Our Staff
At ACG, we are proud to hire dedicated, professional staff! All of our Preschool and Pre-K teachers and both of our directors have degrees in education, most in Early Childhood Education, and several of our infant-toddler teachers are working towards their CDA credentials!
In 2018, as part of our move towards accreditation, we are also proud to announce the start of our professional educational growth plan: "Growing Our Educators!"
In Phase I of the program, all full-time staff without related degrees have the opportunity to participate in our employer-sponsored CDA program, which is modeled after the TEACH scholarship. As in the TEACH scholarship, teachers participating sign a contract to work for two years after the completion of their CDA. Unlike the TEACH scholarship, this program has absolutely no out-of-pocket cost to our teachers! ACG pays for the coursework and all related fees, and provides support during the portfolio, examination, and observation process.
In Phase II, all full time employees with a CDA or related degree will be encouraged to participate in the center-wide HighScope and Positive Behavior Support training offered by the BCCSF Early Childhood Quality Childcare Initiative. This training offers the unique opportunity for our teachers to receive hands-on, in-classroom training in the HighScope Curriculum, which is typically out of reach both financially and logistically for early childhood educators not associated with a school district! We will also begin to pursue Missouri Accreditation in Phase II.
In Phase III, we will complete the accreditation process and continue to offer our employer-sponsored CDA program to full-time employees, to ensure our staff remains highly qualified and professional! During Phase III, our current staff will serve as mentors to new staff members and pass on their knowledge about child development and the HighScope curriculum, to ensure highly-trained staff for years to come!
In 2018, as part of our move towards accreditation, we are also proud to announce the start of our professional educational growth plan: "Growing Our Educators!"
In Phase I of the program, all full-time staff without related degrees have the opportunity to participate in our employer-sponsored CDA program, which is modeled after the TEACH scholarship. As in the TEACH scholarship, teachers participating sign a contract to work for two years after the completion of their CDA. Unlike the TEACH scholarship, this program has absolutely no out-of-pocket cost to our teachers! ACG pays for the coursework and all related fees, and provides support during the portfolio, examination, and observation process.
In Phase II, all full time employees with a CDA or related degree will be encouraged to participate in the center-wide HighScope and Positive Behavior Support training offered by the BCCSF Early Childhood Quality Childcare Initiative. This training offers the unique opportunity for our teachers to receive hands-on, in-classroom training in the HighScope Curriculum, which is typically out of reach both financially and logistically for early childhood educators not associated with a school district! We will also begin to pursue Missouri Accreditation in Phase II.
In Phase III, we will complete the accreditation process and continue to offer our employer-sponsored CDA program to full-time employees, to ensure our staff remains highly qualified and professional! During Phase III, our current staff will serve as mentors to new staff members and pass on their knowledge about child development and the HighScope curriculum, to ensure highly-trained staff for years to come!
Pre-K
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Lead Teacher: Ms. Hannah has a bachelor’s degree in Music education from Central Methodist University and has been teaching at the early childhood level for 6 years, and has been with us since March of 2016.
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Lead Teacher: Ms. Allison has a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Missouri. She taught kindergarten for 4 years before coming to us in the summer of 2017 when we expanded our Pre-K class. She is completing her Master’s Degree in School Counseling at Stephen’s College.
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Preschool
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Lead Teacher: Ms. Allyssa has a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Missouri. She is the co-owner, the associate director, and has been teaching at Ashland Children’s Garden since we opened our home care in May of 2014.
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Explorers
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Lead Teacher: Ms. Kenna joined us in July of 2017 and took over as lead teacher of the Explorer’s class when it opened in September of 2017. She worked in a childcare center in her home town before relocating to the Columbia area. Ms. Kenna is pursuing her CDA as part of Phase I of ACG's "Growing Our Educators" program!
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Infants and Toddlers
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Lead Teacher: Ms. Olivia has over 10 years experience in childcare, and has been with us as Lead Teacher in our infant class since March of 2016. Ms. Olivia is pursuing her CDA as part of Phase I of ACG's "Growing Our Educators" program!
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Lead Assistant
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Ms. Nina (Christina) has been with us since we opened at this location in June of 2015. She has experience working in every classroom as a co-lead or assistant teacher and currently functions as our float teacher—covering breaks and days off and just generally filling in and providing support where we need her.
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Assistant Teachers and Teacher's Aides
We generally hire college students who have experience working with children and train them to work several age groups so they are able to help us out where we need them! We have college students from the local area who work with us only when home on breaks or as substitutes as their college coursework allows, and college students who are only here during the school year who go home for breaks.
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Ms. Leah recently graduated from MU with a degree in Theater Performance. She has worked for Ashland Children’s Garden since May of 2014 when we opened as a home care.
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Ms. Abby is a premed major at Barnard College. She has worked for us during school breaks since May of 2016.
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Ms. Kailey is a recent Southern Boone graduate who has worked for us during school breaks since May of 2017. She is a freshman nursing major at Culver-Stockton.
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Ms. Madi has worked for us since January of 2018. She is an MU student and floats in all our classrooms!
Ms. Natalie has worked for us as her class schedule allows since August of 2017. She is a student at MU and floats in all our classrooms. She is also Ms. Kendall's twin!
Ms. Kendall has worked for us since May of 2018. She is an Elementary Ed major at MU and floats in all our classrooms. She is also Ms. Natalie's twin!