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Linda
McManus
 Linda's
love of children and belief that ‘every child is
special’
and that every moment is an ‘enrichment moment’
fuels the
enrichment programs philosophy. She is an advocate for all children and
most especially for quality care for children after school.
Born in Manila,
Philippines, Linda's love of travel and
geography and adventure was instilled by her mother and father, her
first ‘enrichment teachers’. Her husband
Craig always
had the attitude of ‘you don't know the answer???? Look it up
in
the dictionary or encyclopedia’. Researching as an
adult
always led to learning adventures beyond the original thought!! How
Fun!! When her son Christopher was born, the ‘high
power’
job at CBS was left behind to become a volunteer art docent and
librarian at her son's school, Riverside Drive Elementary in Sherman
Oaks. As a Kindergarten Teacher's Aide, Linda realized that
the
art, science and music experiences were needed. She joined
forces
with Nancy Simpson to create Kindergarten Enrichment.
Linda is an active
member of the Lions Club, a volunteer
Activity Coordinator for Children's Ministries and Sunday School
Teacher at Church on the Way and loves to paint, garden, travel and
read in her spare time. She is also co-owner of Joyce's
Toluca Lake
Pre-School and Kindergarten.
Nancy
Simpson
 As
Nancy Simpson¹s daughter Sophie was about to enter
kindergarten,
she was concerned. The day was only 3½ hours long
and
Sophie was an outgoing, curious child who needed more. So in what was
initially filling a void for her own daughter instead became the
origins of Kindergarten Enrichment. Nancy, who had been a marine
biologist as well as an actress, was ready to give back to the
community that had been so good to her. Teaming with Linda McManus and
given a room by the school, they created a program filled with art,
music and science– all the elements that because of budget
constraints had been eliminated by the public school system. Over a
decade later, the program is a model for excellence. Nancy lives in
Southern California with her husband Sandy, daughters, Ali, 21, Sophie,
16 and their dog, Miles, 12.
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