It is the philosophy of Lakewood Avenue Children’s School to recruit and hire an extremely well-qualified teaching staff and provide them with the highest level of compensation possible. All Lakewood teachers have degrees in early childhood education/child development and complete a lengthy application and interview process, including working interviews in the classrooms. In addition, all teachers must be members of NAEYC. Teachers receive salaries and benefits in excess of those at comparable centers, and numerous professional development opportunities. As a result, Lakewood teachers typically stay with the School for two to four years, far longer than teachers in most early childhood programs. The professionalism and continuity that the teaching staff brings to the School’s children and families provide the cornerstone of Lakewood’s program.

DIRECTOR:

Marcia Brooks earned her Master’s degree in Industrial Design (2004) at the NCSU College of Design with her thesis in Early Childhood Environmental Design. She has a BFA from the University of New Hampshire and has earned NC Art Education Teacher Certification, the NC Early Childhood Teaching Credential and the NC Early Childhood Administration Credential.

FOUNDER:

Margaret Edwards received her A.B. from Vassar College and her M.Ed. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is certified in Early Childhood Education, Specific Learning Disabilities, and Emotional Handicaps. Margaret worked with children in the triangle for many years including twenty years as Lakewood’s founding director.

TEACHERS:

• Kimberly Chapman earned her B.S. Degree in Early Childhood Education, with a minor in music, at Ohio University in 2007. After completing her degree, she became a mentor teacher at the Ohio University Child Development Center. Kimberly joined the Lakewood faculty in January 2009 as a Toddler Teacher.
• Betsy Ferney has a BA degree in Mathematics with a minor in French from Linfield College in Oregon. Since graduating Betsy has earned her Certificate in Child Development and in the Teaching of Infants, Toddlers and Twos and continues to take classes in Early Childhood Development. Betsy started with us in 2008 after four years as a toddler teacher in Chapel Hill.
• Taylor Galpin came to Lakewood as a student teacher from Meredith College. When she completed her B.S. in Child Development in 2004, she became a full-time teacher. After a brief break from teaching Taylor was re-hired as a Preschool Teacher in October 2008.
• Victoria Martens joined our faculty in 2008 as a Middler Teacher. She has a B.A. degree in Early Childhood Education and Psychology from North Park University in Chicago.
• Patricia-Ann Rocker started with us as a Helping Teacher in January 2009 and became a Middler Teacher one month later. Patricia has had several years of experience as an early childhood teacher and is enrolled in the Early Childhood Degree Program at Wake Tech.
• Amanda Shaffer earned her B.S. degree in Child Development/Developmental Psychology in May 2003 at the University of Pittsburgh School of Education. After several years working with military children, Amanda joined our faculty in April 2009.
• Michelle Verrastro earned her B.S. Degree in Human Development and Family Studies at UNC Greensboro in May 2009. She served as Interim Director at Arts For Life at Brenner Children’s Hospital in Winston-Salem, NC. Michelle joined us as a Preschool Teacher in 2010.

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Preschoolers get a helping hand at the light table. Photo courtesy of Don Trull.

Above: A teacher brings his pet corn snake, "Mr. Happy," to school to share with the Middlers.

Opposite: A graduating Preschooler gets a congratulatory hug from the Director.