Natalie has been with us since the first year we opened Open Arms. She is our original baby teacher. She finds great joy in helping the little babies and their families as they begin their journey at Open Arms. She loves to play, rock, sing and love on our little ones. She also appreciates being able to help our new moms and dads as they navigate the waters of being first time parents, or second, third or fourth. Natalie enjoys being mom to her adult daughter.

Brianna holds a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Concordia University (St. Paul, MN), and is the mother to Carter, who is in the Wildflower class. She considers herself very blessed to have discovered such a passion in the Early Childhood Education field, and is certain she will be a lifelong advocate for children and families.

Carol has been with us since the day Open Arms opened its doors. She has 15 years of experience in education. The halls are filled with her singing as she transitions her class from activity to activity with a song. Carol is mom to three and the proud grandma of one.

Jess has been a part of Open Arms for three years, and this is her second year as a lead teacher. She loves incorporating many different learning styles into play and activities and hopes to ignite a love of learning and discovery in all young minds. She is most enthusiastic to have this opportunity to share the Word of God with such young ears and hearts. Jess is a graduate of Concordia University (Chicago) with a degree in education.   

Mary Beth has been teaching in the field of early childhood for 17 years. Her original degree was in Medical technology and after 15 years of researching diseases, she received her certification in early childhood education. Her passion for discovery is evident in the way she provides opportunities for her class to learn with their hands, eyes, and ears. She is a strong advocate for learning through play. She is the proud mom to Will, who is a junior at the University of Illinois. 

Megan earned her Bachelor's degree in Education from Illinois State University. This will be her third year as the lead teacher in the 4's room. Megan's goal is to have her class engaged in hands-on activities as much as possible, so coming up with new ideas and lessons is very important.