Ms. Stephanie

Stephanie Black serves as Director of the First Presbyterian Preschool, where she brings a strong background in early childhood education and program leadership. With 11 wonderful years at FPCEM, Stephanie has developed a deep passion for creating a warm, nurturing, and developmentally rich environment where every child can learn and thrive.

For the past three summers, she’s also led the First Presbyterian Church Summer Day Camp, coordinating engaging, hands-on experiences that encourage exploration, creativity, and fun. Stephanie studied at UALR and began her career in business management before finding her true calling in early childhood education.

She and her husband, Garry, have been married for 23 years and are proud parents to Gabby (20), Garrett (17), and Gavin (14). Stephanie feels truly blessed to be part of the First Presbyterian community and loves watching each preschooler’s curiosity and confidence blossom every day.

​Ms. Sara

Ms. Melanie

“First Presbyterian has been a wonderful part of my life for 26 years! My children, Kristian and Anna were both students here. Once they graduated from the program, I began as a substitute teacher, taught Pre-K 4 for 12 years, and then assisted in the Pre-K 3 program, early care, aftercare, and extended care for two years. This year I return to the Pre-K 4 classroom.

When I’m away from school I enjoy biking, kayaking, working out, and finding a great deal at an antiques shop or show.

I have loved my time at First Presbyterian and am looking forward to another great year!”

Ms. Holly

"​I have the honor of teaching the Pre-K 3 Tu/Th class! I am blessed to say this will be my 26th year at FPCEM! I have a wonderful husband, Howell, and we have been married for 41 years. We have two amazing children, Austin and Ashley, plus a daughter-In-love, Saige, and a son-in-law, Michael! I have the sweetest dog, Sophie, and grand-dog, Ellie! We attend Second Baptist Church! In my spare time, I enjoy reading and the outdoors but mostly love time with my family and friends!"

Ms. Khushbu

“Hi! My name is Khushbu Patel. My husband and I been married for 16 years. We have two children Ayush (12) and Alina (8). I love outdoor activities, traveling and spending time with family and friends. This is my second year working as Pre-K 3  teacher; before that I started working as a substitute teacher. I love getting to know my students and building strong relationships with them.”

Ms. Amelia

Ms. Kira

“Hi! I'm Kira, and this is my fourth year teaching at FPCEM. My family and I moved here from Houston, Texas. ( Home of the Houston Astros) My Husband John and I have been married for 12 years and we have 2 beautiful daughters, Kinsley (12) and Adelaide (8). Adie is our Cystic Fibrosis Warrior! I like being able to help  spread  awareness about Cystic Fibrosis , and we have  a walk "Great Strides" we do every year to help raise awareness! Our family loves to be outdoors, hiking, floating the river, hanging out by the lake, or watching our girls play softball! We also love exploring all the beautiful places Arkansas has to offer! I'm very excited to be a Pre-K 4 teacher this year, and I'm looking forward to an amazing year with your kiddos!”

Ms. Jo

Mrs. Worley

“My name is Nikki, and this is my second year with FPCEM! I am the co-teacher for Pre-K 1!!  I love spending my days with your sweet tiny humans! I was born and raised in Conway and graduated from UCA with a degree in biology and chemistry. I love all things science! I have been married to my husband for 8 years, and we have a beautiful 5-year-old daughter, Oakleigh, and a newborn son. We absolutely love animals, so we have four fur babies. Charlie and Oreo are our doggies, and we recently rescued two kittens, Pumpkin and Wednesday.”

Mrs. Patel

“Hello, my name is Nikita Patel. I started at FPCEM as a substitute and then joined Teddy Bears Pre-K 2 class as a co-teacher in 2024. Currently, I am a lead teacher in Teddy Bears class Pre-K 2 Monday-Friday. My husband, Jay, and I have been married for 11 years and have two lovely kids: Kiva (7) and Dhyan (4). I Love spending time outdoors with friends and family and going on vacations. I am truly thankful and count it as a blessing to be part of your child's early school experience! It is going to be a great year.”

Ms. Becca

Ms. Davina

Ms. Anna

Ms. Heidi

Mrs. Guerin

“Hey there! m I am so excited to be your child’s Spanish teacher! This is my second year teaching at FPCEM, but I have been blessed to teach students of all ages for almost 10 years. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Art with a Minor in Spanish from UCA, and also have my Master’s in Teaching degree from UCA. I am a Conway native, and live here with my husband, John Mark, and our two kiddos--Skylar (11) and Rand (3). I also own Euphoria Salon and Day Spa in downtown Conway. When I am not working, you can find me outside hanging out with my family, or cheering on the Arkansas Razorbacks.”

Mr. Jake

Ms. Lizlynn

Ms. Hailey