichment program. Mrs. Dinlocker graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a minor in Early Childhood Education from West Chester University. She loves to travel around the world and has visited China, Italy, Ireland, England, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. She is the mother of two children who have both been students here at Curiosity!
Nancy Deputy began with us in 2012 as the Pre-Kindergarten classroom teacher. She is a recent graduate of DeSales University with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and recently completed her Master of Science in Education with a Reading Specialist Certification from Cabrini College. Mrs. Deputy has worked in the Souderton Area School District for the past three years as a Title I Teaching Assistant, Extended Day Kindergarten Teacher, and First Grade Long Term Substitute. Her student teaching experience also included fourth grade in the Bethlehem Area School District and first grade at St. Isadore Catholic School in Quakertown. She has been married for 32 years, has three children, and seven grandchildren – 3 girls, 4 boys and one more on the way. Nancy enjoys reading, quilting, traveling, and playing with her grandchildren.
Leigh Gundy joined us in 2010 as a Teacher’s Aide in our Pre-Kindergarten classroom. She has an Associate in Baking and Pastry Arts and teaches our Culinary Camp during the summer. She is a mother of one son and has worked as a nanny for 2 years. Miss Leigh also has experience as a gymnastics coach.
Joan Eddowes joined us in 2012 as a Kindergarten Teacher. Before coming to Curiosity, Joan has been teaching for more than 45 yrs. She started as a 2nd Grade Teacher at Our Lady Mt. Carmel. Joan later became the Director of Education at Delaware Valley Mental Health until 1980 when she worked as a teacher for Pennridge School District and Bucks Co. Prison. Later in 1986, Joan opened her own Day Care and Learning Center. After 8 years, she closed her Day Care to raise her three adopted special needs children. Joan has a Bachelors Degree in Education and a Masters Degree in Reading Specialist.
Stephanie McCloskey just began with us this year as the Enriched Kindergarten teacher along with Miss Lois. She is currently finishing up her Early Childhood Education degree and Director’s certification program. In the past, Stephanie has taught as a preschool teacher at a Christian Child Care for over 6 years. She has brought some great ideas and artistic flair to our Enriched Kindergarten curriculum for their studies on World History!
Lois Brubaker began at The Curiosity Shoppe in 2011 as our assistant Kindergarten teacher and now works alongside Miss Stephanie as one of our Enriched Kindergarten teachers. She has her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Lebanon Valley College and has over 31 years of experience teaching Kindergarten and First Grade in the Lebanon County ELCO School District. Lois is a member of the Lebanon County Teacher’s Honor Society and Delta Kippa Gamma, and continued to take additional college credits at Millersville University for Elementary Education.
Wendy Dinn began at The Curiosity Shoppe in 2008 as the Science and Nature Instructor during the school year and summer. Wendy has a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology and has experience working at the Long Island Museum of Science from 1996 to 2006. She is the mother of two boys who have both attended Curiosity.
Kim Varner began with The Curiosity Shoppe in 2007 as our Music, Creative Movement, and Spanish instructor. She has her Bachelor of Music from Marywood University. Kim in fluent in German, Spanish, and Korean and can write Korean and Hebrew. She plays flute and keyboards in a worship band in addition to writing music arrangements and parodies. Kim also taught English conversation skills to young children in South Korea for 3 years.
Tracey Roth began with Curiosity in the summer of 2012 as the head Nursery instructor and currently teaches Physical Education at The Curiosity Shoppe for the school year. Tracey has worked as a child care provider and summer camp director at a Montessori school in Texas and has recently moved to Pennsylvania from Texas. Tracy has 2 children who attend elementary school in the district.
Jeff Kulp came to Curiosity in 2006 and currently works with our After School students during the school year. He has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Digital Media from Albright College. Jeff has terrific baseball skills, awards, and experience. He received the High School M.V.P. Award in 2004 from Palisades High School, Albright College M.V.P. Awards and All Conference Honors from 2006-2008, an invitation to play in the USA select team to play in the Dominican Republic, and an invitation to attend the Philadelphia Phillies tryouts. Jeff has also played soccer and basketball throughout his childhood.
Nathaniel Leffever began working at Camp Curiosity in 2001 as a summer camp counselor. During the summer months he has continued as a counselor for our oldest group of Trailblazers and is also one of our After School instructors during the school year, where he works one-on-one with students on homework assignments and tutoring as well as planning challenges and team building activities for the group. Nate has completed his Associate in English and will be graduating with a Bachelor of Art in English in Secondary Education from Temple University. Additionally, Nate is also a certified lifeguard and Water Safety Instructor and teaches swimming lessons during the summer.
Rich Hodelka started with Curiosity in 1997 as our bookkeeper and pro tennis director. He graduated from Temple University with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration. Rich was the former head-pro at the Doylestown Tennis Club and Assistant Director of the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center, and was a top-ranked player in the Middle States Area for the 35, 40, 45, 50, and 55 age categories. He is currently certified as a Teaching Professional by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and continues to coach various tennis programs at Curiosity, including Cardio Tennis, Quick Start (10 and under) Tennis, Beach Tennis, and Little Aces (ages 4 – 6 years) private and group lessons for all ages. He has been married for 33 years and is the father of two daughters who were campers and counselors at Camp Curiosity.
Kara Smith has been our Equestrian Director since 2009. She graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and has tremendous experience in equine work through her years of teaching and training horses since 1999, for which she has won many awards at A-rated shows including the East Coast Championship for Hunters over Fences. She is a member of the I.H.S.A. Penn State Equestrian Team and still competes at a National level.
Joan Talbot began working with The Curiosity Shoppe in 2008 as our Assistant Director and Younger Camp Head. Joan graduated from the Penn State University College of Human Development with a Bachelor of Science in Individual and Family Studies with an emphasis in Infant and Early Childhood Development. She also holds her Director’s Credential and Private Teaching Certification for Kindergarten from the PA Department of Education. Joan has terrific experience working with children and families in early childhood schools, programs, and facilities as a director, preschool and toddler teacher, and art specialist at the Community Educational Center (CEC), director at Carnegie Family Center, director at Family Resource Infant Center, preschool teacher and assistant director Lawrence Day School, preschool teacher at the Bucks County Academy for Children, and toddler assistant teacher at Creative Beginnings. She is a member of the Occupational Advisory Committee for the Middle Bucks Institute of Technology and the Bucks County Quality Child Care Coalition (QCCC), and an Administrative Assistant for the Bucks County Education of Young Children (BCAEYC).
Jeremiah Thomas grew up at Curiosity from an infant through his childhood. He became a camp counselor from 1999 to 2003 when he was promoted to Sports Director, and in 2007 he took over as the Director. He graduated from Gwynedd Mercy College with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Early Childhood Education with a minor in Music and Spanish and from Delaware Valley College with a Master of Science in Educational Leadership and Administration. Jeremiah has tremendous experience through teaching at Bedminster Elementary, Kindergarten, Enriched Kindergarten, and Spanish at The Curiosity Shoppe, 6th grade at Plumstead Christian School, and is now the full time facility Director of Camp Curiosity, The Curiosity Shoppe and The Toddler Center. Jeremiah is a well-experienced tennis player and coach in Bucks County. He played first singles and doubles through high school and college, placing second in the 2006 PAC Doubles Tournament, and coached the Plumstead Christian Boys Tennis team from 2008 to 2011. He is a Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) certified teaching pro and instructs at Curiosity Courts for children and adults in Cardio Tennis, Quick Start (10 and under) Tennis, Beach Tennis, and private and group lessons. He is also the proud father of a daughter.
