Michelle Ritchie, Director

From the time she was little, lining up her stuffed animals to “teach,” Michelle knew education was her calling. She is a passionate advocate for play-based learning, following each child’s lead to better understand their interests and how they see the world.

Michelle was born and raised in the Bay Area and has spent her career serving families in Piedmont. For over 13 years, she worked with the Piedmont Recreation Department in many roles, including director of the toddler program, preschool and pre-K teacher, summer camp counselor, and Schoolmates program teacher. She has also supported many local families as a nanny.

In 2013, Michelle joined Piedmont Play School as an assistant teacher and soon became Director. She brings warmth, creativity, and deep experience to the classroom every day, and considers PPS her home.

Currently, Michelle lives in Castro Valley with her husband, son, and daughter-in-law. She feels fortunate to be part of such a loving and supportive community and treasures the privilege of watching PPS alumni grow up over the years.

Simone Clark, Teacher

Simone grew up in Alameda, with Piedmont always feeling like a second home. Teaching runs in her family, as both her mother and grandmother were educators, and she always knew she was meant to follow in their footsteps. She studied Early Childhood Education at Merritt College and has now been teaching for over 15 years.

Her career began in Jewish preschools, where she embraced values such as tikkun olam (repairing the world) and building a strong sense of community. She has carried those values into her teaching ever since. For the past five years, Simone has been part of the Piedmont Play School family, where she feels truly at home. She deeply values working alongside a dedicated, supportive director and team who share her philosophy of evolving with children’s emergent interests, individual needs, and group dynamics.

Outside the classroom, Simone treasures time with her husband, an electrician and fire alarm technician at SF State, and their two daughters. She also has a lifelong love of music. After spending 10 years in the East Bay Children’s Choir (formerly Piedmont Boys and Girls Choir), she now brings that passion for singing into her teaching, where it is one of her favorite ways to connect with children.