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.
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. 
Heather Saloom – 4 Year Olds
 
Miss Heather graduated from Wright State University with a Bachelors in political science. She has previously worked at R+L Carriers in the IT department before becoming a stay-at-home mom after the birth of her second child. Her family became part of the Bright Beginnings family back in 2013 when her oldest child started in Kids Morning Out.  Heather began working at Bright Beginnings in 2018 and she has been a substitute and an assistant teacher. She has also worked as part of the Lunch Bunch team.
 

Heather and her husband Joe moved to Springboro in 2011.  We have three children.  Grace is 12 and in sixth grade at Springboro Intermediate.  Julia is 10 and in fourth grade at Five Points Elementary.  Nicholas is 8 and in second grade at Five Points Elementary.

Something to know about Heather… she loves soccer!  She grew up playing soccer and this is her seventh year assistant coaching Grace’s soccer team.  She is also a member of the CYSA Soccer Board and serves as the Passer Girl Coordinator.  If you play recreational soccer in Springboro then there’s a good chance you will see her at Hazel Woods Park on Saturdays.  If not, then you may see Heather at Starbucks and/or Target in her spare time… two of her favorite places!

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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.

 

Leigh Ann Yerrick – 3 Year olds
 
Miss Leigh Ann has a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from Baylor University. As an Air Force spouse, she has traveled from one end of the country to the other and held a variety of jobs, most of which involved teaching children and serving their families. Those positions include A.V.I.D. High School Tutor, Director of Nursery & Preschool Ministry at Grace Point Church (Las Vegas, NV), and private math tutor.  She has served as a Sunday School teacher and AWANA leader as well. She was a stay-at-home mom for 10 years while her 4 children were young and returned to the classroom as a preschool teacher in 2017.  The Air Force brought her family to Ohio in 2019 and her daughter started at Bright Beginnings. This is her first year working at the preschool. When not in the classroom or juggling the lives of a family of 6, Leigh Ann can be found exploring the great outdoors, serving at Wright-Patt AFB and her church, or channeling her inner HGTV decorator.