Angelee Oster
Angelee Oster is a dedicated early childhood education leader with nearly two decades of experience serving children, families, and educational communities. Since entering the field in 2007, she has built a career grounded in a lifelong passion for child development and education. Knowing from an early age that this would be her professional path, Angelee pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Child Development immediately after high school and gained hands-on experience as a student teacher while completing her studies. Her career progression reflects both her commitment to the profession and her dedication to continuous growth, advancing from teacher assistant to lead teacher before taking time to complete her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. Following graduate school, she transitioned into educational leadership and has served in director-level roles ever since. Today, she is the Head of School at Guidepost Montessori, where she has led school operations and educational excellence for the past three years.
Throughout her career, Angelee has developed extensive expertise in school administration, staff development, program implementation, licensing compliance, and organizational leadership. Her daily responsibilities center on supporting both educators and students, ensuring classrooms have the resources they need to succeed, maintaining health and safety standards, and fostering a positive environment where staff and children can thrive. She works closely with teachers, families, and administrators to navigate challenges, support professional growth, and continuously strengthen school programs. Previously, she held leadership positions with Child Care Resource Center, where she supervised educational programs, mentored staff, and helped ensure compliance with state and federal regulations. Her leadership philosophy is rooted in collaboration, service, and a belief that strong educational environments are built through intentional support and continuous improvement.
Among Angelee’s proudest accomplishments is leading the creation and launch of a brand-new preschool from the ground up. She managed every phase of the project, from selecting classroom materials and designing learning environments to overseeing licensing requirements, coordinating with construction and facilities teams, working with fire marshals, and ensuring full regulatory compliance. The experience revealed her passion for building and transforming educational spaces, a strength she later applied to opening and supporting additional schools. Looking ahead, Angelee aspires to share her expertise on a broader scale by teaching college-level courses and consulting with educational organizations. Her goal is to help schools launch, rebuild, and strengthen their programs while creating high-quality learning environments that support the success of children, families, and educators alike.
• California State University, Chico - B.S. in Child Development
• Pacific Oaks College - M.Ed. in ECE
• Regional Teacher Award
• Foster care for kittens and puppies
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the mentors I've had throughout my career. I've had multiple mentors - former directors who were my directors, my old manager who I still talk to, and a friend who embellishes the entire early childhood world and is always somebody to go to for advice. These people have really guided me and supported my growth in this field. I also think it's about having passion and wanting to work with the children. You have to know that you never know what your day is gonna look like, but that's always the fun part of it. Being open to learning and staying connected to people who can guide you has been essential to my advancement from teacher assistant all the way to Head of School.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Angelee credits numerous mentors throughout her educational career for helping guide her growth and leadership development. She values learning from experienced educators and leaders who encouraged her to continue advancing professionally.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say that being in this world is about the passion and the wanting to work with the children. You also need to know that you never know what your day is gonna look like, but that's always the fun part of it. It depends on how you're coming into it, but if you have that passion for working with children and you're ready for the unpredictability and variety that comes with early childhood education, then this field can be incredibly rewarding. The key is to embrace the fact that every day brings something new and different.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I would have to say definitely the understanding of the importance of our work, what our work is. We often get called daycare workers, where all of us are highly educated teachers who worked towards these jobs and have a large background. That lack of recognition for our professional expertise is a real challenge. And also, of course, the low pay that comes with all education. The compensation definitely doesn't fit the work. These are the biggest issues we face - not being valued for the level of education and expertise we bring, and not being compensated fairly for the critical work we do with young children during their most formative years.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Angelee values education, leadership, compassion, lifelong learning, mentorship, integrity, and service. She believes strong educational leaders have a responsibility to support both students and educators while fostering environments where everyone can succeed.