Meet Judy - Head of School

Hello and welcome to our HeartPlay website. I began dreaming of starting a preschool just before my daughter started preschool herself. She’s 24 years old now! What took so long? Many twists and turns along life’s path. But here we are opening the doors to HeartPlay School for the 2010 - 2011 school year.

My daughter Lilly majored in history at UNC Chapel Hill and my son Colin is currently working on his mechanical engineering degree at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Both of my children were extremely fortunate to have been able to attend the Stanley British Primary School in Denver, CO. from kindergarten through the 5th grade. Stanley BPS was then and is today a vibrant, innovative and exciting school community where children are respected, supported in their learning, encouraged to discover their own voice and to follow their own creative path. Whenever I visited classrooms or when dropping my children off in the morning, I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay in that pleasant and stimulating environment in anticipation of what the day would bring.

I’ll share a bit of my background. I have my license from the state as a Director of Child Care and Education Programs. I have master’s degrees in Pediatric Psychology – Applied Early Childhood Development and Educational Psychology and am a Licensed School Psychologist. I have served as the Special Needs Coordinator for the Denver Head Start Program, as the first Director of the Guardian ad Litem Project in Littleton CO., as a group leader and child and family therapist at KIDS (Kids in Divorce and Separation) in Denver, as a play therapist for the Children’s’ Day Treatment Program for Denver Public Schools, as a therapist and family counselor for Adams Community Mental Health and as a School Psychologist in both Colorado and North Carolina.

For the last several years my focus has been on the acquisition of early literacy and reading skills, early identification of pre-reading and early reading difficulties and prevention and intervention strategies.

I have a broad range of expertise and many years of experience working with children and families in both educational and clinical settings. I have worked with diverse populations addressing the needs of children and advocating for safe, healthy, developmentally appropriate environments, curriculum and instruction for young children. I feel that I bring a unique eclectic blend of understanding and skills from a child-centered intuitive sensitivity to a solid base in current science and research.

In my personal time I enjoy being with my family and friends, my dogs, my yoga practice, walking, bicycling, gardening, reading, and being out in nature.

I am excited to be a part of creating a school community here in Asheville that fosters caring, connection, cooperation, critical thinking, and creativity, that is inclusive and values each child - who they are right now as well as who they are becoming. Also, I am happy and filled with gratitude to be able to spend my days with your children in joyous anticipation of what each day will bring.

Please come and visit us.

Judy O’Shea
Head of School