LAKEWOOD - Key Persons
Anna Shelton joined the toddler teaching team in the Spring of 2023. For the five years prior, Anna was co-founder, curriculum coordinator, and lead teacher at Hopping Frogs Forest School, an entirely outdoor preschool program in Oxford, NC. Anna has been working with young children since 2012 and has earned the NC Early Childhood Credential, NC Nature-Based Teacher Certification Level 1, and participated in peer study groups and workshops for Non-Violent Communication. Anna has a passion for social-emotional skill building and the role that arts and movement play in human development.
Betsy Ferney began teaching at Lakewood in 2008. She taught in the toddler room for several years before leaving to start a family. Betsy returned to the Lakewood community in 2019 as Assistant Director when her second child started school. Betsy reopened the school as Director to a whole new early childhood world after the pandemic shutdown. While exceeding the extensive necessary precautions required for health and safety at the school, Betsy remained focused on the children and their development by teaching in our middler room and supporting the other teachers to deepen their practices in the Reggio Emilia approach. Remarkably, Betsy completed her Master's in Innovative Early Childhood Education through UC Denver in partnership with Boulder Journey School during this time, and continues to be a valued advisor to our leadership team/teacher mentors.
Caitlyn Thienemann joined the LACS community in the fall of 2022 as a co-teacher in the toddler room. She graduated from Radford University in 2007 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Anthropology. Cait has worked in early childhood education in Durham for eight years. She has a 14-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter, and also loves music, animals, and teaching small people.
Job Titles:
- Member of the School Leadership Team
- Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Middler Room Mentor
Caitlyn came to Lakewood as a student teacher in 2015 and never left! She started with us as a teacher in our middler room right after her graduation from Meredith College with a B.S. in Child Development in 2016. She has since become the teacher mentor in that classroom and has qualified for the highest level of the NC Early Childhood Administration Credential. Along with teaching and mentoring teachers, Caitlyn oversees the school's curriculum and ensures maintenance of our NAEYC accreditation.
Caitlyn enjoys our cozy, homelike environment and our low ratios, which give her the opportunity to really know every child. She nurtures young minds with patience and care and has an understanding that each child is different. Caitlyn is passionate about fostering social/emotional development in children while also focusing on all other developmental areas. She meets each child where they are and implements a curriculum that emphasizes their interests and needs.
Cecily Horstman started at Lakewood in August of 2023 as a co-lead preschool teacher. She graduated from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2022 with a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies. Cecily worked with children in preschool and non-profit settings during her studies. She grew up in Durham and recently moved back to start her career. Cecily is excited to play an active role in the positive development of young children's cognitive, physical, social/emotional, linguistic, and creative abilities.
Emily Santrock began teaching in the Middler Room in June 2022. She graduated from Meredith College in 2020 with a BA in graphic design and a minor in psychology. She is enrolled at Wake Tech, continuing her studies in early childhood education. Emily loves teaching at Lakewood because of our home-like feeling and small class sizes.
Job Titles:
- Director, 2007 - 2020, Executive Director since 2020
Job Titles:
- Founding Director, 1986 - 2007
Job Titles:
- Member of the School Leadership Team
- Director of Administration and Compliance, Preschool Room Mentor Teacher
Sarah has taught at Lakewood since the summer of 2017. She taught in the middler room until 2020, when she became a preschool teacher. Since becoming co-director, Sarah continues to teach in the preschool room as both a collaborator and a mentor teacher. In addition to teaching and mentoring teachers, Sarah gives tours of our program, oversees enrollment, and works with NC Licensing (NCDCDEE). Sarah earned her B.S. in Psychology in 2014 at Appalachian State University and has since completed additional coursework, earning the highest level of the NC Early Childhood Administration Credential.
Sarah is deeply committed to cultivating empathy and nurturing the social and emotional development of young children. She takes great pride in creating inclusive environments that facilitate growth. Sarah enjoys collaborating with families and teachers to support the holistic growth of every child.
Sarah Marshall joined the Lakewood community in 2019 as a support teacher and having worked in each of our three classrooms, settled as co-lead teacher in our preschool room. Sarah graduated from Meredith College in 2016 with a B.A. in English. They have continued academic study in child development, and have spent time teaching in Hawai'i, Halifax, and Wake County before moving to Durham. Sarah is a queer, anti-bias educator that loves taking on big topics with little people and sharing their love of storytelling with children.
Job Titles:
- Member of the School Leadership Team
- Chief Inspiration and Culture Officer, Director of Outdoor Learning, Toddler Room Mentor
Vanessa has been an integral part of our school community since 2012. Having graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2008 with a BA in Psychology, Vanessa has since earned their NC Early Childhood credential. As our longest-serving educator, Vanessa has a deep understanding of our school's culture. They have worked extensively in our three classrooms, mastering each group's developmental needs, routines, and schedules.
As Director of Outdoor Learning, Vanessa is the creative mind behind our outdoor learning initiative - creating engaging outdoor learning and play opportunities. Their love for art and gardening projects shines through as they help our students connect with nature in meaningful ways.