Our Amazing Staff

Program Director

Cathy holds Bachelor’s Degrees from Iowa State University in Elementary Education and Child Development and a Master’s Degree in Special Education from National-Louis University. She started at Barbereux in 1992, teaching preschool and kindergarten for ten years and serving as Director of Barbereux for four years. She is also Director of Curriculum.

It was Cathy’s work that led to the initial and continued renewal of NAEYC accreditation for The Barbereux School. She is the parent of one teenage son.

Admissions Director and Administrative Assistant

Lorie joined The Barbereux School in the Summer of 2019. She holds a Bachelor of Education Degree in Elementary Education from St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN, with a Music Minor and a Masters of Education Degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a Gifted Emphasis from National Lewis University.

She has 31 years of teaching experience in the public and private schools as well as serving as Nature Lady in Barrington District 220 for two years. She has also had experience working at Huntington Learning Center and Eye Level as a peer tutor. Lorie lives in Barrington and enjoys spending time with her two grown children.  She also loves to sing, dance, and travel.

Preschool Teacher

Leslie joined the Barbereux School in the fall of 1995. Since that time she has served as classroom teacher, Assistant Director, Curriculum Director, Camp Director and educational consultant. Currently, she is happy to be back in the classroom helping to create a child-centered environment for our youngest students.

Leslie has a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education from Northeastern Illinois University with an emphasis in Child Development. She also holds a Preschool-8th Grade Elementary Teaching Certificate.

Leslie enjoys singing, reading, creating and learning with our preschoolers and is the mother of two children.

Preschool Teacher

Carole started as a substitute teacher at Barbereux in 2013 and as a Preschool Summer Camp teacher in 2016.  She has more than two decades of Early Childhood teaching experience in San Francisco and locally. She became interested in teaching when her daughter was in preschool in San Francisco.  Carole received her A.A. degree from City College of San Francisco in Art History and earned an Early Childhood Education Teaching Certificate from San Francisco State University. She has taught in parent co-ops and private preschools in San Francisco, at the JCYS George W. Lutz in Highland Park, and at private preschools in Glencoe and Evanston.

Carole also earned a Master Gardener Certificate through the University of Illinois Extension and has volunteered at the Chicago Botanic Garden for more than five years.  She was born and raised in Highland Park, attended local schools and currently resides in Winnetka, about five miles from where she grew up. Carole has three adult children and five lively grandchildren.  Her hobbies include genealogy, reading, gardening, and attending her grandchildren’s school and sports events.

Preschool Teacher

Cynthia joined the Barbereux School teaching staff in 2018 as a Preschool teacher.  Cynthia earned her bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the Kansas City Art Institute and a certificate in Early Childhood Education from Riverside Community College. She has taught preschool in Seattle Washington and most recently in Evanston Illinois at the McGaw YMCA Children’s Center. Prior to teaching at Barbereux, Cynthia developed curriculum for a creative studio in Glenview that focused on nurturing creativity in young children.  Cynthia resides in Skokie with her husband and son and enjoys gardening.

Jr. Kindergarten Teacher

Gail joined The Barbereux School in June of 2017.  She taught Preschool for 17 years in prekindergarten and Head Start programs in DuPage county and the City of Chicago.  She also taught at the San Francisco State University Associated Students Children’s Center for two years. While working at San Francisco State she supervised student teachers who were working toward a degree in Early Childhood Education.  Gail received a Bachelor of Arts degree at Northeastern Illinois University and a Master of Science degree in Early Childhood Education and a teaching certificate at Erikson Institute. Gail resides in Des Plaines Illinois with her daughter, Sarah.

Jr. Kindergarten Teacher

Joyce joined the Barbereux staff in 2021.  She has had experience working with toddlers as an assistant teacher and lead teacher at two different preschools working with infants up to 5 years old.  She has had experience as an elementary special education paraprofessional with a one-on-one aide for a 2^nd grade student with autism. She has worked in a blended preschool with students with developmental delays, behavior, and English learners. She has also been a remote learning special education assistant teacher with fourth and fifth grade students. Joyce is currently pursuing Bachelor’s degree in Special Education (K-12) and she lives in Chicago with her husband and 7-year-old son Luca.

Jr. Kindergarten Teacher

Ana Jurado was born and raised in Mexico, where she was inspired to become a teacher at a very young age. She has a Psychology and Philosophy academic background. Ana is a current member of the Waldorf Spanish Teachers Association. She feels honored and blessed to be able to bring her love for the Spanish language and learning into the classroom. Ana resides in Evanston with her husband and two children. In her spare time, one may find Ana singing in a choir, reading, or making hand crafts.

Kindergarten / 1st Grade Teacher

Patrick Blades, lead teacher, was born and raised in Evanston. He graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in psychology and taught English in South Korea for three years. He went on to complete his Master’s Degree in Education and received an Elementary Teaching certificate from DePaul University.

Prior to starting at Barbereux in 2008, he taught for two years at Middleton Elementary School in Skokie as a Special Educational associate teacher. He currently resides in Skokie with his wife, Sung Min, and his son, Max.

Kindergarten / 1st Grade Teacher

Cathy holds Bachelor’s Degrees from Iowa State University in Elementary Education and Child Development and a Master’s Degree in Special Education from National-Louis University. She started at Barbereux in 1992, teaching preschool and kindergarten for ten years and serving as Director of Barbereux for four years. She is also Director of Curriculum.

It was Cathy’s work that led to the initial and continued renewal of NAEYC accreditation for The Barbereux School. She is the parent of one teenage son.

Ana Jurado was born and raised in Mexico, where she was inspired to become a teacher at a very young age. She has a Psychology and Philosophy academic background. Ana is a current member of the Waldorf Spanish Teachers Association. She feels honored and blessed to be able to bring her love for the Spanish language and learning into the classroom. Ana resides in Evanston with her husband and two children. In her spare time, one may find Ana singing in a choir, reading, or making hand crafts.

Donna McCluskey, Afternoon Teacher, joined Barbereux School in 2003. She holds a Bachelor of Studio Arts degree from Arizona State University and a certificate for Early Childhood Education from Oakton Community College.

Barbereux is a natural outlet for Donna to share her talents and love of art and music. She is a member of a local choral group and resides in Wilmette.

“Children make me a more knowledgeable person: they are so curious. With all the questions they ask, I am often looking up answers in books and on the Internet.”

Liz McElhatton joined The Barbereux School in 2014 as a substitute teacher. Since that time her role has expanded to include:  Administrative Office Assistant, Food Service Assistant, and Afternoon Assistant Teacher. Liz received her BA degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management and Accounting from Marywood University in Scranton, PA.

Both of her children are former Barbereux students. Liz’s hobbies include cooking, reading and trying new restaurants.  She resides in Evanston with her children, Rachel and Owen, and her husband, Gary.

Shelley started working at Barbereux School in 2012 as a substitute teacher.  She has been with the school as a substitute and has also worked during our Summer Camp program since that time. Shelley has extensive experience working in Early Childhood in a number of different locations both in California and locally. Shelley loves working with young children and helping them develop their social skills.

Shelley has a degree in Business Administration from Rock Valley College. She lives in Glenview with her husband, Dave. She is the mother of two grown sons.

Already a Barbereux parent, Joe Stillwell joined as a staff member in the Summer of 2016. In 2018, Joe earned a MS Education degree from Northwestern University with a specialty in Elementary Education. He splits his professional time with work as a software QA Engineer. Joe’s three children are all recent Barbereux alumni. They often come back to help out in the afternoons.

Edward recently completed his undergraduate degree at Knox College in Music Education.

For his student teaching, he studied under Katy Sinclair and Hsing-Huei Huang in the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools Choir Program. Edward is excited to return to Barbereux, being a former student himself.  He spends his free time playing video games or Magic the Gathering. He has a two-year old Shar Pei named Ajay.

Sarah is beginning her first semester of college this Fall where she will be working towards earning a degree in nursing. She spends her free time with friends and family, but often likes to walk and bike ride through nature. Next year she hopes to travel often, once the world opens back up and it’s safe to do so!