Clifton Presbyterian Church Preschool
Meet the Teachers
Clifton wouldn’t be the same without our dedicated team of professionals. Passionate and caring, they are here to guide students and families and help them make the most of their time here. Read their stories below.
Director
Amy McConaghie
Amy was born in Washington, DC and raised in the Clifton area. She graduated from Virginia Tech in 1995 and worked at AMS/CGI in Training and Finance. She has volunteered at Fairfax County Public Schools, with Cub Scouts, local VBS and managed local soccer teams. Amy joined CPCP in 2014 and has worked in Extended Care as both the Assistant and Lead Teacher for the 3’s class. This year she will be the Dirctor of CPCP. Amy has three teen boys, all whom attended CPCP.
Lead Teacher
Jen Radcliffe
Jen received her BA in Early Childhood Education from Hood College in Frederick, MD and has lived in Clifton since 1994. She has been an active volunteer in her children’s schools in Japan, Monterey, CA and Fairfax County. Jen joined CPCP in 2008 and is our Lead Teacher for the 4/5’s class. Jen has two children.
Assistant Teacher
Mary Jo Kaczmarek
Mary Jo Kaczmarek received a B.S. in Education from the University of Virginia. She taught first grade and kindergarten in Fairfax County for 9 years and homeschooled her children for 13 years. She volunteers at CVHS and St. Andrew the Apostle Church. She and her husband, Mark, have five children (and 1 grandchild), four of whom attended CPCP. Mary Jo joined CPCP in 2017 and is our Assistant Teacher for the 4/5’s class.
Lead Teacher
Amy Glaze
Amy was born and raised in Fairfax City. She received her BS in Education from Virginia Tech. This is Amy's first year at CPCP but has taught preschool all the way through high school in the past. Amy has four children, sending her first off to college at JMU this fall, along with an eleventh, eighth and first grader. Amy currently lives in Manassas on the Occoquan Reservoir. She is the Lead Teacher for the 3's class.
Lead Teacher
Anne McKinstry
Anne has been providing Music Enrichment for CPCP for many years and joined CPCP's teaching staff in the fall of 2019. Anne will be the Lead Teacher for one of our 3's classes. She received her BA from BYU. Anne and her husband Ryan have 9 children, 8 of whom have attended CPCP. Anne coaches basketball and volunteers in her children's schools. She is also actively involved in many church responsibilities.
Assistant Teacher
Kathie Cipolla
Kathie and her husband Mike of 31 years have resided in Clifton for 25 years; three of their four children attended CPCP. Kathie received her Paralegal Associates Degree from NOVA. Kathie embraces early childhood education and teaches figure skating, hockey and dance with many years of experience with children. Kathie joined CPCP in 2016 and is the Assistant Teacher in one of our 3's classes.
Lead Teacher
Kate Trussell
Kate is a proud Army Brat and spent her younger years moving around, including living in Germany for 4 years. She graduated from Purdue University with a BS degree in Management and minor in Human Resources, and was a Recruiter and managed HR departments. She has volunteered and substituted in Fairfax County Public Schools, and has been a proud supporter of her daughter's competitive and high school dance teams. Kate and husband Jeff moved to Clifton in 2005, and have one daughter who also attended CPCP. This is Kate's second year as a Lead Teacher in the 2.5 year old class at CPCP.
Assistant Teacher
Judy Howell
Judy has lived in the Centreville area for 30 years but recently moved with her husband to Chantilly. She received her BS Degree in Communication Disorders from James Madison University. She taught Speech Therapy in both Rockingham and Prince William Counties. She also has taught 2 and 4 year old’s at a previous preschool for many years. She joined CPCP in 2016 and was the Lead Teacher for the 2.5’s class. She is the Assistant Teacher for one of our 3’s classes. Judy has 2 daughters.
Assistant Teacher
Melissa Halstead
Melissa grew up in Wisconsin and graduated from UW-Madison in 1992. She joined the US Army and moved to Fort Bragg, NC, where she met her husband, Scott. She left the Army to focus on her family. They have two adult daughters and have lived in Northern Virginia twice over the course of her husband's 30-year career. She received her Master of Science in Elementary Education from Old Dominion in 2009 and has been a short- and long-term substitute teacher in multiple school systems, including parochial and public schools. They recently moved back to the area after her husband's retirement, and they are happy to be "home." Melissa joined CPCP this year and is the Assistant Teacher in the 2.5-year-old class.