Our Teachers

Each class is taught by a team of three teachers.  The lead teacher for each class is listed first and designated in bold.

Monday-Wednesday-Friday morning

Marin Whitten (head teacher)
Wendy Pennock
Meg Reed
*Desha Bambenek

Tuesday-Thursday morning

Meg Reed (head teacher)
Beth Cook
Wendy Pennock
Rachelle Haynes

Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday afternoon

Wendy Pennock (head teacher)
Marin Whitten
Desha Bambenek

Teacher Bios

Marin Whitten
I graduated from Northern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Preschool and Family Life Services. The year we moved to DeWitt my husband and I enrolled our middle son in Prime Time. Soon thereafter, I fell in love with the warm and caring environment. Our younger two children went on to attend and I later served on the Prime Time Board as a Member at Large. After spending time raising our four children, I returned to teaching. I love working with preschoolers and firmly believe in the philosophy at Prime Time. I am pleased to be a part of such a quality program.

Meg Reed
Since 2008, when my daughter started at Prime Time Preschool, becoming a teacher here has been my dream job. I graduated from Alma College in 2001 with a degree in elementary education. In 2005, I started a home daycare, to allow me to stay home with my children, which I ran until 2012. During the years my children attended Prime Time, I drove what I called the “Prime Time bus,” since I dropped off either my own child, or one of my daycare children every day of the week. I also served on the board as a Member at Large, and then board president. After homeschooling my three children for five years, they went back to public school in 2017. I joined the Prime Time staff in 2020. Being able to realize my dream after twelve years is amazing! I love being a part of this wonderful program.

Wendy Pennock
I graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor's Degree in Child Development and Family Studies. I nannied in the DeWitt Community for years, and also was a head teacher in the toddler and preschool classrooms at Tutor Time. I had the privilege to work with preschoolers in Jamaica, and worked with children in hospitals in Cape Town, South Africa. I love working with children, and I am blessed to be a part of a wonderful program I believe in.

Desha Bambenek
My family moved to DeWitt in 2017. We have four children that I stayed home to raise & we were lucky to gain a spot at Prime Time where we quickly became passionate about the school & staff. I am blessed & excited to be involved with the children & families of the Prime Time community. I love fun & laughter & that is what I hope to always share with the children, and I'm proud to be a part of such an amazing program.

Beth Cook
My background is in Early Childhood Education which I began after receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from Alma College in 1967. I started my career teaching kindergarten and then taught in various preschools over the years before helping to establish Prime Time Preschool in 1994. This was done along with two other friends who I worked with at Sunshine House Preschool in Lansing. I have three adult married children and five adult grandchildren. I truly enjoy being with three and four year old preschoolers. It is rewarding to see them learn new skills and to watch them grow socially with their peers through play.

Rachelle Haynes
When we moved to Dewitt in 2015 with my husband and our 5 children, our youngest two attended Prime Time. As the oldest of three and then taking on many babysitting jobs as a teen, being a caregiver has always been a part of my life. In high school, I took a child development class which allowed me to assist at the preschool. After marrying my high school sweetheart and starting a family, I became a stay at home mom. During those years I was also a caregiver to children of friends and families. Having the honor to guide and nurture children at such a vital stage has been incredibly rewarding. It brings me joy to watch as the children flourish and grow in self-confidence and recognize their individual strengths.