Meet the Teachers
Creative & Caring
Sarah Colwell
Young 3's Lead Teacher
Mrs. Colwell is beginning her 4th year at FCP and her second year leading the Young 3's class.
She is a mom of former coop students; two boys who are now at Roxboro Elementary.
Tricia Stefanak
3's & 4's Lead Teacher
Mrs. Stefanak sets up a positive environment, helping children adjust to their first time being at school.
Mrs. Stefanak has three children and two granddaughters and has lived in Cleveland Heights for 25 years.
Megan Abel
Pre-K Lead Teacher
Ms. Megan started working professionally in Early Childhood Education in 2007 after graduating from college in Pennsylvania. She spent eight years working for Bright Horizons Family Solutions teaching toddlers and preschoolers.
Ms. Megan and her husband, Steve, have 3 kiddos. Ms. Megan has been a part of the FCP family since 2016 when her oldest son joined the PreK class. Her younger two children also attended FCP.
Beth Zednik
Director
Ms. Beth is our school's director. She has a background working in education as 7-12th grade math teacher, and then as a director of curriculum and instruction.
She helps keep our school running and makes sure we meet all of the state requirements. She has two daughters who both went through the coop.
Jenny Metzer
Young 3's Assistant Teacher
Ms. Jenny is a born and raised Clevelander, now living in Cleveland Heights for over a decade.
She joined Fairmount Coop in 2016 when her son Joseph enrolled in the 3/4s class. She volunteered on the executive board in 2017 and remained there until her son graduated. After Covid, she joined the preschool once again and served as Board President from 2021-2023. In that time, she worked to shape the Fairmount Coop community and became a long term substitute teacher in our Young 3’s class.
Though she left the coop when her son graduated in 2023, her passion for learning through play in a cooperative environment remained and she has now joined us on as a FCP staff member. Ms. Jenny is excited to work as the Teacher Assistant in our Young 3’s class helping our littlest students grow in a safe and caring environment.
Jenn Zichelli
3's & 4's Assitant Teacher
Ms. Jenn was born and raised in Cleveland. After spending a decade in Maryland, she returned to Cleveland in Summer of 2018 and now lives in Shaker Heights with her husband and 2 sons, Bobby & Bode.
She left her job in the corporate world in 2024, and her son, Bode, joined the co-op's Pre-K class. Ms. Jenn fell in love with the school and wasn't ready to leave when Bode graduated. She was thrilled to join the staff as the assistant 3-4's teacher in 2025. She loves being silly, and spending time with the wonderful kids, and getting to know the families at FCP.
Amanda Wallace
Pre-K Assistant Teacher
Originally from Tennessee, Ms. Amanda spent her childhood in Chattanooga She and her husband called Chicago home for 12 years before moving to Cleveland. While in Chicago, Ms. Amanda worked at an independent school for junior kindergarten through 12th grade, where she oversaw admissions. She has also served as a Sunday school teacher and vacation bible school counselor in various churches over the years.
Ms. Amanda and her family moved to the Cleveland area when her husband joined Fairmount Presbyterian Church as Senior Pastor. Ms. Amanda and her husband live in Shaker Heights with their three children. Her son, Silas, attended FCP, which is how she and her family found this warm and welcoming community, and her daughter, Cece, is currently in Pre-K. She has been an assistant teacher in Young 3s and has been Pre-K assistant since 2024!