‘It’s just a big, giant, glob of wonderful.? That’s how Vicci Salerno, the director of Holy Cross Christian Preschool, describes her job.
Although she’s been on staff for 32 years, she never woke up one day and decided it was what she wanted to do with her life. Salerno, a devout Christian, said it just sort of happened when the Lord wanted it to happen.
‘When I was very young, I put my life in His hands and said ‘do with me what you will,?? she said.
Salerno, who was born in Ohio, but grew up in Berkley, was a long distance phone operator for AT&T straight out of high school. At the young age of 19, she married her husband Art. She met him at a wedding where he was the best man and she was the vocalist.
‘He really was the best man,? she said with a laugh. They’ve been together for 44 years and have two children, a son, who unfortunately passed away from kidney failure last year, and a daughter.
The newlywed Salernos began their lives in Lake Orion. Not long after, Salerno was asked to start a preschool with several other people at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Oxford. It became sort of an apprenticeship where she learned a lot about giving, sharing and doing things unselfishly.
‘We were kind of pioneers now that I look back on it,? she said.
Salerno went on to receive her associate’s degree from Oakland Community College, a bachelor’s degree in early childhood development from Oakland University and her masters in family studies from Michigan State University.
While Salerno was covering a preschool class for another woman on leave, she found herself getting more and more interested in spending time with the children.
‘I had feedback from one of the parents who told me ‘you’re good at this,?? she said.
A few years later, Salerno became the director of Holy Cross Christian Preschool and has led it for the past 24 years. During those years, Salerno also worked for a program in Birmingham called Families Focus, which is an offshoot of the juvenile court system. She counselled parents who had their children taken away and helped them to cope and learn from these events.
One thing she’s found in her line of work is it’s hard to find that fine line between protecting children and sheltering them to the point of dependency.
‘It’s not easy raising children,? she said. ‘I guess it never was.?
Another field of work Salerno said the Lord opened for her was teaching English as a Second Language (ELS). She has been teaching it in China every other summer since 1991.
In June, Salerno will be retiring from the position to which she has dedicated most of her life to.
‘The trouble is,? she said as she got a little choked up, ‘I’m going to miss all the families. This job has always been a ministry for me.?
She still remembers children from years ago and wonders how they are. Salerno said she will miss greeting the children at the door every morning and watching them learn. She joked to her six year-old grandson that she has no more preschoolers in her life and that she’ll have to rent some.
‘They’re so delightful. There’s so much wisdom there,? she said.
Cindy Macks, now a teacher at Living Word Lutheran School, will become the new director of the preschool. Macks has eight years experience in preschool classrooms as a teacher and administrator. She has a degree in family studies from WMU and a masters in early childhood development from MSU.
Salerno said she will retire knowing the preschool is ‘in good hands.?
Salerno advises those wishing to get into her field to have a strong background in early childhood development and understand how little kids tick. ‘Children are all individuals and they’re all going to do things different ways,? she said.
With all of the free time she’ll have starting in June, Salerno said she will enjoy spending more time with her husband, who is also retired, daughter and two grandsons. She’ll continue to teach ELS and wants to get more involved with Holy Cross? world missions. She’ll also be ‘mucking around? in her garden a lot.
‘If you see me out-and-about please remember, I have not retired from hugs,? she said.

During those years, Salerno also worked for a program in Birmingham called Families Focus, which is an offshoot of the juvenile court system. She counselled parents who had their children taken away and helped them to cope and learn from these events.
One thing she’s found in her line of work is it’s hard to find that fine line between protecting children and sheltering them to the point of dependency.
‘It’s not easy raising children,? she said. ‘I guess it never was.?
Another field of work Salerno said the Lord opened for her was teaching English as a Second Language (ELS). She has been teaching it in China every other summer since 1991.
In June, Salerno will be retiring from the position to which she has dedicated most of her life to.
‘The trouble is,? she said as she got a little choked up, ‘I’m going to miss all the families. This job has always been a ministry for me.?
She still remembers children from years ago and wonders how they are. Salerno said she will miss greeting the children at the door every morning and watching them learn. She joked to her six year-old grandson that she has no more preschoolers in her life and that she’ll have to rent some.
‘They’re so delightful. There’s so much wisdom there,? she said.
Cindy Macks, now a teacher at Living Word Lutheran School, will become the new director of the preschool. Macks has eight years experience in preschool classrooms as a teacher and administrator. She has a degree in family studies from WMU and a masters in early childhood development from MSU.
Salerno said she will retire knowing the preschool is ‘in good hands.?
Salerno advises those wishing to get into her field to have a strong background in early childhood development and understand how little kids tick.
‘Children are all individuals and they’re all going to do things different ways,? she said.
With all of the free time she’ll have starting in June, Salerno said she will enjoy spending more time with her husband, who is also retired, daughter and two grandsons. She’ll continue to teach ELS and wants to get more involved with Holy Cross? world missions. She’ll also be ‘mucking around? in her garden a lot.
‘If you see me out-and-about please remember, I have not retired from hugs,? she said.