Happy House provides a family-friendly working environment for our staff and teachers. Our staff is composed of office personnel, housekeepers, maintenance, food service, teaching assistants, floating teachers and classroom teachers. The first goal of all staff members is to ensure the safety and security of children. In addition, a warm and loving environment enhances a quality learning experience to prepare students for formal school.
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Our teaching staff is highly trained in the areas related to Child Development. The staff’s teaching credentials include bachelor’s degrees, associate's degrees, and Child Development associate degrees. Teachers are required to complete 45 hours of DCF (Department of Children and Families) certification within the first year of employment and obtain twenty-four (24) hours of annual in-service training and they maintain up-to-date CPR/First Aid.
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Meet the Team
Office Staff
Ms. Sheryll Walker
Director
Ms. Walker is the Executive Director of Happy House and serves as the liaison for our Board of Directors. She represents our agency in community and state events and maintains the day-to-day operations of the agency. Ms. Walker facilitates all grants and local and state contracts. She has been with Happy House since 1998.
Ms. Gonzalez
Associate Director
Ms. Gonzalez serves as the Director of our three-year-old students, Pre-K, VPK, and afterschool. She oversees curriculum, scheduling, mandated training of staff, and VPK state compliance. She has been with Happy House since October 2015.
Ms. Pepper
Associate Director
Ms. Pepper directs the infant program, Toddlers, and the two-year-old classrooms. She provides hands-on training to guide teaching staff in developmentally appropriate "Best Practices" for our youngest students. She has been with Happy House since October 1997.
Ms. Hines
Marketing/Creative Director
Ms. Hines is our Marketing and Creative Director who is responsible for managing our social media and promotional endeavors. She has recently joined our team and is excited to contribute her creativity & multi-media expertise to Happy House!
Ms. Gloria
Administrative Assistant
Ms. Gloria works in the office, and is responsible for the finances of the agency including billing, tuition and payroll. She assists with the compliance of state and local contracts and grant obligations. She has been with Happy House since January 1985.
Ms. Norris
Receptionist
Ms. Norris is the friendly face that warmly greets the children and parents as they enter and leave Happy House ensuring everyone's safety. She has been with Happy House since June 2020.
Teachers & Assistants
Building I
Rooms A, B, C, D; Toddlers, 2-Year-Olds
Building 1 is where we house our toddlers (one-year olds), and two-year-olds.
Building II
Rooms F & G; Infants
Building 2 is where we house our infant children, ages 6 weeks to 12 months.
Building III
Rooms I, J & K; 3-Year-Olds
Building 3 is where we house our 3-year-old children.
Building IV
Rooms L, M, N, O; 3-Year-Olds to School Age
Building 4 is where we house our 3-year-olds/Pre-K 3, VPK (4 to 5-Year-Olds), and Kindergarten to school-age children up to age 12, which serves our Florida Virtual and After School Care students.
Floaters/Substitute Teachers
Our "floaters" are essentially our substitute teachers who are either still in the process of obtaining their 45 hours of DCF certification and/or who are new to teaching and are exploring the appropriate age group best suits them as a teaching profession, under the guidance of our Assistant Directors.
