Hello! My name is Melissa Martinez and I am the director at Children's Lighthouse Helotes. I am a native of San Antonio and have over thirteen years of experience in Early Childhood education. I found my home here at Children's Lighthouse Helotes when our center opened, in January 2009. I began as a floater and was impressed by how many interesting things the children had to tell me, regardless of their classroom or age group! I was blessed with a quick promotion to the lead teacher position in room eight (one of our preschool classrooms) where I taught for three years. Easily, the best part of my job was seeing "the light turn on" when my children began to grasp new concepts. During my time as the lead teacher in room eight, I was offered the position of curriculum coordinator for preschool-aged children. I served in this position for two years, and was blessed with the opportunity to incorporate more creative projects and more reading to extend the children's imagination and sense of accomplishment. Shortly after, I began my position as assistant director in August 2013 and enjoyed growing with our school for five years before taking on the center director position. I am happy to see our center constantly growing as we continue to provide exceptional early childhood care. I love taking an active role in our school's classrooms and listening to all that the children have to teach me. I believe that everything can be accomplished through a positive attitude, and I strive to pass this mentality to my coworkers and the students here at Children's Lighthouse. Outside of my work with children, I enjoy reading novels, looking for new craft ideas on Pinterest, and watching movies. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding our center, I am always available.