Teachers

OWNER/FOUNDER

Hello! I am the owner/founder of The Little Barnyard Preschool and a 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 18 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.

LEAD TEACHER

Hi! My name is Ms. Mikayla and I am thrilled to be part the Little Barnyard family! 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 spent six years working as a Birth-5 ECSE teacher up in Two Harbors. 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 took a year off to stay home with my daughter and then decided it was time to get back into the field!

I live at home with my husband (Alex), our dog (Mabel), our cat (Ripley) and our energetic, hilarious, dirt-loving daughter (Ivy). We also adopted two bunnies (Merry and Pippin) from the Little Barnyard. They have been a delightful addition to our family! 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 in Duluth. 

I have a passion for creative expression, social emotional learning and working closely with families. I’m so excited to bring these interests to the Little Barnyard and join April in providing the highest quality experiences for your little learner!

TEACHER

I love being a teacher at The Little Barnyard Preschool. 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.

TEACHER

Hello, I’m Haley! I am a senior 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.