Ellen is the mother of two amazing teenagers and the wife of a true child-at-heart — an aspiring author and a karaoke enthusiast. She found Montessori after working in and studying special education, and opened The Garden for her then two- and four-year-old children so they could experience its beauty and learn in connection with nature. Ever since, you can find her somewhere trying to convince anyone who will listen to join her mission for world peace through Montessori education.

Megan is the mother of two young children who began their Montessori journeys at The Garden as toddlers. A long-time military spouse, a lifelong learner and a world-famous podcaster, she discovered Montessori when she joined us as an assistant in 2015. Once dubbed "The Michael Jordan of Teaching," her students have always been her biggest fans. She has spent the last decade immersing herself in the pedagogy — and continues to this day, between daydreaming, reading and eating every style of taco she can find.

Kathryn is the mother of two Montessori-educated children, a soccer mom, the spouse of a veteran and our most tenured team member. A self-professed animal lover, bookworm and bird nerd, she started her career in higher education before finding The Garden as a curious parent-turned-bookkeeper during our first year. She keeps us all organized, on task and within budget — she’ll track you down for your paperwork or receipts. She is our rule-enforcer and checklist master, and for these reasons we protect her out-of-office time with our lives.

Elizabeth is the chaos coordinator at The Garden and in the busiest house on the block; three of the children there are her own, but several others of all ages can be found taking up residence, testing "Ms. Liz’s" limits and feeling right at home. The proud wife of a veteran and a tell-it-like-it-is, ride-or-die friend to many, she’ll try to convince you she’s a tough Mama Bear — but deep down we know she’s more of a teddy bear. A non-stop problem-solver, amazing under pressure, she keeps our team afloat every day.

Kate is one of those people whose voice you hear and you instantly feel at ease. She’s all at once confident and grounded, wise and pragmatic. Our admin team first encountered her as a speaker at a Montessori conference where we felt inspired, affirmed and moved by her presentation. She’s been in the Montessori world for 12 years in various roles from assistant to leadership. She’s a gift to the profession and most certainly to our schools, providing support, guidance and inspiration across all of our campuses. If you see her in the wild, be sure to double check that it is indeed her and not her identical twin as they are often mistaken for each other!

Emily joined The Garden, her first child in tow, when we were deep in the throes of COVID — but you never would have guessed by her patient, assured manner. She quickly adapted to the needs of young students whose lives had just been turned upside down, navigating health and safety restrictions with poise while still providing a meaningful, consistent experience. We lost her briefly to a military move, but she has since found the path back to us alongside Little Axel, our first Farm School student. A career nanny by background, she brings that intimate wisdom to every child in her care — and she moderates the Moore County Childcare Connection page to help local families find safe, qualified childcare.

Marlee began at The Garden leading our Nature Club, ready to guide children in their nature-connection journeys after completing her Horticulture Certificate. She has big dreams for herself and for our earth — she’s a fireball and a visionary, eager to grow with us as we carry our Montessori dreams forward. Our beekeeper and Master Gardener-in-training, give her a mission and she’ll make it happen. She might even make you forget she’s just getting started — and she’ll certainly give you a volunteer opportunity.

Ashley found Montessori as a parent seeking something better for her two curious, creative children. In her short time with The Garden she has become a quiet but sure and steady presence in our community. There’s a special feeling of calm around her — a sense of safety and peace that children and families detect immediately. She feels most at home outdoors and can make an outdoor classroom feel that way for her students; nature connection is foundational to her practice. Fun fact: she and her husband are award-winning tactical shooters in their free time.

Caylie is an avid hiker, gardener, nature-lover and dog mom. She has always loved working with young children and building the genuine, meaningful relationships that make them feel safe, supported, and confident as they grow. Over the past 7 years, she has worked with children in a camp setting, as a nanny and most recently as a lead PreK teacher. She is passionate about giving children the opportunity to explore their surroundings, get a little messy, ask questions, and discover things for themselves. Caylie also dreams of pursuing her Montessori credential after receiving her Bachelor’s next year!

Lauren is a lifelong equestrian, and has traveled the world competing professionally. She spent the last 10 years as an assistant in a toddler classroom, but before that, she raised her own children on a farm and has seen firsthand the immense positive impacts that this environment can have on a child’s development and growth. Her experience has taught her that living and learning amongst animals teaches children kindness, empathy, respect, and responsibility. Lauren is a team player and brings a unique and enlightened perspective to our farm school team.

Laura is a dedicated Montessori mom with a dynamic range of professional experience. She is also Megan’s podcast co-host and JUST AS FAMOUS. She spent ten years teaching Montessori Lower Elementary, mentoring new teachers and as part of the leadership team before embarking on her newest adventure of becoming a teacher trainer. Laura brings unique and invaluable experience and knowledge to our lab school program that is sure to have a lasting impact on our learners of all ages.

Cali is currently a home-schooling high schooler pursuing dual enrollment through Sandhills Community College’s Early Childhood Education program. As a pre-apprentice, she is earning her ECE Credential while gaining hands-on experience under the guidance of our educators as part of our lab school experience. Cali has spent years babysitting and serving in her church nursery and is eager to gain experience in a professional Early Education setting while she finishes high school.

Juliet is currently a home-schooling high schooler pursuing dual enrollment through Sandhills Community College’s Early Childhood Education program. As a pre-apprentice, she is earning her ECE Credential while gaining hands-on experience under the guidance of our educators as part of our lab school experience. Juliet has spent 8 years helping in her church’s childcare program and with the youth ministry service and is eager to gain experience in a professional Early Education setting while she finishes high school.

Ginny is another proud veteran spouse and a military mom. We call her the toddler whisperer — but it works on horses, too. Having spent years in early education practicing Montessori without calling it that, Ginny found The Garden and discovered her true calling as a Montessorian. When she’s not in the classroom or leading her teaching team, she’s guiding women through their healing journeys on her horse farm. Ginny is hearty, healthy laughter wrapped up in wisdom — she’s like if "shake it off" were a person. She’s genuinely the easiest person to be around and to love.

Mary is a proud and gentle mother, grandmother and speaker of wisdom. Her voice is soft, but her words speak volumes. Our own resident Lorax, she speaks for the trees. She came to The Garden in 2021 after teaching at the college level and many years of working with children of all ages — Montessori found her in the pine forest of Wild Hearts Nature School. She makes sure our toddler, preK and afternoon adventure club programs run smoothly and safely, leads our emergency preparedness program, and keeps everyone on track with her attention to detail and composure.

Haely is our Toddler Community’s longest-serving teacher, beginning as an assistant in what was her first classroom experience. As a former stay at home mother to two strong girls, nurturing her students’ growth came naturally and she quickly became a favorite face around The Garden. She is easily one of our most talented teachers with an innate gift for this work that can’t be taught. She has a knack for knowing what a toddler needs before they do and is an expert in all things potty training. A quiet presence in our community — careful and intentional in her choices both in and out of work — her confident, relaxed nature is a blessing to those who know her.

Rebecca found her path to The Garden after graduating her third and final homeschool student and sampling a few other career paths. A deeply feeling and caring presence, she brings a maternal energy to our community. Her time in educational leadership, homeschooling, ministry work and child development drives her passion for caregiving. She’s curious and knowing at the same time and delivers a holistic approach to her students. Most at peace in prayer or at her beloved church, she’s an open book with a dynamic story who sees the potential in every child.

Brianna found us in one of our weakest moments: the end of an era, in the last semester of our cherished Wild Hearts Nature School at the Linden Road campus. She brought renewed energy to a tired team and held us up so we could cross the finish line the same way we started — with purpose, and in protection of the experience of our students and their families. New to Montessori and to the outdoor classroom, she embraced the chance to learn and grow alongside experienced educators and has not stopped giving that same energy since. We’re excited to have her as a Montessori Apprentice in partnership with Sandhills Community College.

Marlee began at The Garden leading our Nature Club, ready to guide children in their nature-connection journeys after completing her Horticulture Certificate. She has big dreams for herself and for our earth — she’s a fireball and a visionary, eager to grow with us as we carry our Montessori dreams forward. Our beekeeper and Master Gardener-in-training, give her a mission and she’ll make it happen. She might even make you forget she’s just getting started — and she’ll certainly give you a volunteer opportunity.

"New" or "other" Olivia (as the children lovingly refer to her) came to us after many years at another local Montessori school, but it feels like she’s always been here. She brings a depth of expertise genuinely aligned with everything we stand for, and she’s always eager to learn more. A lifelong student herself, she takes her work seriously and believes in her students so deeply but also knows how to have fun and keeps us all laughing with her dry sense of humor. Before finding Montessori, she was a Kindergarten teacher and a Parks & Rec programs assistant, but we think she’s found her calling and hope she stays with us forever!

Chelsea was the first person hired at this campus and she’s been going strong ever since. A dedicated wife, mom of 3 young children and a friend to many, she’s as steady and reliable at school as she is outside of it — always there when you need her, and she makes balancing it all look easy. She found her way to The Garden after ten years of teaching at CMS while looking for a different path for her children’s educational journey. She’s a natural Montessorian with the patience of a saint; we can’t believe we’re lucky enough to have her here.

This is Erin’s first year at The Garden, but when we met her, we knew it was meant to be. She is one of those people who just projects light and love when you meet her, then you find out that she’s spent most of her adult life giving and serving others and it all makes sense. Erin has 20+ years of experience teaching Art, she specializes in creating and facilitating Literacy-based and therapeutic Art opportunities for all ages. The majority of her experience has been working with children and families in culturally and economically diverse preschools, family service centers and outreach programs. We can’t wait to see her in action beginning this fall!

Olivia joined our team in 2023. Her peaceful, creative presence makes our little corner of the world feel beautiful, whimsical and enchanting, and her passion for visual arts can be sensed throughout the spaces she moves through — whether she’s transforming an old garage building into an intentional, inviting toddler environment, curating a beautiful community event experience or painting a child’s face, she gives it her full energy and the result is always astounding. When she’s not at school making children feel safe and seen, she’s home with her partner caring for a menagerie of animals or tending her gardens. An avowed Potterhead and truly talented artist, Olivia makes magic wherever she goes.

Erin has been growing with us at this campus since we first opened in 2022 — a mother of four, two now out on their own and two she continues to support on their Montessori journeys. She is a constant source of positive energy, a nurturing and maternal presence for her students, and her harmonious voice can make an ordinary day feel like a Disney musical. She is the heart of her home and of our community; her laugh and her song can be heard at any given moment around here, and she is truly gifted in working with young children in a way that can’t be taught.

Carolina is a proud mom and wife, a music and theatre enthusiast and, as a native Texan, can handle the NC heat better than most of us! She loves to cook, she’s a true team player and a naturally talented early educator. After almost twenty years in the field, 10 of those in a Montessori classroom, she’s a natural fit for our school bringing experience, laughter and love to our little community.

Tiara is an enthusiastic gardener, an early riser and a foster mom. She’s undeniably a nurturer and caregiver at heart — her passion for helping others is tangible upon meeting her and hearing her story. After working as a Montessori assistant for several years, Tiara is now pursuing her Montessori credential and is eager to learn and grow with our school during her training.

Carol is a seasoned Montessorian with twenty years of experience in both private and public Montessori settings. Her children attended Montessori school and she has recently made the big life decision to step back from full time teaching and care for her family. She loves gardening and caring for her chickens, traveling and continuing to stay close to her passion for teaching in the Montessori way through substitute teaching. Carol’s gentle affect and tone instantly have children (and adults!) feeling at ease and safe with her, so it’s a natural fit for our community and we’re so grateful to be able to have a slice of her time and wisdom here at The Garden.