Jen Bostick – Stepping Stones
 
Miss Jen graduated from the University of Dayton with a Bachelors Degree in Accounting. She also earned a Masters of Taxation Degree from Capital University. After working in public accounting for 10+ years, she decided to stay home to raise her children. While at home, she started an in-home daycare. After 14 years of caring for kids in her home, she joined the Bright Beginnings family. Jen absolutely loves seeing the children everyday and watching them grow. Miss Jen lives in Springboro with her husband and 3 children. She loves spending time with her family, running, biking, gardening and watching sports.
Melanie Calcaterra – Kindergarten Exploration
 

Melanie has been a part of the Bright Beginnings family since the preschool opened in 2003, first as a parent, then as a staff member. She has served as an assistant teacher in our 3-year-old and Kindergarten Exploration classes and as both an assistant and lead teacher in Kids Morning Out. Her favorite part of working at Bright Beginnings is seeing how much the children grow and learn from the beginning of the year to the end. Melanie is originally from South Carolina and has a B.A. degree in political science from Furman University in Greenville, SC. A 19-year resident of Springboro, she recently moved to Waynesville with her husband, Jeff. She has 3 children: Bobby (25), Mark (22), and Catherine (20). When not working, she enjoys reading, walking with friends, and watching Michigan sports (Go Blue!).

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Gina Elking – 3 Year Olds
 
Mrs. Gina graduated from Ohio State University with BA in Sociology and minor in Human Development and Family Services.  She has been with Bright Beginning since 2012.  She loves getting to know each child.  “I feel honored to spend time with each of them and help them grow and develop the important building blocks for their future education.”  Outside of work, she loves spending time with her husband and three sons.  They like to take long bike rides, go hiking, watch movies or just play games at home.  Mrs. Gina also has two dogs she adores!2

Cheryl Harrison- 3 Year Olds

Mrs. Cheryl has Bachelor degree in finance from the University of Dayton.  The 2017/2018 school year is her fifth year at Bright Beginnings.  However, all three of her children attended Bright Beginnings and had such great experiences.  She is so excited to be a part of the learning, nurturing and fun that occurs here.  When not teaching the 3 year old class or working with our morning A.C.E. students, she enjoys boating with her family and watching her kids play lacrosse.
Paula Kercher – 4 year olds
 

Miss Paula is from England but has lived in USA for over 25 years. She and her husband have 3 grown sons who went  through the Centerville School district.  Two years ago they moved south to Springboro. They are enjoying exploring their new location and finding out what Springboro has to offer. They have 3 grandchildren all of whom one day will be graduates of Bright Beginnings.  They love spending time with Ruby 8, Owen 6 and Luke 3 (who is attending BB this year). You may see her out and about on her bicycle because she loves being outside either cycling, walking, swimming or attending outdoor concerts. Her hobby is dancing.  She and her husband ballroom dance on the weekends.  She particularly likes the swing and any of the latin dances. She joined the BB family last year as a floater/sub.  She thoroughly enjoys getting to know all of the little people and the bigger people too.   

Amanda Lamb – 4 year olds
 

Miss Mandy attended Defiance College where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Wellness and Corporate Fitness. After college she worked in the medical field for 10 years as a dialysis technician. When her twins were born in 2016 she decided to stay home with them and also did some in-home babysitting.  Mandy loved the time her children spent here at Bright Beginnings and decided to join the team once they started school. This is Miss Mandy’s 1st year as an assistant teacher and her 2nd with Bright Beginnings. Her family lives in Franklin where her kids are in the first grade.

 

Kayla McCall – Stepping Stones Extension
 
Miss Kayla was raised east of Cincinnati in the small town of Bethel Ohio where family life revolved around school and sports activities. She was part of the first Teacher Academy class at Grant Career Center where she was exposed to lessons on teaching styles and child psychology and served internships in area schools. She married her husband, a Marine, and moved to Jacksonville NC where her two children were born. At his retirement, they returned to Southwest Ohio to be near family and his job at Wright Patt Airforce Base. Kayla says, “I was blessed to be able to be a stay-at-home mom until my daughter and son began school fulltime, and I felt the draw to return to work with children. I have always believed in guiding them to nurture their talents and strengths to achieve their possibilities. Having had both of my children attend Bright Beginnings, I knew I wanted to be part of that encouraging atmosphere.”
Michelle Reilly – 3’s & 4’s 
 
Mrs. Michelle has an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and has completed many early childhood education training classes.  The 2017/2018 school year is her ninth teaching at Bright Beginnings.  She is excited about being the assistant teacher in the Stepping Stones class this year.  Previously, she was children’s librarian for ten years in the Cooperstown, NY area.  Her favorite teaching moment is seeing the joy on a child’s face when they succeed at something new.  She enjoys spending time with her husband and son and going to movies, crafting and vacationing at Disney.
Lauren Robinette – Kids Morning Out, 3, & 4 year olds
 
Miss Lauren has lived in Springboro for 7 years with her 3 sons and husband. She graduated from Beavercreek High School and attended Wright State University and Sinclair. All three of her boys attended preschool at Bright Beginnings and we all fell in love this wonderful school. Miss Lauren enjoys running and swimming. If you don’t see her at the soccer fields with her boys, you might run into her at Kings Island, the zoo, or hiking at Caesars Creek. 
Kelly Ronyak – 3 year olds
 
Kelly has a Bachelor of Science. in Occupational Therapy from Ohio State University and a Master of Human Relations from University of Oklahoma.  She has been teaching here since 2010 after both of her children attended Bright Beginnings.  Her family settled in Springboro after being a military family and traveling all over the world.  Kelly is also a multi-talented musician as a vocalist, pianist, and a violinist for the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra.  She loves being able to apply her OT knowledge and share her passion for music with our developing young minds.
 
 
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Joni Sullivan –  Stepping Stones
 
Mrs. Joni is a native of Dayton, graduating from Centerville High School and the University of Dayton.  She has lived in Springboro for the past 17 years.  This is her eleventh year teaching the Kids Morning Out program at Bright Beginnings and her third year with the 3 year old class.  Mrs. Joni has three children of her own.  “I absolutely love children and truly believe that God has given me a heart and compassion for the care and being of His little ones.”
Julie Virtue – Kindergarten Exploration
 
Mrs. Julie has a Bachelor in Management Information Systems from the University of Dayton.  The 2017/2018 school year is her third with Bright Beginnings.  She thinks a crucial component of successful teaching is a willingness (of both the teacher and the students) to learn and try new things.  She enjoys running, reading, gardening with flowers and listening to music of all kinds.

 

Becky Webber