Mrs. Lisa Skiver
Director |
Our new director, Mrs. Lisa Skiver, is thrilled and excited to enter this new phase of her career in Early
Childhood Education! She brings valuable skills in both teaching and leadership, and over 30 years of experience to this new position. Besides a few breaks to focus on raising her two sons, Mrs. Skiver has continuously worked in the field since her first teaching position back in 1990. She began her career at Temple Bethel in Riverside, and with the assistance of some amazing mentors, quickly moved from assistant teacher to lead teacher. She stayed there for 7 fulfilling years. She worked at the UC Riverside Development Center for 2 years before finding her way to FUMPS in 2006, when she enrolled her oldest son in our preschool. Once here, she immediately began substitute teaching, before taking on a lead position the following year. She worked as a lead in the Busy Bee and the Little Rascal classes for 17 fun filled years. When the director position opened up, it seemed only natural that Mrs. Skiver lead the great team here at FUMPS. Mrs. Skiver lives here in Riverside with her husband of 28 years. Her 2 sons, Ryan and Jacob, are now grown and thriving in their own careers. Her oldest got married and became a first-time father last year -- making her a first-time grandma. Out of all of the titles in her life, “Nana” may now be her favorite. Mrs. Skiver brings an enthusiasm and love of life to any position she takes on. She values every aspect of the preschool setting. She is excited to move from her single classroom to leading the entire campus – which she now calls “her bigger classroom”. She loves the students and families she has met at FUMPS and is proud of the impact this school has had on the entire Riverside community. She looks forward to continuing FUMPS long-standing tradition of providing our students with a strong foundation while preparing them for their next step in education. She encourages and looks forward to visits from all former families and students, especially to talk football during the NFL season! |
Mrs. Katie Inman
Office Manager |
Our office manager, Katie Inman, is a Riverside native who proudly attended Castle View, Gage and Poly. She studied Early Childhood Studies at RCC. Started working at The Growing place then at Kindercare for over 6 years in a variety of positions, including office aide, kitchen staff, assistant teacher and eventually becoming lead Kindergarten teacher.
In 2000 she had her first child and was a stay-at-home mom for over 20 years. During that time, Mrs. Inman was busy volunteering for the PTA at Alcott and Gage, Alcott School Foundation, Magnolia Center Little League board and the baseball booster club at Poly. There were many years driving the boys all over town for their activities. Now her three boys are all grown up! With one in college, one married and in grad school and one working son, they keep her busy with phone calls and life stories. The boys are in different states all in the midwest. Her husband Blake owns a business running youth baseball tournaments. The Inmans are BIG baseball fans! Go Brewers! Mrs. Inman enjoys travel, concerts, Pickleball, going to the gym and the Green Bay Packers! Returning to the work force in the fall of 2020 at FUMPS as an aide to Mrs. Skiver in the Little Rascal class was a great experience. Katie brings a special flare to FUMPS and is excited to work closely with Mrs. Skiver again! Teaching and helping others has always been a passion for Katie and she enjoys the office manager position. |
Mrs. Rita Theodorou
Brave Bears |
Rita grew up in the Woodcrest neighborhood of Riverside, and is the middle daughter of three sisters. She has been happily married to her husband, Nick for 14 years. They have been blessed with two boys, George, 13 years old and Antony, 11 years old. Rita has always been very passionate about working with children, helping them, and making a positive impact in their lives. Rita attended San Diego State University to study Psychology and Sociology. She has worked with children with Autism as a Behavioral Therapist, and as a Victim/Witness Advocate in the Division of Victim Services at the Riverside District Attorney’s Office. Rita also teaches Sunday school, is the president of a philanthropic organization at her church parish, and continues to volunteer at her children’s elementary and middle schools.
The Theodorou family has been a part of the FUMPS family since 2016. In the spring of 2018, Rita began her teaching career at FUMPS, and this is her fifth year as the Lead Teacher in the Brave Bears Classroom. Rita feels that a classroom environment should be welcoming, colorful, fun and diverse. She believes that children learn best when they are in a safe, nurturing environment that promotes the freedom of exploration and discovery through play. Creating a curriculum that is meaningful, thoughtful, interactive, developmentally appropriate and inclusive for all children to learn to their full potential is imperative. Rita also believes that it is important to have open communication with parents and family members in order to meet the individual needs of their child’s overall development. She encourages parent participation and collaboration on strategies to promote ongoing positive learning experiences and a love for learning. |
Laura Robinson
Brave Bears |
After a short break, Mrs. Laura Robinson returns to FUMPS to join Mrs. Theodorou in the Brave Bears classroom. She previously spent 8 years at FUMPS as an assistant teacher, outside teacher and lead teacher. Her experience will be an asset to both her coworkers and lucky students!
Laura grew up in Riverside and attended Woodcrest, Gage and Arlington. She completed her Early Childhood Education program at RCC in 2010. Her career has included a variety of interesting jobs. From interior designer to personal chef to the clerk of the county of Riverside. But her heart belongs to preschool teaching, and she is excited to be back in the classroom with the FUMPSters. Riverside is still Laura’s home and she has great pride in her community. She believes in family first, with her kids at the top of the list! Her daughter Harper is entering her freshman year and son Josiah is in his junior year at King H.S. They continue to be her pride and joy, but feels they are growing too fast. And evidence by Josiah getting his driver’s license this summer. The basis of Laura’s teaching philosophy lies in kindness, equality and diversity. She is an advocate for play-based learning and makes every lesson fun! She prides herself in preparing her students for the next level by providing them with boundaries and a strong foundation. Outside of FUMPS, Laura enjoys river trips, walking the Gage canal and watching NFL on any given Sunday! Her love language is and will always be food. She spoils her family and friends with home cooked meals and sweet treats. We all hope FUMPS gets to be a part of that list as well! |
Mrs. Frances Chard
Terrific Turtles |
Mrs. Chard lives in Jurupa Valley with her husband of 22 years, their three daughters, two overly friendly dogs, one very prickly cat, and - you guessed it - a turtle! She loves to cook and bake, but in her spare time, you’ll most likely find her reading while sipping a big ‘ole cup of coffee!
While all three of her daughters attended FUMPS, Mrs. Chard was an active parent volunteer and occasional substitute for various positions at FUMPS. It was then she realized how much she enjoyed working with young children and began taking the required courses that started her on her path into Early Childhood Education. Rather than jumping right into it, she continued to take care of her family and support her girls throughout their academic journeys. Her daughters are now a college senior, a college sophomore, and a sixth grader. Over the years Mrs. Chard has remained an active parent volunteer at all school levels serving on various boosters, committees, councils, and been on the PTA board for 14 years. Mrs. Chard is thrilled to be starting this year as lead teacher for the Terrific Turtles. She wants her classroom to be a place her students look forward to coming to each day ~ a place that’s fun, engaging, and maybe sometimes even a little messy. She wants to give them opportunities to explore and grasp new concepts every day. She believes there should be joy in learning and a challenge to be won with every new skill acquired. |
Mrs. Elizabeth Raygoza
Lucky Lions |
Elizabeth Raygoza is a Riverside native. She worked in Special Education for ten years before becoming a stay-at-home mom. She has been married for 21 years and has 3 children. Her oldest is serving in the military, her middle daughter is is high school and her youngest is in Jr.High. She is involved in church ministry and enjoys reading, cooking and spending time with her family. She is enjoying her first year at FUMPS. She loves teaching young minds though playful learning.
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Mrs. Taylor Pfeiffer
Lucky Lions |
Taylor Pfeiffer is a Riverside native with a strong background in early childhood education. Now in her third year at FUMPs, Taylor has a deep-rooted connection to the school—she attended the preschool as a child, her mother did as well, and now her daughter is a student here. Her parents were even married at the preschool’s church, making FUMPs a meaningful part of her family’s history.
Taylor is passionate about fostering a warm, play-based learning environment where young children can grow through hands-on experiences and personal connections. |
Mrs. Adrienne Ballantyne
Happy Campers |
Adrienne Ballantyne is a teacher in the Happy Campers class. She believes in fostering a fun and caring environment for children so that they can begin a lifelong love of learning.
Adrienne grew up in Redlands and moved to Riverside in 2004 after marrying her husband, Curtis. They have four children together who are all alumni of First United Methodist Preschool. She was a stay-at-home mom until her youngest started kindergarten in 2021, then she came to teach at FUMPS. She and her children love animals, together they have a dog, six cats, a tortoise, and thirteen chickens. She loves reading and crafting. She also likes to travel and camping. |
Mrs. Lisa Sherman
Happy Campers |
Mrs. Lisa Sherman is returning for her 26th year at FUMPS. She has been married for 41 years and has two grown children. Both of her children attended FUMPS. Her son is an attorney in the Sacramento area, and her daughter is a pediatric oncology nurse in Loma Linda.
When she is not working you can find her at the gym exercising. A few of her favorite things are hiking, spending time with her family and traveling. |
