News
Staff spotlight: spring 2026
Meet four of our incredible staff members!
Meet Justin B.
Justin is the assistant cook at CDLS who helps to keep our children (and staff!) well fed with nutritious breakfasts, lunches, and snacks!
Tell us a little about yourself.
JB: I'm from Minneapolis, and I’m really into collecting Pokemon cards and playing Fortnite. My favorite food is pho.
How long have you been working at CDLS, and how did you get interested in being a cook?
I have been working at the CDLS for 7 years. I got interested in cooking because my grandma used to own restaurants since I was kid, so I grew up spending a lot of time there watching my grandma manage. When I was old enough, I started busing tables and working alongside the chef, and I knew this was something I wanted to do. When I was in high school I took culinary arts at Saint Paul Tech (now Saint Paul College), and when I graduated, I did a year of culinary art school at the Art Institute of Minnesota.
Tell us a bit about a typical work day for you.
The first thing I do is prepare fruit for lunch. Then I wash breakfast dishes and set up the bins with plates, cups, and silverware. Then I put fruit in Cambro containers and make sure everything is ready for lunch.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part is being a positive role model to kids here at the center and doing fist bumps with kids!
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I really enjoy going to the farmer’s market in the summertime, spending time with my niece and nephews, and trying new restaurants.
Justin B.
Meet Amy B.
Amy is a morning preschool teacher in the part-day program at CDLS, working with our younger preschoolers aged 24-35 months.
How did you get into the early childhood field?
AB: It’s actually kind of a funny story! I got a job as a long-term sub working as a float at a child care center, and I worked with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. I fell in love with the job and loved it so much I decided to go back to school to become a teacher!
What keeps you in this field?
I really love working with young children. I appreciate their capacity for being in the moment, and their wonder and curiosity help remind me to live my life more like that. I really love helping children get to know each other and to get along with one another. Creating a classroom environment where children feel safe and seen is a real privilege to me—I love what I do.
What do you like about working at CDLS?
It feels good to be part of a school that has such an important mission. I like working with college students and helping set future teachers up for success and providing them with a deep understanding of developmentally appropriate practice.
What is your favorite season?
Late summer—I love when it starts to cool off a little bit at night but things are still really green and lush.
What is your favorite activity with children?
I like acting out stories with them—especially the stories they create!
Would you like to share a fun fact about yourself?
I like to roller skate!
Amy B.
Meet Haylie E.
I’m 26 years old and have been working in child care for six years. I’m a first generation college student and graduated with my bachelor’s degree in early childhood studies in 2023. I have a sister who is 10 years younger than me, and helping care for her at such a young age really ignited my love and passion in caring for children!
As I pursued my degree I took a class in abnormal child psychology which went over neurodevelopment disorders and emotional/behavioral disorders. Having family members with autism and ADHD, I find this to be a passion of mine and want to learn as much as I can to support not only my family members, but also children in the classroom. Working with the older toddlers in bungalow C has been amazing and where I feel I thrive. The most important thing to me is to create a space where the children feel supported, comfortable, and cared for.
Outside of early childhood I enjoy creative projects such as painting, crocheting, and puzzles! I also love to be outside in nature reading, gardening, or hiking, especially with my two dogs, Luna and Gracie.
Haylie E.
Meet Mandy S.
I am an older preschool teacher in Bungalow D. I started working at CDLS in 2004 as a University of Minnesota student, in the early childhood special education program. As a student, I dabbled in all age groups but quickly found my calling working with older preschool children. For more than two decades, I have found myself extremely grateful for the incredibly meaningful relationships I have made with colleagues, children and families at CDLS. One of my passions in educating young children is developing ways to support emotional understanding through mindfulness practices. I believe that mental health patterns begin early in development. It is important to give young minds a strong foundation to promote a lifelong sense of social and emotional agency. Another passion of mine is guiding children to find wonder in the world around them and develop a reciprocal relationship with nature.
Fun fact about me: my grandmother, Norma P. Shannon, was a special education teacher and researcher at the ICD Laboratory School (now CDLS) in the 1950s and 1960s. Her contributions helped to shape current approaches in the field of special education at the University of Minnesota. Teaching at CDLS gives me a point of pride in my family legacy!
Mandy S.