Meet the teachers
Ms. April
Hello! I am the owner/founder of The Little Barnyard Preschool and the lead teacher in all of the classes. Teaching children outside in nature and on my farm is a dream job. I have been working with children for 15 years now and I love it more every year.
I have a degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. I opened Little Barnyard in 2014, a few years after moving back to Esko. My teaching philosophy is child-led and emergent based on the interests, needs, and motivations of the children and seasons of our year. I’m deeply inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach and Constructivist learning models, and I add in Waldorf and Montessori aspects as well. My favorite part of teaching is engaging children in activities that build a love for learning, life skills and a confidence within themselves.
Children bring such joy and fulfillment into my life, and I’m so honored to have your child in my school.
Ms. Desi
Admin
Hello, I’m Ms. Desi! I am married to my husband, Cody, and we just celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary this year. We have three kids and a cat named Nala.
I love working with children and being in nature. I earned my AAS in Early Childhood Education and my Bachelors in Environment and Outdoor Education. I am passionate about getting young children outside and learning about this magnificent world we live in.
Our family loves spending as much time outside as possible! Some of our favorite things to do together are camping, fishing, kayaking, swimming, hiking, looking for stars and the moon at night, and just relaxing outside. Our goal in life is to learn to live as self-sufficiently and low waste as possible. I am so excited to be teaching another school year here at The Little Barnyard Preschool!
Ms. Jordyn
Teacher
Hi everyone! My name is Ms. Jordyn, and I am starting a new journey at Little Barnyard preschool. I am thrilled to embark on this opportunity and cannot wait to meet your littles! I recently graduated with my associates degree in elementary education. I plan to continue my studies to earn my bachelor’s degree in early education and a certificate in early childhood development. I have a passion for working with children and cannot wait to learn and grow from this experience! I love to cook, go on hikes, take my dog on walks, and I enjoy spending my time outside with my niece. I am excited to build relationships, grow in my education and be a role model for children!
Ms. Haley
Teacher
Hello, I’m Haley! I am a third-year student at UMD, majoring in Childhood Nature Studies. I came to the Duluth area for my schooling from North Dakota and have since fallen in love with the area.
Working with kids for the last couple of years has taught me just how much of a difference a nature-based education can make. That being said it is really encouraging to see just how passionate The Little Barnyard Preschool and the entire Duluth area is about nature schooling.
When I’m not in class or teaching kids I enjoy spending my time outdoors hiking, camping canoeing, and alpine skiing. I also have a very large houseplant collection that is rapidly expanding as well as a passion for art in its many forms. This includes playing the guitar, drawing, and painting.
Starting my journey with The Little Barnyard Preschool will be a welcome new adventure.
Ms. Jess
Teacher
I am so excited to begin this year at Little Barnyard preschool as a teacher. I live in Cloquet with my husband, our two girls, three cats, and our dog Mithril. As a family we love camping, adventuring, spending days at the lake, raising animals, playing board games, and volunteering with Carlton County Animal Rescue. My hobbies include working on an organic farm and teaching yoga!
I began my adventure in childcare last year, and nature-led learning has been calling to me. I am so grateful to spend my time working alongside children and hope to spark a love of nature, connection, and learning for generations to come.
Ms. Mikayla
On-Call Substitute
Hi! My name is Ms. Mikayla and I’m thrilled to be joining the Little Barnyard family! I have been working in the field of Early Childhood for basically my entire life. I graduated from UMD in 2017 from the Unified Early Childhood Studies program and am a licensed Birth-3rd grade and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Teacher. I have been working up the North Shore as a Birth-5 ECSE teacher ever since. During that time, I received my Master’s of Child and Adolescent Development from the U of M-Twin Cities with a focus on Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health.
I live at home with my husband (Alex), our dog (Mabel), our cat (Ripley) and our energetic, hilarious, dirt-loving baby (Ivy)! Some of our favorite things to do include going to the library, playing in the garden and going for hikes on the trail near our house. I have been so lucky that I’ve been able to stay home with Ivy since she was born, and I am so excited to now have the opportunity to get to know this amazing program as a substitute teacher!