Name

Melanie Schrage

Hometown

Wheaton, IL

College

College of William and Mary and UNC-Chapel Hill

What I Do

I serve as the Director at Family Preschool, which means I get to wear all kinds of hats here.  I get to support families and teachers, work with our Board, play outside with kids, help connect new families to our community, and do lots of unexpected problem solving every day!

How I Got to Family Preschool

I lived in Durham for 12 years and worked as a Speech Language Pathologist.  I spent three years starting a school with my family in the mountains of Virginia, and returned to Durham in 2024.  I feel very lucky that the Director position at FPS was open right when I was searching for a new school home to be part of and contribute to!

Interesting Fact

I would spend 90% of my time outside if I could!  Some of my favorite places include the Appalachians, rural Honduras, Wisconsin lakes, and the Eno River.

Most Important Teaching Lesson Learned

Teaching children is only a little bit about helping them learn content, and mostly about guiding their development as they learn how to learn and connect with different people, places, and ideas.  Listening, staying present, and creating learning opportunities for them is joyful, challenging work!  I love it!

Favorite Movie

I am always up for movies that are musicals!  The dramatic feelings and songs give me goosebumps.

Favorite Children’s Book

I have so many favorites, but here are a handful:  Jangles by David Shannon, When the Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant, Alfie by Thyra Heder, and every Elephant and Piggie book by Mo Willems.

Why I Like Working at Family Preschool

I feel so lucky to be part of this close community every day.  The families and dedicated teachers work together and each person contributes unique gifts and expertise to our school, which all add up to a nurturing, supportive place for the children to be together.