"Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life." – Confucius

Higher Standards

Our experienced, trained and nurturing staff exceeds Colorado's preschool standards. Our staff-to-child ratio surpasses the Colorado minimum standards.

Through careful observation and interactions, our teachers cultivate and guide each child's cognitive, emotional, social, moral and physical growth. We strive to provide a healthy, nurturing, peaceful and respectful environment that guides our children each day.

Wendy Beatty — Educational Director, Early Childhood Educator
Hi! I’m Wendy Beatty and I have been teaching in the Early Childhood Education field for over thirty years. Four of these years have been here at OTR!

Before coming to OTR, I taught in a private Waldorf Kindergarten in Boulder for a year. I then went on to spend a summer working for Wild Bear here in Nederland leading the five and six year old 'Nederbugs'.

I have a B.A. in Community Recreation, as well as being Director-certified for large center preschools through the state of Colorado. I have three grown daughters and am a proud grandma of five grandchildren.

At home my family includes 'McGuiness' an Old English Sheepdog, 'Trooper' the Basset Hound, 'Beau' a Lab and 'Winston' the fat Persian Cat. We happily reside in beautiful Gilpin County.

I love teaching and working here at OTR, with our great mountain kids and their families.

Rachel Schaub — Administrative Director, Early Childhood Educator
Hello! My name is Rachel Schaub and I am very happy to be a teacher at Over the Rainbow! I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. I attended college at the University of Missouri-Columbia where I received my BA in Vocal Music. After my undergraduate work, my husband and I lived in a few different places: Grand Lake, CO, Vermont, Walden, CO, and finally here to Nederland. We have lived here since 2004 and bought a home in 2007. We enjoy being a part of this special mountain community. In 2006, I graduated from the University of Colorado-Denver with an MA in Educational Psychology and an Early Childhood Education teaching license.

I believe that children are capable of directing their own learning and that they should have a space in which to learn that is safe, loving, and lets them express themselves. I believe that family and community play an integral role in the education of our children. I believe in the power of nature and the experience it gives all of us. That’s part of the reason we choose to live in this wonderful place. My husband and I enjoy hiking, camping, backpacking, and seeing live music together. We spend a lot of time with our five pets and also enjoying the company of good friends.

I am looking forward to a fun and challenging year at Over the Rainbow and also to getting to know all of the families that attend this special school. Thanks!

Melanie Ann Little — Teacher, Early Childhood Educator
  Hi guys! My name is Melanie Ann Little and I have just moved to Nederland, Colorado from Mississippi. I have been planning and saving since 2006 to be able to relocate to this beautiful state of Colorado; and to have discovered a place like Nederland and the locals with employment so close to my field of education, (Elementary Education) is way more than what I had expected to find in less than a year of living in Colorado.

I enjoy horseback riding, kayaking, trailing, hiking, fishing, running, and just exploring what all mother earth has to offer us. I also enjoy seeing live music and relaxing in the sun. Colorado has a lot to offer and I'm excited to explore each and every day all that is unique to this beautiful state.

I have many years of experience in the customer service industry working with children of all ages. I truly enjoy working with the young guys and watching as they begin to learn and grow into their own.  I have always believed that early experience and interaction with the environment are most critical in a child's brain development and should be exercised and embraced as much as possible. I also believe in having a very loving, peaceful and caring environment for the children to feel even further inspired to explore what all they can find, create or imagine. Early experiences have a decisive impact on the actual architecture of the brain; therefore I talk through what we are about to explore and also listen to their ideas and discoveries before, during, and after. It never fails to bring joy to my day to hear or see what new they have going on.

I am very excited to be part of the OTR team who shares the same moral and educational beliefs as I do. It is truly a joy each and every day to work with these amazing Nederland, Colorado mountain kids!