Teachers Kira Billek and Kara Reavis have been members of the Kenilworth Community Preschool as parents and active members of the preschool board. When the opportunity to step into the role of teacher presented itself, it was a natural progression for both of them. They are dedicated to the preschool’s values of providing a developmentally appropriate curriculum and building community.
Teacher Kira
Kira was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. She received her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Oregon State University. After spending her undergraduate years working as an aide in both a preschool and a second grade classroom, she decided to pursue a Master of Arts in Teaching from Lewis and Clark College. Right after graduating, she moved to the Bay Area where she taught preschool for a year and then spent the next 13 years teaching kindergarten and first grade in a public school. After having children, she decided it was time to move back to Portland to be closer to family. For the past three years she has been at home with her three young children but she is excited to be back in the classroom teaching again. She is passionate about play based learning and early literacy development through hands-on activities. When she’s not teaching, she loves being outdoors with her kids, traveling and finding all the fun family activities Portland has to offer.
Teacher Kara
Kara grew up watching her mom teach at a co-op preschool in Estacada, Oregon, and fondly remembers the community it created. She began nannying for families as a summer job in high school and through college, where she worked to receive her BFA in Visual Arts and Photography from Oregon State University. After college, she opened a photography studio, but she has always been a teacher at heart. While running her photography business, she continued to nanny, teach photography workshops, and became the Estacada High School’s Performing Arts department choreographer. She brings her passion for music and dance into the classroom whenever possible. After having her second child, she switched her focus from photography to education and began teaching reading and English to students worldwide online. She obtained her Master of Arts in Teaching with a Dyslexia Certificate from Pacific University. In addition to teaching at KCP, she is a substitute teacher for the Portland Public School District. She enjoys knitting, listening to audiobooks, and playing board games with her family.