Early Childhood
Meet the Team
Nadine Ashton
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Nadine Ashton
Nadine Ashton is so excited to be part of Ignite this year! She holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and a Montessori Teaching Diploma. Nadine has previously taught Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd and Lower Elementary but is happy to be back in Kinder! She loves being able to encourage a love of learning at such a young age and being part of a child’s school journey so early on. Nadine can’t wait to see what she and her students can achieve together this year. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, being outdoors, trying new foods and traveling.
nashton@igniteutah.org
nashton@igniteutah.org
Lily Rittscher
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Lily Rittscher
My name is Lily Rittscher. I'm from San Diego, CA and am currently attending UVU for elementary education. I worked as a nurses assistant for two years and love taking care of others and learning new things. My favorite activities are swimming and dancing. I'm 21 years old. I'm fluent in Spanish and English. I'm the youngest of four girls. I'm so excited to be teaching with Ms. Nadine and Ms. Elisabeth.
lrittscher@igniteutah.org
lrittscher@igniteutah.org
Emily Loria
Teacher Assistant
Emily Loria
Miss Emily loves the curiosity of children and finds that natural wonder a great jumping-off point for learning and growing. Miss Emily has worked and interacted with children through a variety of different venues including preschool gymnastics program director and instructor, preschool teacher, children's cooking class instructor, in-home and on-site childcare provider, and private nanny. She enjoys making mundane tasks fun by coming up with songs, dances, and presenting information in a playful way. She looks forward to the new adventure of joining the Kindergarten Program at Ignite! Miss Emily is a mother of two boys, a pilot's wife, a baker, an avid traveler, an embroider, a photographer, and has a love of all things colorful.
eloria@igniteutah.org
eloria@igniteutah.org
Emma Atkinson
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Emma Atkinson
Miss Emma has worked in both assistant and lead teaching roles in a Montessori-inspired preschool, working with children ranging in age from 6 months to 6 years old. She began working on her degree in Biology at UVU but is now in the process of switching her major to Elementary Education. Throughout her entire life she has been fascinated by all living things (bugs, bacteria, plants, animals, and humans alike), this inspires her to engage students in learning about the interrelationship of all life. She believes that children need to be allowed to make self-directed decisions so that they may learn about natural consequences, build their confidence, and develop their unique identities. Her aim through teaching is to communicate to each child: you are seen, you are heard, you are understood, and you are valued. Outside of the classroom she enjoys tending to her houseplants, spending quality time with her family and two cats, watching documentaries, painting, and drawing.
eatkinson@igniteutah.org
eatkinson@igniteutah.org