Our Story

Corey and Kathy met in 2006 when their girls were in the same kindergarten class. They quickly established a strong bond and friendship that has carried the business to be what it is today. Together they started Big Star Studios in 2011 when they discovered a growing need for performing arts in the Snoqualmie Valley area. After five years of getting Big Star Studios on the map Corey decided to pursue her life-long dream of opening a preschool and thus Little Stars Preschool was born!

Corey in front of school

The inception of Big Star Performing Arts and Little Stars Preschool has realized Corey’s longstanding dream, a vision that took root during her tenure as an educator in the Bellevue School District many years ago. Armed with a degree in Human and Child Development from Washington State University (GO COUGS!), Corey furthered her academic journey by earning a master’s degree in education at Western Washington University.

Having dedicated years to teaching in public schools, imparting knowledge to students from kindergarten through middle school, Corey later made the heartfelt decision to take on the role of a stay-at-home parent, nurturing and raising her four children. As her youngest child grew, Corey felt the unmistakable pull to return to her passion for working with children.

In 2011, the realization of this passion materialized in the form of Big Star Studios, a venture born from a shared commitment to children’s arts education with her very close friend Kathy Gehrig. Beyond being a labor of love, this studio and preschool stand as a source of immense pride for Corey—second only to the joy of raising her four children.

We encourage you to stop by and observe a class anytime. We are confident that you will be impressed with what you see.

testimonials

Our daughter was in the Little Star’s Preschool program for two years before going to kindergarten. She has always been hesitant in new situations and the teachers and staff at Little Stars were so friendly and welcoming that our daughter quickly warmed up and felt at home. Every day she came home excited about what she learned and often spent our entire dinnertime telling us every detail of her day. My sons regularly made comments like “wow, wish we could do that all day!” Nature day with Miss Claire was so amazing. She was encouraged to get her hands dirty which she eventually did and was so proud of herself afterwards. Overall, we couldn’t be happier with our experience and how our daughter has adapted so well to kindergarten life thanks to her time at Little Stars. They have figured out how to educate our kids while teaching them to explore their creativity and building self-confidence and independence – lessons that will last them a lifetime. Thank you Little Stars!

Linda Norlin 
Linda Norlin

With praise and gratitude for Big Star Studios, we put our highest recommendation on Little Stars Preschool. Coming from a family of educators, with three kids who have been benefited from the programs at Big Star, our hearts are always filled with joy seeing our kids smiling ear-to-ear at drop off and pick up. We love how Big Star puts an emphasis on creative learning, learning by doing and discovery, and really plays off students' individual interests and desires which makes learning fun, interesting, and desirable. In addition to the learning and creative atmosphere that we love , the staff at Big Star are always so willing to work with individual family's needs and schedules and have made the preschool experience for our family such a positive one. We are grateful for everyone at Big Star Studios and our kids LOVE the preschool and programs they offer.

Tim and Heather Ireland 
Tim and Heather Ireland

We’re entering our fourth year with Little Stars and I can’t say enough great things about the teachers, staff and program! They go above and beyond to make sure everyone has a wonderful experience. My oldest graduated this past spring and I am confident the program has fully prepared him for kindergarten. My three-year-old will be starting his second year and has been asking all summer if he can return to school yet. He loves being there and I’m confident that he’s learning and developing in a safe and nurturing environment. I highly recommend Little Stars to anyone with preschool-aged kids!

Jess Lammers 
Jess Lammers

My daughter, Abby, has been in preschool at Little Stars for almost two years now. We were there before COVID, through the closures, and since. We have been incredibly impressed with how Corey and her amazing team have handled this hard time with closures, remote preschool, and transitioning into a safe in-person experience for the kids. They have done a great job with their safety regulations and teaching the kids to still have just as much fun while wearing a mask, learning to wash hands frequently, distancing while eating, and having a day of “nature school” where they play outside all day. They have allowed Abigail to feel that this time was pretty normal, which is such a gift since the last year has been anything but! Little Stars has been an oasis where she can grow and learn and we are so happy to have found it.

Rachel Kramer 
Rachel Kramer

Both of our children love Little Stars Preschool. The atmosphere there is so unique and special, unlike any other pre-school I have seen. Our daughter struggled in other school environments until she found the perfect fit at Little Stars. The art based curriculum brought out her creativity and sparked her imagination in a way that I had never seen before. She truly flourished there and has loved every bit of her time with the wonderful teachers who nurtured her artistic spirit. Our son has been at Little Stars for a year now and is so happy there. He can’t wait for school and always has so many exciting stories to tell his friends and teachers. As a mother I feel so blessed to have found such a wonderful atmosphere for my children to learn in. Little Stars Preschool is truly amazing and I am so grateful my kids get to experience such joy in going to school.

Whitney Chambers 
Whitney Chambers