Meet Our Staff

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Our fun and loving staff members know how to play! We enjoy getting down on the floor with your children and becoming a part of their play experience. We feel it's important to not lead children's play, but rather allow them to guide us through their thought processes. Learning at our school is play-based. This means that we believe children learn about the world through playing in both imaginative and concrete ways. Some examples include singing songs, creating unique art pieces, and pretending and acting in the dramatic play room. Every room offers many activity choices to fully stimulate our children's young minds!

School Director

Laura Nola is not only the Owner and Director of our school, but she is also one of the Preschool Teachers! She's been in the childcare business for over 15 years and is a fun and loving teacher (and boss!). Before starting Play and Learn in 2001, Laura ran her own home day care business. On top of running Play and Learn, she also teaches continuing education classes for people in the childcare field through Childcare Network. Laura teaches our young preschool class (2.5-3.5 years), and also works with the school-age children. She graduated from Madonna University with a degree in Child Development and Early Childhood Education.

Infant & Toddler Teachers

We have two Infant Teachers, Jenny Johnson and Elsie Luckhardt.  Jenny joined our staff early in 2011 and yet it feels as though she's been here since the beginning. She has a heart of gold and the babies just love her kindness and her genuine love for them! Elsie is a retired school teacher and has been part of our school since 2001. She loves to sing to the children and talk to the babies!  Elsie also teaches the toddler class on Thursdays. Alicia Maynard is our toddler teacher. She has been with Play and Learn since 2007 and loves getting down to the toddler level and pretending and exploring with her kids. Alicia graduated from E.M.U. with her degree in Early Childhood Elementary Education.  Kayte Gilchrist is our Young Preschool Teacher.  She joined our school in 2010 however she knew many of the children beforehand through volunteering at our school.  She is currently working on her Master's at Eastern Michigan in Special Education majoring in Autism in Early Childhood.  Allie Fick also joined our staff in 2010 after volunteering at our school during the previous summer.  We've known Allie for some years, because her brother attended our school when he was a baby through preschool (how time flies)! Allie is currently working on her Bachelor degree at Eastern Michigan in Early Childhood and Elementary Education.  Allie adds enthusiam to her classroom, sharing new ideas that she learns in her Infant/Toddler Colloqium class.

Preschool Teachers

Irene Watts is not only a Preschool Teacher but also the Assistant Director.  She began teaching at our school in 2001 while finishig her degree at the University of Michigan (GO BLUE)! Currently, she has had the same class of children since they were infants, some as young as 6 weeks old! 

Pam Tighe is one of our Preschool Teachers, and she's been with us since 2001. She teaches our 3-and-a-half to 4-and-a-half year old class. Pam previously owned her own home daycare business for over 15 years! Pam attends several classes throughout the year that are offered through Childcare Network and The National Association for the Education of Young Children. She wants to be sure that the kids in our program are benefiting from the best teaching methods within the Early Childhood field.

School-Age Teachers

Laura is our School-Age teacher. She helps the kids get their homework done after school so they (and their parents!) have more free time when they get home! Helping with the school kids is Alex Nola, Laura's son, who is currently working on receiving his CDA.