Manuela SLYE
Manuela (owner and lead teacher at Cometa Playschool ) is a native Spanish speaker originally from Mexico. Not only is she fluent in Spanish, but she had also mastered English and French before finishing elementary school. She knows first hand that childhood is the best time to begin learning a second language. Manuela is raising her own three children in a Spanish/English bilingual home.

Her dedication to bilingualism does not stop with her own children. In recent years, Manuela has taken her "show on the road" playing her guitar and singing Spanish tunes to children all around the community. Places such as the YMCA, Childhaven's Therapeutic Program and Alki Elementary School. As her interest in childhood education grew, she decided to pursue formal training so that she could bring things under one roof--and the concept for Cometa Playschool was born.

Manuela has received her Early Childhood Education Training through the North Seattle Community College under the instruction of Tom Drummond. It was Tom who inspired Manuela to guide and support children's natural ability to learn and to make the best of the early childhood profession.

Manuela's belief that childhood should be a time of play and discovery is what shapes the environment at Cometa Playschool The curriculum encompasses all aspects of early childhood development: cognitive, physical, social and emotional, while giving children the opportunity to learn Spanish too. And as Cometa begins its Summer Session, Manuela will be also be a certified Musikgarten Teacher!

Iris VIVEROS
Iris was born and raised in Mexico City. Before pursing her career with Cometa , Iris worked in a variety of related fields. She was a nanny for several years, has taught private Spanish Lessons (to children ages 5-10), and has also worked as a medical interpreter for several local hospitals in the Seattle area. Iris has received training in Reflective Parenting , is CPR certified and she is currently pursuing her degree in Social Anthropology.
By day you can find Iris singing and dancing with the children at Cometa . In her off hours you can find her singing and dancing professionally with the local band Los Flacos , where she plays the jarana (a guitar like instrument from Southern Mexico). Iris always treats children with love and respect, and believes learning another language is a great opportunity for children to become culturally sensitive. Her compassionate and energetic attitude meshes well with the atmosphere at Cometa Playschool .