Children learn so much by watching adults. Our staff models behavior that shows trust, patience, respect, humor, kindness, and love for others. We work out difficult moments together with kindness and forgiveness. We celebrate our victories, and we comfort one another’s losses or sorrows.

Ms. Sandra

Sandra came to Great Wide Open with over 27 years of experience working with young children. Most of those years were spent as a teacher of 3-year-olds in a traditional preschool setting, and in later years she was fortunate to be able to care for her grandchildren when they were born. She was very excited to become part of the Great Wide Open in 2021 and is a huge advocate for active hands-on learning and multi-age classrooms. She feels that Great Wide Open offers the best balance of preschool and homeschool ideologies and loves to see the children thrive. Ms. Sandra not only shares her valuable teaching experiences but also her kindness, nurturing personality and endless patience. She is dearly loved by the staff, kids and parents at GWO.

Ms. Amanda

Ms. Amanda has become an important part of our "village" at Great Wide Open. Although she is a wonderful teacher for all age groups here at GWO, her primary focus is working with our Homeschool group. She has a special knack for connecting quickly with kids and making school work and learning fun.

She spent three years as a nanny to her two young nephews, and worked as a media center assistant as well as a teaching assistant in 3rd and 4th grades at Union Academy for six years.

She is a mom of two teenagers and loves to read, take walks, listen to podcasts, watch movies, and go to Disney in her spare time.

We love her calm and patient personality and her sense of humor, and we are so happy she is here!

Ms. Becky

Becky spent her teen years working as a nanny while homeschooling herself through high school. She graduated from UNCC with a degree in English and continued working as a nanny for 4 different families. She later worked as an early educator in a daycare setting for several years before having children of her own. Becky has nearly 20 years combined experience working with preschool aged children and has been a part time teacher here since we began in 2020. While Covid was shutting everything down, it was also the catalyst for the beginning of Great Wide Open, and Becky was instrumental in helping to launch the school. Having been a homeschooler herself, she contributes a wealth of knowledge about homeschooling to our program here. Becky is a busy mom who spends much of her time in her greenhouse growing succulents and raising chickens, and is always happy to share her knowledge with us. She is a kind and caring teacher.

Teacher with chickens at Homeschool in Monroe NC

Ms. Haley

Ms. Haley joins us from Blair Road Preschool where she taught 2- and 3-year olds for 8 years. She is a mom of 2 kids, a dog, and a few cats, as well as an avid yoga instructor who owns her own yoga studio in the Mint Hill area.

Ms. Haley likes to read, cook, hike, and she loves the beach and spending time with family.

She is a wonderful teacher and contributes a wealth of knowledge and valuable experience to our school. We all love her happy personality and her patient, kind nature and we feel so fortunate to have her here at Great Wide Open!

Ms. Ella

Ms. Ella graduated from high school in Ohio in 2022. Although she is our youngest staff member and new to the Early Childhood Education environment, she has already proven herself to be a natural. She shows an understanding of the positive impact an early educator can have on a young child's life and has a strong desire to make a difference for each child.

Ms. Ella joins us this year as a teaching assistant, learning all aspects of teaching preschool from the ground up, with each age group. She has a kind, easy-going and nurturing way about her that we all have come to love.

In her spare time she enjoys snowboarding, going to movies, reading, and playing with her cat. She is a wonderful addition here at Great Wide Open.