June Petty (Owner/Director/Teacher)Email: pspsanmateo@gmail.com
June understands the difficulties that parents face every day to find the perfect school for their children. As a previous parent of the program (Petite Sorbonne Preschool was formerly known as "Schnurpfeils"), June knew that she found the perfect school for her daughters the moment she stepped foot onto the facility. She loved it so much that she took a chance and decided to take over when the previous owners retired. Making this move was the best decision of her life, as she and her husband, Minh, have been successfully running Petite Sorbonne Preschool for over 20 years. June is an expert in childhood development, as she has a natural gift for patience. She loves working with children, striving to help children grow to their fullest potential. |
Minh Le (Owner/Teacher)Minh was fondly loved at Petite Sorbonne Preschool, and was lovingly known as "Teacher Minh". He was the husband to June, and together, they have two daughters, Masako ('94) and Midori ('98). Minh and June just celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2015.
Originally born in Saigon, Vietnam, Minh moved with his family and lived in France for nearly 20 years. He came to study at San Francisco State University where he received his Bachelor's of Science degree in Computer Science. It was there where he met the love of his life, June. Though extremely proud of his Asian and European ties, Minh loved living in the United States, where he worked and raised his family. Through the years, Minh traveled extensively through Asia, Europe, Africa, and more! He always impressed everyone with his worldly knowledge, as he understood and appreciated so many different cultures. He was a wonderful chef, cooking and enjoying the foods of many worlds, while always sharing his experiences with everyone he met and knew. Aside from leading various project management endeavors, Minh was pivotal for the upbringing of Petite Sorbonne Preschool. He loved being at Petite Sorbonne Preschool with his wife, June, teaching the children many new things and to be culturally aware of the world. Minh battled many operations and procedures in 2015, and was en route to recovery when he tragically passed away on November 13, 2015. Our beloved Teacher Minh is always and will forever be in our hearts! We love you, Teacher Minh! |
Vanessa Ipsen (Lead Teacher)After joining Teacher June and Teacher Minh at Petite Sorbonne Preschool, Vanessa has been working with children for more than 18 years. Vanessa is dedicated to doing the best she can for teaching children how to learn and grow. Vanessa's personality truly reflects who she is with her love of children, as she believes that working with them is a rewarding job.
In addition to her daily tasks, Vanessa is also responsible for the Scholastic Book Orders for Petite Sorbonne Preschool. Since she is an avid book reader, Vanessa hopes to pass on her love of reading to the children. Being a Bay Area native, she is a true Giants fan. You can always see her supporting the team while wearing orange and black! Go Giants! Additionally, she is a coffee, chocolate, and Disney fanatic! |
Midori Le (Teacher's Assistant/Administrative Manager)Midori ('98) is a product of Petite Sorbonne Preschool's teachings and philosophy. From being a tiny preschooler to current full time teacher, Midori has grown up with the program that her parents, Teacher June and Teacher Minh, have created. In addition to the day-to-day teaching aspect, Midori is instrumental in the administration side of running Petite Sorbonne Preschool. She is versed in all aspects of the program and is mostly responsible for making sure operations are running smoothly.
Midori has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 3D Animation and Visual Effects (focusing on 3D Modeling) from the Academy of Art University ('15). Additionally, she dedicated two years of her collegiate career playing volleyball for Academy of Art's Urban Knights, being the only art school participating in the entire NCAA Division II. Aside from her digital art and working at the preschool, Midori is a milk tea connoisseur, pun enthusiast, and full time mother of a sassy black and white cat. She loves spending time with her family and friends, playing volleyball, video games, spontaneous adventures, and overall trying new things. |