Dr. Danielle Todd will take over as the Fort Zumwalt School District Executive Director of Early Learning effective July 1. In this position she will oversee the district’s Early Childhood Center, which is home to all Pre-K programs, including pre-school, Early Childhood Special Education and Parents as Teachers. Todd comes to Fort Zumwalt from the Wentzville School District, where she has been the principal at Duello Elementary for the past four years where she also has worked as an assistant principal and as a kindergarten teacher. Her background in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education has roots in her work at United Services.
“My goal is to start forming relationships right away. Positive student relationships are fundamental to success,” Todd says. “When our students feel supported, they're more engaged in learning. My goal is for every child to feel safe, loved, and valued within our programs.”
The Early Childhood Center serves more than 650 students ages 3, 4 and 5 years old with programs rooted in learning through play. An emphasis is placed on learning to work together and solve problems together as students prepare for kindergarten and beyond. “I am most looking forward to joining and becoming part of a collaborative, team-focused culture, that provides opportunities for our youngest learners and families,” Todd says. “In this position, I will focus on serving the needs of all of Fort Zumwalt's youngest learners and setting them up for a successful transition to elementary school.”
Todd replaces Dr. Sharon Ellerbrook, who served seven years as the Executive Director of Early Learning. Ellerbrook is the founding principal of Fort Zumwalt’s Early Childhood Center, whose motto is “where children learn through play.” It’s a motto that speaks to Todd and is embedded in a quote she keeps coming back to:
“Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. … Play is a necessity.”
– Kay Redfield Jamison, Professor of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
When she is not at school, Todd is busy with her young family and two dogs, but still finds time to travel and read, often about the power of play.