Welcome to SoulSong!
Our mission is to provide a positive, fun and educational space for young children to interact and grow. We offer a variety of activities that encourage learning, social skills and independence. Our Montessori-based curriculum helps your child to discover their interests and talents. Our programs are perfect for families who want to give their children the best possible start in life. So come join us and let your child experience the joy of learning in a safe and nurturing environment.
About
SoulSong staff uses a combination of the Montessori Method and other best practices to design a unique curriculum that reaches the whole child through hands-on exploration, character development, and the arts. Our learning environments are peaceful and purposeful. We carefully prepare the environment with high quality materials that allow each child to learn, discover, and develop at their own pace. Class sizes are small, providing each child the opportunity to have plenty of interaction with their teachers. Peanut-free snacks are included in tuition. Children are in mixed-age classrooms, with enrollment ranging from ages 12 months through 5 years. We do not offer day-to-day drop-in care.
Hours of Operation: Monday & Wednesday or Tuesday & Thursday; 8:15 a.m. - 2:15 p.m.
For more information, please contact:
Virginia Fillers, Director: soulsong@firstprescookeville.org
Follow the Important Links below. Fill out the Enrollment Form to register for our program.
School tours are available between 9:30-10:30 a.m. when we are in session and by appointment during breaks. To schedule a tour, please message soulsong@firstprescookeville.org
Current Openings for the 2024-2025 school year (updated 8/22/24):
Age 1: 0
Age 2: 2 TTh
Age 3: 0
Ages 4-5*: 2 MW
*must be toileting independently for this class
Meet The 2024-2025 Staff
Virginia Fillers
she/her
Director, SoulSong and Nursery
Virginia hails from east Tennessee but has lived in Putnam County since 2008. She holds an education degree from TTU, as well as a TECTA certification for toddlers and a Montessori certification for early childhood (ages 3-6). Virginia began her teaching career in 2001 and has experience in public and private education. She has a daughter who graduated from the SoulSong program in 2019. In her free time, Virginia enjoys camping in her vintage Scamp, watching hockey games, cooking, and visiting theme parks. She serves on the education and outreach committees for this church. soulsong@firstprescookeville.org
Michelle Doré
SoulSong Assistant Director and Lead Teacher, Bobcats Class
In addition to her duties at SoulSong, Michelle also serves as a member of the education committee and as a deacon of this church, which she attends with her family.
Chloe Callis Wade
Teacher, Bobcats Class
Chloe was born in Clear Water, Florida, but has lived in Cookeville since 1993. She holds a bachelor’s in psychology, a master’s in school counseling, and worked as a school counselor for the Putnam County School System for 11 years before deciding to stay home with her daughter. She’s excited to start a new adventure at Soul Song and return to her Montessori roots! She briefly attended a Montessori program in pre-k in Florida! During her time as a school counselor, Chloe maintained a caseload of 400 students, provided individual and group counseling, was the 504 coordinator, the homeless and economically disadvantaged student liaison, and coordinated the backpack and Angel Tree holiday program in addition to many other responsibilities. During her masters, Chloe was the graduate student for the Positive Behavior Support and Inclusion grant and provided intervention strategies to rural schools particularly for students with autism in a 1x1 setting. In her free time, Chloe loves spending time with her daughter, husband, and three cats! She loves her family and friends, traveling (especially to England where her husband is from and his family lives), trying new coffee shops and restaurants, watching movies, photography, and yoga!
Kai Oracion
she/they
Teacher, Fox Kits Class
Kai has extensive experience as "Tita" to numerous children and became a member of our staff in 2023. You might have seen Kai at events such as Art Prowl and First Friday.
Megean Hershey
Teacher, Fawns Class
BS, Sociology: Criminal Justice with a minor in psychology I enjoy spending time with my husband and two kids, being outside, cool rocks, making jewelry, cooking, and gardening.
Abby Koci
Teacher, Groundhogs Class
Abby started subbing for SoulSong when her son Ezra joined the program in 2022! Now a full time teacher and a member of the education committee, she loves learning more about the Montessori method. She formerly worked for the Putnam County School System for 11 years, the last 6 years of those at AES as a teacher assistant in a CDC classroom. She has a degree in English from TTU. Abby's hobbies include reading, listening to live music with her husband and her friends, supporting the local art and theatre community, hanging out with her tricolor corgis and black cats, and being in nature.
Breanna Howard
Teacher, Fawns Class
Bre came to us first as a parent in the program before signing on as a sub and now a classroom teacher. Her family enjoys spending time outdoors.
Emily Woods
Lead Teacher, Fawns Class
Emily's parents are longtime members of this church. She joined our staff in 2024 after previously working with other schools. She also substitute teaches for Putnam County Schools. Another artist on the team, you can often find Emily at The Tiny Cloak or teaching wire-wrapped jewelry making classes.