Our Teaching Team

Amanda

I grew up in Sturgis, MI, and moved to Jackson a little over 4 years ago. I enjoy being outside and doing anything with my family. I have a husband and 5 children ages 11 months - 15 years old. My favorite things to do in my spare time are puzzles and reading.

Amy

I have been a preschool teacher for over 20 years, and I have an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education. I am a very active volunteer in my church, where I also teach the toddler Sunday School. I have lived in Jackson all my life and come from a family of 11. I am raising a family here with my husband of 25 years, we have 1 son and 2 daughters. Some of my hobbies are walking, baking, and having quality family time.

Anna

I have been working at Felician Children Center for two years and love it every day! I graduated from Olivet College in 2016 with my bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. I recently just had my son; his name is Cooper! In my free time, I love to spend time with my family, friends and watching Cooper grow!

Bailey

Hello, my name is Bailey Jackson. Some of the things I like to do in my free time include going for walks on the beach or reading a nice book. During work hours, I do many things such as billing, snack transportation, and guarding the door.

Carleigh

My name is Carleigh. One fun fact about me is that I am an identical twin. I graduated from Napoleon High School and am currently in the radiology program at Jackson College. During my free time I like to spend time with my family and be outdoors.

Cassidy

I work at Felician Children’s Center as an Assistant Teacher. I have been here for over 3 years! I graduated from Concord High School. I majored in science at Jackson College. I am currently expanding my career in Early Childhood Education. I love to spend time with friends and family. My favorite hobby is golfing. I have one dog, a black labrador named Oliver. I am looking forward to more great years ahead!

Ashley

Hey, I'm Ashley. I am new to the FCC family and am having a blast. On my spare time I love to draw, do fun projects, clog which is a form of tap dancing, and go on walks with my husky, Chess. I work in the transitional preschool classroom and look forward to meeting all the students at FCC.

Emily

I have cared for children for 15 years now and for the last 5 years, I’ve been part of the FCC family. When I’m not at FCC, I love spending time with my husband and 2.5 yr. old son. We love to go swimming, visit the zoo, play board games, and do fun seasonal activities. In my own free time, I love to capture photos and work on becoming better as a photographer.

Kylee

Hi, my name is Kylee. This is my first time ever working in childcare and I could not be more excited. It has always been my dream to work with children and help them grow into the amazing people they wish to be. I have a fiancé named Keewan, we will be getting married in November of this year and we have a beagle named Winston. I also would just like to say thank you to the Felician’s Childrens Center for letting me work with the amazing staff and children to help follow my dream of becoming a teacher.

Katy

Hello, I am Katy and I have Tourette's. It does make life hard but not impossible. My goal is to get my degree in education within the next few years. I enjoy working in all of FCC's classrooms and watching the different age groups learn and grow.

Kelcie

I have been in childcare for about 3 years. I love spending time with my family. I am a proud aunt to my niece, Mckenna, and my nephews, Kallen and Bodey. I enjoy spending my weekends with my boyfriend Chase and shopping.

Kendra, Assistant Director

I am the mother of three beautiful adult children and a grandma to two adorable babies. I enjoy family gatherings and learning new things. I also enjoy working with children. I am super excited about getting to know the children and staff here at FCC and delighted to be here.

Kristin

I work with Felician Children’s Center as a teaching assistant. I’ve been busy expanding my education and starting my own business. I’m the middle sibling out of three sisters. You can usually find me at home or hanging out with my friends.

Kristina

I am married to my best friend and we have a son named Thorin who is a little over a year old. I went to school in Napoleon and graduated in 2016. My hobbies include art and music. I truly enjoy working every day with your kiddos!

Marissa

I'm from Stockbridge, Mi. I’m a soon-to-be first-time mother. I love working here because children never fail to make me smile, so working with them every day is such a blessing. We strive to make our students happy and to teach them the best that we can which is exactly what they deserve. Every child should have the opportunity to be educated and FCC gives them just that. I’m very grateful to be a part of the students learning experience!

Morgan

I have been working at FCC since August 2019. I love working with kids, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Nicole

I am a teacher’s aide. I have a degree in graphic design and I love spending time with my family, being outside, and reading. I have two cats named Percy and Gary and a dog named Sunny. I love caring for the children here at the Felician Children’s Center and watching them grow and learn.

Zoe

My name is Zoe Cooper. My face might be familiar to some, as I’ve worked here before back in 2019-2020, and am more than happy to be returning! I just couldn’t stay away from the loving atmosphere and community we have here at FCC!
I have worked with children for 6 years now, and am looking into furthering my education and getting my early childhood degree. I genuinely love working with kids and watching them grow and navigate the world around them! I come to work every day looking forward to seeing your kiddo’s faces!

Jennifer

I have worked this past year in a childcare center, and previously, as a nanny. I am starting the process to earn my CDA certification. My goal is to become a lead preschool teacher. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I look forward to meeting everyone, and helping our little friends grow.

Sister Mary Carolyn

My name is Sister Mary Carolyn Ratkowski and I have had the pleasure of working at the Felician Children Center from its’ beginning. I was raised in Bronson, Michigan and I have three brothers and two sisters. As a Felician Sister, I have had the opportunity of working in many ministries. I have been a teacher and a principal for many years. I was principal here at St. Joe’s in Jackson. I received my undergraduate work at Madonna University and my graduate work from Eastern Michigan University and Notre Dame in Indiana. My greatest joy at present is working with the families and children at the Felician Children’s Center. I work in various areas, greeting your children in the morning, working in the office, doing various bookkeeping jobs, and best of all getting the opportunity to rock some of the babies when time allows.

Tami

I am a published photographer, artist, graphic designer, and teacher. I was a baton and dance instructor/ camp counselor for fifteen years. In addition to photography, I also enjoy creating art and designs, music, reading books, and the great outdoors. I recently joined the Felician family in February 2020 and I’m very happy to be working with such an awesome group of people. I find that teaching is very fulfilling and brings joy to my heart.

Tracy, President

Hello, my name is Tracy Smith-Jackson and I am the Program Director at Felician Children's Center. Over twenty years ago I started my adventure in Early childhood Education. It started with becoming a parent to three wonderful children. Raising my children and navigating early childhood education along with special education services sparked a passion to help children and families. I started as a preschool teacher for head start and loved every minute nurturing and growing relationships with the children and families.

Madison

My name is Madison. I graduated from Northwest High School in the year 2020. I am the oldest of 3 younger siblings, so growing up I was always in charge of caring for and watching over them. I have worked in childcare for about 6 months and plan to get my degree and become an elementary school teacher!

Melissa

My name is Melissa Kinaitis. I joined the FCC family in mid-February of 2022. You will find me in one of our Preschool rooms here at FCC. I was an assistant teacher for nearly five years. During that time, I received my CDA certificate. I wish to continue my growth and education in early childhood development. I appreciate the opportunity to teach your children and look forward to seeing them develop and grow.