Mrs. Taylor began her career in early childhood education working in a multiage childcare facility with babies as young as six weeks old and children as old as 13. It was during her three years there that she realized the power and benefit of the older children helping to model for the younger ones. Her path to immersing herself in the Montessori Method began when she joined Kinder Haus Montessori in 2016. Her first position in the school was in the Preschool room at Main Campus where she was eventually promoted to be the Preschool Lead teacher. She worked in that classroom for four years refining her knowledge by completing her Birth to Three year old Montessori Certification (August of 2017) from North American Montessori Center. In 2020 she took over as the Primary Lead Teacher with a focus on Math, Sensorial, Cultural Arts and Science. She then completed her three to six year old Montessori Certification through North American Montessori Center. She is extremely creative, friendly, and her positive energy contagiously spreads throughout every Kinder Haus classroom she has set foot in. When the opportunity arose to take over as the Director of the Nido School, Taylor was a perfect fit. You can also find her helping in the classrooms because, let's face it, her talents would be wasted sitting in a chair all day. When not at Kinder Haus, Taylor spends time with her husband Zach and her children Zachary and Emery.
Meet the Team - Nido Campus
"One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child." -Maria Montessori
Taylor Wilson
Nido Director
Jodi "JoJo" Hartfield
Infant Lead Teacher
Ms. Jojo's teaching philosophy is that children need to have fun in order to stay interested in learning so that they love coming to school. It is her goal to help the children learn life skills to reach their own personal goals as well as their developmental markers. Ms. Jojo graduated in June of 2020 with her associate degree in Early Childhood Education along with her CDA. She also completed her Montessori certification 0-3 in July of 2020. Ms. Jojo has been a teacher and caretaker for children for the last 8 years and has been with Kinder Haus since June of 2020. In her spare time she plays the piano, is active in her church and enjoys spending time with her husband Josh and their children.
Tammie Baughman
Infant Teacher
Tammie Baughman has years of experience being around babies. She was a nanny for three families before working with the babies at the Nido School. Mrs Tammie worked at Kinder Haus for three years prior to joining the Nido School. She enjoyed the family friendly atmosphere and home-like environment of Kinder Haus. When she heard that the Nido School was opening she couldn't stay away! "I love seeing the babies reach new milestones!"
Kassady (KK) Sanders
Infant Teacher
Kassady started teaching at Kinder Haus during summer camp 2019. She was a pivotal member of the Kinder Haus staff during our re-opening during the pandemic by helping to organize our drop off carline before going to her own studies for high school every morning. She just graduated and plans to attend college in the fall in Houston, TX. Her focus in college will be in education with hopes of becoming an elementary school teacher. “I love helping and working with young children, it always brightens my day.”
She has always loved to dance and was on her school's dance team. In her spare time, she loves to hang out with her family and friends.!
Jaycelyn Ballance
Infant Teacher
Jacelyn started at Kinder Haus this past April 2024. She has fallen in love with everything at the Nido school. Prior to working as an Infant teacher, she spent three years behind a chair in a 5-star children’s salon. While doing that, she was also an ABA therapist for children with autism. "My heart for each child is so big! I am excited to experience this time with these tiny humans."
Rachel Jocks
Toddler Lead Teacher
Ms. Rachel is Montessori certified for ages birth to three, and it is at Kinder Haus where Ms. Rachel originally fell in love with the Montessori method in 2016. She started as a toddler aftercare teacher, then gained experience working in the preschool and primary environments at Main Campus. She has loved watching all of her children, Julian, now 6, and her 2 year old triplets, Melina, Ariana and Dominic, attend Kinder Haus starting as infants.
Over the years she has had the opportunity to be a nido and primary guide at several Montessori schools on the north and south shore. Her favorite part of being a Montessori guide is watching each child’s love of learning/creating once they find their favorite materials. Her love of caring for children began when she previously worked in childcare, nannied, and taught in after school art programs. Ms. Rachel is a Ragin’ Cajun who earned her BFA in Visual Arts from the University of Louisiana Lafayette. When she is not in the classroom, Ms. Rachel enjoys drawing, painting, being in nature and spending time with her family and four kiddos.
Tiffany "Tiffy" Welch
Toddler Teacher
“Tiffy” began her journey with Kinder Haus in February 2015. She started as an assistant teacher in the toddler classroom and soon after was offered the lead position where she remained until October 2023. She is now part of our toddler aftercare program! When asked what she loves most about working with the little ones she said, “These babies are incredible! There is so much change and growth and learning happening in those first three years and I am so thankful that I am able to be a part of it.
She says that she knew as a young child that she wanted to be a teacher and would often play “school” with her stuffed animals and dolls. In 1998, as a senior in high school, she enrolled in a class that allowed her to be an assistant to a 1st-grade teacher at a local elementary school, and that is where her teaching career began. In the years since she has studied education at SELU and had the opportunity to teach various grades before finding her niche here at KHM. She is certified in birth - 3 years through NAMC and is currently enrolled in master’s classes at CGMS for her MACTE degree in birth - 3 years.
When not at work she can usually be found at home working in the yard, practicing her crocheting skills, or taking care of her plants. She enjoys spending her downtime with her husband, their blended bunch of 6, and family.
Jamacia David
Toddler Teacher
Jamacia, a native of Guyana, South America, migrated to the United States in 2015. She holds a certificate in General Studies from Delgado Community College and has recently achieved her Child Development Associate credential. With experience as a lead teacher and over a year in childcare, Jamacia is guided by the principle that children are precious gifts that merit love, care, and dedication.
Tania Stanchec
Nido Aftercare Teacher
Ms. T is one of the aftercare teachers at Nido. She comes to Kinder Haus after spending 9 1/2 years in the public school system. She was born and raised in South Louisiana. She has three children and over 20 nieces and nephews and loves babies! She is excited to care for and watch your infant grow throughout this school year! She spends her free time with her husband and children enjoying concerts and sporting events, cooking and traveling.
Alexandra Sanders
Nido Aftercare Teacher
You can find Alexandra working in aftercare in the infant room. She was born in Hammond and has been living in Louisiana her whole life. Some of her hobbies include traveling with family and friends, attending concerts, and cooking. She plans on attending Northshore Tech Community College in August 2025 for an associate’s degree in nursing. After nursing school, she hopes to become a pediatric oncology travel nurse while continuing her education for a bachelor’s degree. Babysitting really made her grow a love for little ones which is what inspired her to work at the Nido campus. "Caring for the infants helps me grow and I learn a lot as the infants hit new milestones."
Lilly Persac
Nido Aftercare Teacher
Lilly was first led to Kinder Haus while applying for teaching positions at local schools. "When coming in, I was not sure what to expect and I was shocked to see the positive impact Montessori had on the children. It was a completely different way of teaching from anything I have seen!" Lilly is deeply passionate about working with children and aspires to make a positive impact in their lives. Her primary goals include fostering a nurturing and supportive environment for kids, helping them develop essential skills, and encourage their creativity and curiosity. She is committed to achieving these goals through patience, understanding, and a genuine love for teaching young minds.
Laila Persac
Nido Aftercare Teacher
Ms. Laila has a strong passion for working with children. She loves creating a fun and supportive environment where kids can learn and grow. Her experiences in babysitting and working in childcare have shown her the importance of patience, kindness, and creativity. "I am excited about the opportunity to make a positive impact on children's lives and help them reach their full potential."
Charlie Bateman
Nido Substitute Teacher
Charlie has always loved children and knew that she wanted to work with them as she grew up. She began babysitting at an early age and took CPR and babysitting classes at Slidell Memorial Hospital. She began working in a Montessori school in 2022 and came to Kinder Haus in 2023. She loves to work with children of all ages but has a passion for the two and three year old children. Charlie is currently working on achieving her Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education and hopes to teach Kindergarten one day.
Grace Wilson
Nido Substitute Teacher
Grace plans to further her education at southeastern Louisiana university in hopes to be a pediatric nurse. Grace babysat for about 3 years before she started working at Kinder Haus Nido. She loves working with kids and watching them improve on their skills as they grow older! Some of her hobbies include hanging out with her friends and family!
Marissa Dufrene
Nido Substitute Teacher
Marissa plans on attending Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond pursuing a degree in nursing and hopes to be a nurse practitioner. Her interests are working out, shopping, and spending time with friends and family.
