Phylliss McCaskill
Phyllis Mccaskill is a dedicated early childhood education professional and administrator with decades of experience guiding children, families, and educators toward success. Based in Eastpointe, Michigan, she currently serves as the Administrator of Fun Time Learning Center Inc. in Detroit, where she oversees daily operations, bookkeeping, employee hiring and training, lesson planning, meal preparation, and marketing initiatives. Her leadership combines strong business acumen with a lifelong passion for education, creating nurturing learning environments that support both children and teaching staff. Alongside her administrative responsibilities, she has remained deeply involved in classroom instruction, mentoring educators, and supporting Head Start programs.
Before discovering her calling in education, Phyllis earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Colorado Technical University and initially pursued a career in accounting. However, her experience working as a YMCA camp counselor sparked a passion for working with children that changed the direction of her professional life. She returned to school to study early childhood education and has spent more than 27 years teaching, coaching, and mentoring within the field. Throughout her career, she has been inspired by influential mentors such as Katherine Nelson and Paula Knight, whose guidance helped shape her approach to lesson planning, family engagement, and teacher development. Phyllis credits much of her success to the supportive community of educators who helped her grow professionally and personally.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Phyllis is deeply committed to volunteerism, faith-based leadership, and community outreach. She has served for decades as the Director of Christian Education at Rock Of Ages Community Church, where she develops educational programs, trains staff, and conducts workshops. She is also active in organizations such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated, and Oda Phi Lambda. Her philanthropic efforts include supporting YMCA youth programs, funding summer camp opportunities for children, providing free tax preparation services, and participating in community service projects benefiting families in need. Through every aspect of her career and service, Phyllis Mccaskill continues to demonstrate compassion, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to empowering children and educators alike.
• Colorado Technical University - B.B.A.
• YMCA Employee of the Year (multiple times)
• Nominated for Early Educator Award in Missouri
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) since 1997
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated
• Oda Phi Lambda
• YMCA Early Childhood Program and Camp (volunteer and donor)
• March of Dimes - assembles baskets for NICU families
• Community projects through Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority
• Community projects through Oda Phi Lambda
What do you attribute your success to?
I would say I had a really good village of women that took me under their wings when I first started teaching. I would meet with them outside of the job sometimes, and they would help me prepare my classroom and assist me with lesson planning. Like they say, it takes a village to raise children - well, it took a village to get me where I am today, with how I instruct and teach young children, how I coach, and how I mentor. I had a lot of knowledgeable, encouraging, and empowering women that allowed me to step in their space, and they taught me. I always tell people I was taught by the best. Katherine Nelson was an amazing woman who was incredible with early education and how to build relationships with families and children. Paula Knight, who is now the superintendent of Jennings School District, gave me a lot of pointers and a lot of help over the years. These are the people that stand out and made all the difference in my career.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The greatest piece of advice I ever received was: when you show up, make sure you're present. Don't just be there - make sure the kids see and hear you, but also make sure that they are receiving from you. So when I show up for their classroom, I make sure I am present as well. It's not just about physically being there, it's about truly being engaged and giving the children what they need in that moment.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell them that it's not gonna be easy, but it'll be worthwhile. All the lives that you touch and how you interact with them, building relationships with their families - I still teach families that I had 20 years ago, and when the children say, 'oh, this is my baby,' you know, it's incredibly rewarding. My advice is to be transparent and open, and build those rapports with those families, because that's what gets you through the end of the day. The relationships you create with children and their families are what make this work meaningful and sustainable.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges in education right now are teacher burnout, new teachers coming in who don't have the foundational knowledge or information needed to basically teach and care for kids - especially when it comes to challenging behaviors. Most of them don't have good knowledge of how to support challenging behavior by using social-emotional learning skills. But I'm gonna say the number one challenge is money. Teachers don't get paid a lot. Funding is a major problem because not every state sees education as important. I live in the state of Missouri, and Missouri doesn't see education as a requirement or necessary - it's like, 'this is just enough, this is good enough, make it happen.' But then you see them putting a lot of money into other things. Education should be major. There should be a lot of money going there for the simple fact that we are raising and teaching the next generation of people that's gonna take care of us. If we're not taking care of their souls and their minds and their academic abilities, then we are gonna fail. Who's gonna care for us?