Preschools in troy ohio: Overfield School | Troy, Ohio

Overfield Staff | Overfield School | Troy, Ohio

Toddler Teacher

Jennifer has taught in all of Overfield’s classes during her long tenure here, but she’s been a fixture in the toddler classroom since she returned from a break while her children were young. “This place is dear to my heart for many reasons.” Jennifer graduated in 1993 from The Ohio State University with a B.S. in Child and Family Studies. She earned a Pre-K teaching certificate there in 1994 and a Master of Education Degree from Wright State University in 2007. She and her husband Chris have three children, Nick, Nathan and Hailey, all Overfield alumni.

South Side Teacher, Music Leader, and Librarian

Carla has a song and a book for almost any situation that arises, and she’s been sharing her love of classic songs and literature with us since 2003. “Children are my favorite people,” she says. “They’re phenomenal thinkers.” Carla studied education at Bowling Green University in the early 1970s. She went on to teach at a Waldorf-inspired school in California and worked for many years as a librarian in Russia, Ohio. Carla and her husband David live in Piqua and have four children, a daughter & son-in-law, and two grandsons.

North Side Teacher

Melissa was drawn to the field of early childhood by the love she had for watching her first daughter learn. She quickly enrolled in Edison State Community College, where she earned an A.A.S. in Early Childhood Development. She went on to earn a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Cincinnati, and joined our faculty as the Toddler Assistant in 2011. Melissa has been teaching in the North and South Side classrooms since 2013. Melissa loves to run and has successfully completed the Boston Marathon, twice! She enjoys spending time with her husband, Scott, and her daughters. She is a parent to four Overfield alumni: Caitlin, Taylor, Noelle, and Ava.

North Side Teacher

Augusta has always had a drive to help people and particularly finds joy in teaching young children. She focuses on developing relationships with each of her students – honoring that each child’s make-up is unique. It is within this understanding of each individual child’s preferred interests and languages that she is able to teach and guide them in meaningful and lasting ways. Augusta graduated with a B.S. in Education and Health and Human Performance, and a minor in biology. Outside of her time at Overfield, she enjoys coaching softball and spending time with her husband and two children. “Whether I am teaching or coaching my goal is this: to help children find that they are capable of anything they set their mind to, and to help support them on that journey.”

Kindergarten/First Grade Teacher

Laura has taught all but the youngest students at Overfield, working in every classroom except Toddlers, and moving to Kindergarten in 2012. She has often supported her students here in design-build projects, one of which resulted in the construction of the wooden train on our playground. Laura earned a B.A. in Early Childhood Education at the University of Toledo, and came soon after to Overfield, where she has taught ever since. “It’s like no place else,” she says. Laura and her husband Nick have three children, all of which are Overfield alumni.

Kindergarten/First Grade Teacher

Beth’s love of adventure is a big part of what brought her to Overfield. An avid traveler and musician, Beth has spent her entire career working with young children in the U.S. and overseas. After earning a B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Miami University, she worked for many years with families of children with special needs aged birth to three at Riverside of Miami County, Board of MRDD. Beth then spent a year in Indonesia teaching preschool and managing the infant toddler-program at Semarang International School before joining us as a teacher at Overfield in the spring of 2012. She also gives piano lessons to dozens of children.

Second/Third Grade Teacher

Erin seeks inspiration and simple joy in her daily life which makes her a natural advocate for the importance of childhood and the Reggio Emilia approach to early learning. With a variety of experiences guiding her, from teaching preschool in the city of Chicago to directing an early learning program in Piqua, she has intuitively found her way to the Overfield School. As the first and second grade teacher, Erin finds value in extending the Reggio Emilia style of learning to primary grades because of its ability to support the individuality of each child while asserting higher level thinking in a natural learning environment. Erin holds an undergraduate degree in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville and is a current graduate student at The University of Dayton. She is earning her Early Childhood Education teaching license with a specialization in pre-kindergarten special needs. Beyond the classroom Erin has gained knowledge of the world and its diverse splendor through travel. She spent a week in Takahashi City, Japan in 2000, studied abroad in Gaming, Austria in 2008, and in 2015 backpacked throughout Europe for six months. Erin lives in Troy with her husband Andrew (Overfield Tavern alum), and their two cats, London and Artemis.

Administrative Assistant, Before Care, Lunch Bunch

Stephany joined our staff in 2013. She wears many hats, working with families as the administrative assistant and with children during Before Care and Lunch Bunch. In each of these roles, Stephany maintains a warm and welcoming presence. “I feel very blessed and honored to have the opportunity to work here with the children and staff,” she says. A nature lover, she enjoys baking, cooking, gardening, camping and attending various county & state fairs. She and her husband, Roger, have two grown daughters, Christina and Jessica, and three young grandsons and a granddaughter with whom they love spending time.

Atelierista

Elizabeth was drawn to teach at Overfield in 2009 by the value it places on art and nature as integral parts of learning. As Atelierista, a.k.a., Studio Artist, she loves getting to work with all ages and to see them grow from Toddlers through Second Grade. She earned a B.A. in Art at Williams College, and a Masters in Landscape Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. Elizabeth has loved Overfield since she attended the school herself in its original Overfield Tavern location. As a student there, she loved playing outside, hammering at the work bench and climbing into the loft to look at books, pastimes that she still enjoys in slightly varied forms to this day. She lives with her husband, Wayne and his daughters, Grace and Lauren, both Overfield alums.

South Side Teacher, Music Leader, and Librarian

Carla has a song and a book for almost any situation that arises, and she’s been sharing her love of classic songs and literature with us since 2003. “Kids are my favorite people,” she says. “They’re phenomenal thinkers.” Carla studied education at Bowling Green University in the early 1970s. She went on to teach at a Waldorf school in California and worked for many years as a librarian in Russia, Ohio. Carla and her husband David live in Piqua and have four children – Julia, Reuben, Ben and Kevin – and one grandson, Ty.

Extended Care

Lisa was drawn to teach at Overfield after experiencing the wonder of the Reggio philosophy at work during her children’s time attending the school. Although much of her career was spent in the fields of advertising and marketing, her art/design education at The Columbus College of Art & Design and Art Academy of Cincinnati is serving her well as she assists the children. Her shared love of nature and the fine arts in education has found a natural home at The Overfield School. Prior to this, she worked as a preschool teacher for two years, then joined our team as a substitute teacher last year, and is happy to now join the staff in a more extended way.  Like Julia Hobart, she believes that “Childhood is the most glorious time in life.” Outside of her time at Overfield, she enjoys horseback riding, Zumba, and spending time with her husband and two daughters (both Overfield alumni).

Finance Lead

Erin brings her experience and perspective as the former Treasurer of the Board of Trustees (2009 – 2015) to her role as Finance Lead of the school. She was hired in her full time role as part of the Leadership Team in August 2015. As a CPA who formerly practiced in public accounting, she brings a strong sense of professionalism and business knowledge to ensure the administrative side of Overfield is strong and sustainable.  Erin has a B.A. in Psychology from The University of Dayton and a Masters in Accountancy from Wright State University. She and her husband TJ have two children, both of which are Overfield alumni.

Administrative Assistant, Before Care, Lunch Bunch

Stephany joined our staff in 2013. She wears many hats, working with families as the administrative assistant and with children during Before Care and Lunch Bunch. In each of these roles, Stephany maintains a warm and welcoming presence. “I feel very blessed and honored to have the opportunity to work here with the children and staff,” she says. A nature lover, she enjoys baking, cooking, gardening, camping and attending various county & state fairs. She and her husband, Roger, have two grown daughters, Christina and Jessica, and three young grandsons and a granddaughter with whom they love spending time.

Finance Lead

Erin brings her experience and perspective as the former Treasurer of the Board of Trustees (2009 – 2015) to her role as Finance Lead of the school. She was hired in her full time role as part of the Leadership Team in August 2015. As a CPA who formerly practiced in public accounting, she brings a strong sense of professionalism and business knowledge to ensure the administrative side of Overfield is strong and sustainable.  Erin has a B.A. in Psychology from The University of Dayton and a Masters in Accountancy from Wright State University. She and her husband TJ have two children, both of which are Overfield alumni.

Program Lead

Beth Poronsky works as the school’s Program Lead, after spending much of her career in environmental education, including 11 years as Overfield’s naturalist. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Marquette University, and a Masters of Arts in Teaching in Biological Science from Miami University. The Reggio Emilia philosophy drew her in immediately, and the close relationships that are a hallmark of Overfield have kept her a part of the school since 2002. She has always been involved in education in some capacity, and found that Overfield provides the perfect place to study the intersection of nature, art, and education, and to lead others in exploring these fields. She has two alumni children, Liam and Gavin, and one current Overfield student, Helaina.

Walnut Grove Learning Center Troy, OH

• Thank you ☺️

  “The community your program provides has been such a sweet and treasured gift. Thank you ☺️ “

• More Confident in Learning

  “I wanted to let you know that she read her first two (short) books tonight! Thank you for all that you do to help her be more confident in learning. “

• I Appreciate You Ladies

  “I don’t think you understand how much I appreciate you ladies & the flexibility you offer us in caring for our child.“

• Providing a Safe Space that My Kids Love

  “Thank you SO much for providing a safe space that my kids love so much!  This school is such a gem, and I’m so grateful to have it right down the road!“

• Environment is so Caring and Hands-on

  “We have been so blessed to have the girls there for the last 3 years and confident that they are Kindergarten ready when they leave you all.  The environment is so caring and hands-on, which allows for the best connection for kids both on a social-emotional level and from an educational standpoint.  Our children are very lucky to have you. “

• It’s something we’ll keep forever.

  “We absolutely loved the Christmas gift that he made in class! It’s something we’ll keep forever.“

• You Ladies Continue to be Amazing

  “You ladies continue to be amazing – even during these unprecedented days, you are wanting the very best for these sweet children. “

• She Loves Learning because of the Amazing Jump Start

  “I wholeheartedly believe she has such a strong desire for education and loves learning because of the amazing jump start she got at Walnut Grove. She also learned the immeasurable value of caring for others. You all are so incredible. Thank you so much for all that you do!! You deserve all the praise!!“

• Thank you so much!

  “Thank you so much for all your hard work, dedication, and love you all give. We could never repay it but are very grateful.“

Important Forms

Child Enrollment & Health Information – UPDATED 1/2022 (638 KB)

Child Medical Statement – UPDATED 1/2022 (682 KB)

Parent Roster & Carpool Form (35 KB) 

Preschool/Child Care Registration Form 2022-23 (39 KB) 

 Annual Gingerbread Gathering!

Tuesday, December 6, for morning preschool classes

Wednesday, December 7, for afternoon preschool classes

2022-23 Preschool Calendar

New Paragraph

Open House

Saturday, February 4, 2023

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Tour our center, meet our teachers, and register
for the 2023-24 school year.

Important Forms

Preschool/Child Care Registration Form 2022-23 (39 KB) 

Contact Us

Walnut Grove Learning Center

5760 Walnut Grove Road – Troy, Ohio 45373

937.