Mrs. Curtis

 Director

 Linda Curtis is our Director at Sonshine Gardens. She retired from the Washoe County School District, and she has years of extensive educational experience. As our Director and Preschool Teacher, she uses all that experience to help prepare our preschoolers for their transition to Kindergarten and beyond. We are so thankful to have her at Sonshine Gardens.

Mallory Baker

Preschool Teacher & Assistant Director

 Mallory is our Preschool Teacher. Mallory started with Sonshine Gardens when we first opened in 2013. She left to finish school and raise her babies. She now has her youngest at Sonshine Gardens. She has a great gift of patience and loves working with parents to encourage and develop plans to help each child grow.

Joannie Kennedy

Lead 3 Year Teacher

Joannie is currently a retired insurance agent after 30 years and is an active member at University Family Fellowship and Daughters of the One True King. As a mother of four children and grandmother of two with another one on the way, Joannie is excited to start this new adventure as the lead three-year teacher at Sonshine Gardens. She and her husband are empty nesters, love to travel, and have two chocolate labradors.

Kimberly Hastings

Teacher

My name is Kimberly. I have lived in the Reno/Sparks area my whole life. I have been blessed to be a stay-at-home mom to an amazing little girl for seven years. I have been a FFN provider for my sister off and on for the past three years. Mckenzie, her daddy, and I are avid readers and we love the outdoors. We have three active dogs who keep us very busy.

Nelly Munoz

Nursery Lead Teacher

Nelly is our Lead Teacher in the Nursery and has been with Sonshine Gardens for over 8 years. As a mother and grandmother, she uses her skills in the nursery every afternoon. The babies light up when they see Ms. Nelly.

Elaine Foote

Meet Elaine, the ultimate multi-tasking matriarch: mom of three, grandma of 21, great-grandma of two, and devoted servant of the Lord after a 40-year healthcare career.

Riley Mathews

Riley is a Sonshine Gardens teacher’s aide working primarily with the preschool children and afternoon activities. She moved to Nevada and finished her senior year in Dayton while working part-time at a local daycare as an assistant. After two years, she ventured into the retail industry and realized she missed working with children. She accepted the position at Sonshine Gardens and feels so blessed to be working with children again, and we are so blessed to have her on our Sonshine team.

Micaela Delgado Martinez

Micaela is a Sonshine Gardens teacher’s aide working primarily with the three-year class and helping with the afternoon activities. She was originally from California but moved to Reno in 2018 and loves it here. She is currently working on her psychology degree. She loves art, music, fishing, animals, the Lord, and working with children. Her background makes her a great asset here at Sonshine Gardens.

Tracy Henry

Office Administrative Assistant

Tracy is our administrative assistant in the office. Her most important job that she loves is greeting the children each morning to start their day of right.
 

Pastor Dan Sipma

Owner / Caregiver

Pastor Dan Sipma just loves having the daycare and preschool here at the Church. Pastor Dan is the first one there every morning to open up and the last one there every night to close down. A lot of the children call him “Pastor Dan” but his “favorite title” is Grandpa. He has a special little thing he does with the children: “Give me 5, give me a little knuckle, give me a little wiggle.”
 

Karen Sipma

Administrator

Karen Sipma works outside of the daycare as a commercial lines insurance agent and also works as the administrator for the daycare. When we started Sonshine Gardens Daycare & Preschool in August of 2013, our desire was to be an extended part of your family, not babysitters. We pray that once your child begins at this center, that you experience the community of ohana (family). We truly pray you agree that Sonshine Gardens Darcare & Preschool is a great place to grow.