Meet Our Teachers

Karen Beck, Director and Teacher - 24 years with UHP 


Karen became a part of the UHP community while living in Eagle Heights from 1998-2002.  Her two children, Ellie and Alex, attended UHP. Karen was the Treasurer Board Member, a Parent Helper, and a Substitute Teacher before the Board hired her as the Director.


Karen loves to garden. She has two rain gardens filled with native perennials to help replenish ground water and keep the lakes clean as well as for pollinators. She has a love for insects, bugs, and being outside. She is a backyard beekeeper and has Walking Stick Insects and Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches in the classroom. She enjoys sharing her passion for insects, nature, science, math, and building with the kids! Plus, she loves singing, dancing and doing process art and science as well as hands on projects with the children.


Karen also enjoys sea kayak camping in the Apostle Islands, Wisconsin and tent camping in the Porcupine Mountains, Michigan.

 

Karen has been teaching children for over 23 years.  Her most recent accomplishment was earning her initial PreK - 3 teaching license through Concordia College receiving it in June 2020.

Jennie Leunig - 2024-25 Morning and Afternoon Teacher and Summer Camp Teacher- Third year with UHP


Hello! I’m Jennie and I’m so excited to be at UHP! I love working with kids, especially at camp or anywhere I can spend a good bit of time outdoors. My favorite summer camp, which I went to for nine summers as a camper and worked at for two summers, is the Concordia Language Villages’ German village, Waldsee.

 

I majored in Italian and International Studies at UW-Madison and I love learning new languages. This passion has taken me to study abroad years in Germany and Italy, and I am currently in the pursuit of learning French and Spanish. My love for languages coupled with my desire to work with children in a school setting steered me towards speech-language pathology and back to UW, where I am finished up the Communication Sciences & Disorders Capstone Program. When I’m not at preschool or in class, you can find me reading, baking, doing yoga, skiing (if there’s enough snow at Cascade Mountain), singing, or going for a walk by Lake Monona.

 

UHP is the perfect place to see smiling faces. Thanks for the warm welcome!

Renee Deschard - Substitute Teacher - 3 years with UHP

Renee has two children who attend UHP and is also the President of the UHP Board. Renee was a public school librarian for 8 years in Wisconsin and is looking forward to working with children again (and reading fun stories!). Her favorite past times are dancing, listening to music, singing and playing tennis. Her favorite children's book author is Mo Willems. 


Michael Shimoura - 2024 & 2025 June and July Summer Camp Teacher - Second year with UHP


Hi there, my name is Michael. Before moving to Madison and joining UHP, I taught in one of Maryland’s public schools for ten years, working with PK, K, 1st, and 3rd grade bilingual students.  I originally received my teaching certification in PK-6th, specializing in Early Childhood Education, from Eastern Michigan University.  Since then, I earned my master’s in education from Loyola University Maryland which led to working on my doctoral research at UW-Madison in Curriculum Studies and Global Studies. 

I was born in the metro Detroit area and grew up there most of my life.  I love to visit during holiday breaks since my two younger siblings and parents still live there.  When I am not studying or reading for class, I like to spend time with my two cats (Margot and Miya), shooting and developing film photography, spending time outdoors, or watching hockey, among other things.

It’s been a little less than a year since I moved to Madison, but I am loving every minute of it so far! It reminds me of home and the Midwest in general.  Thanks for making me feel so welcome!  

Pyramid Model Poster.pdf

Growing healthy families by promoting the social and emotional development of toddlers and young children with our Program Wide Pyramid Model Implementation! 

Photo taken: 5/24/2023

We Can Be Problem Solvers! Read by Ms. Karen We are starting Program Wide Pyramid Model Implementation. I hope you will enjoy this book with your child! Watch for additional resources coming soon! 

Our teachers are the heart of UHP. The work we do together as a team betters the lives of the children and families we serve. If you love children, play-based, nature, and kindness curriculum as well as being outside, you might be a good fit. Please apply by emailing a letter of interest and resume to kmbeck@uhpparentcooperative.org. Here are the job descriptions: 


Part time (Build your own schedule):


Pay range is $14 – 18 per hour depending on experience. Teachers receive a monthly Child Care Counts pay bonus through June 2025.

Dream Team = Ms. Karen and Ms. Jennie for the 23-24 Academic Year! We are grateful to have such wonderful kids and families!

Ms. Karen and Ms. Jennie's first and last day of Preschool for the 22-23 Academic Year! It was a great year! 

First day of Summer Camp! Looking forward to rolling the kids around in the mud!