At St. Andrew, the heartbeat of our mission is simple yet profound: You Matter. You Belong. We Care. This motto isn’t just a tagline—it’s a lived experience, embodied daily by two extraordinary women who have dedicated a combined 60 years to nurturing, educating, and walking alongside families in our community.
Melanie Eggers, Childcare Director, and Kathi Weiman, Preschool Director, have become pillars of the St. Andrew family. With 25 and 35 years of service respectively, their stories are woven into the very fabric of our church’s early learning legacy.
“It is the most challenging but rewarding job you’ll ever do,” Melanie said. “Just trying to find that happy balance between being there for people, but also making sure I’m taking care of myself.”
Melanie began her journey as an infant classroom teacher, fresh from a small town and admittedly nervous to navigate the “big city” of Eden Prairie.
“Being their first teachers and getting them excited about learning and life—it’s the most rewarding thing ever,” Kathi said.
Kathi, fresh out of college, started in the basement classrooms of the old Valley View Road building, juggling four classes after a colleague’s early maternity leave. Both women recall their early days with warmth, laughter, and a sense of awe at how quickly time has flown.
“It doesn’t feel like that long,” Melanie said. Kathi agreed, “It’s just shocking to think that it’s been that many years.”
Both directors knew from a young age that education was their calling. Melanie was the child who rescued discarded textbooks to play teacher at home. Kathi, the eldest of four, turned to stuffed animals and neighborhood kids when her siblings tired of playing school.
Their passion has blossomed into leadership roles that impact hundreds of children and families each year. Melanie oversees a full-day, year-round childcare program with six classrooms and over 90 children. Kathi leads the half-day preschool program, offering flexible options for families and serving around 50 children annually.
Over the decades, early learning at St. Andrew has evolved dramatically. Once separate from church programming, the early learning staff now collaborates closely with church leaders, creating a unified, faith-filled environment.
The field itself has grown more professional, shedding outdated perceptions of early childhood education as mere babysitting. Both Melanie and Kathi have championed this shift, leading efforts to earn Parent Aware’s four-star rating and NAEYC national accreditation, ensuring excellence in curriculum, safety, and family engagement.
Ask either director for a favorite memory, and you’ll hear stories that reflect the heart of their work. Melanie recalls supporting a deaf infant through her cochlear implant journey, learning cue speech alongside staff to help the child thrive. Kathi shares the recent experience of a preschooler diagnosed with leukemia, and the creative ways her classmates have stayed connected through videos and outdoor visits.
These moments, both joyful and challenging, underscore the relational depth of their roles.
“We get to walk with families through the darkest of the dark, and celebrate the brightest of the bright,” Melanie said.
The care doesn’t stop with children and families—it extends to staff. Both directors emphasized the importance of inclusivity, flexibility, and grace in their leadership. “The staff is the program,” Melanie said. “They’re the kids’ first contact, and it’s important they know I’m here for them as people, not just employees.”
Kathi echoes this sentiment, spending time in classrooms and keeping her door open for support. “We learn so much from each other. We’re in it together.”
From staffing shortages to the COVID-19 pandemic, challenges have tested their resilience. But through creativity, empathy, and unwavering commitment, they’ve continued to grow and adapt. “We’re doing wonderful work,” Kathi says. “And it’s worth it.”
Perhaps the most touching testament to their impact is the families who return—now as parents themselves—enrolling their own children in the same classrooms they once attended. “It’s surreal,” Melanie reflects. “To think I made that kind of impact on someone’s life.”
At St. Andrew Early Learning, every child, every family, and every staff member is a reminder that You Matter. You Belong. We Care. And thanks to leaders like Melanie and Kathi, that message continues to echo through generations.