OUR PEOPLE

Carrie Chaloner

Managing Director

Carrie Chaloner was born and raised in the Cayman Islands and educated in Cayman, Canada and the UK. Although not a teacher, Carrie has three young children and is passionate about Early Years Education as well as protecting our environment. Combining the two felt natural, so she founded Sprogs Garden Playschool, a nurturing place where kids are encouraged to be kids, as well as young ambassadors of our planet.

Nicola Williams

Educational Director

Nicola Williams is currently completing a PhD in education specializing in developmental psychology. She has a degree in early childhood education (ECE), a teaching degree, a master’s degree in educational psychology and a professional qualification in school leadership. She grew up in Canada but has also lived in the Turks and Caicos Islands and Singapore for the past eighteen years working both as a teacher and with the governments of both countries to implement teacher and parent education initiatives in ECE. Nicola is very active in our community serving as Vice-President of the Cayman Islands Early Childhood Association and as a lecturer at the University of the West Indies for their Certificate program in Early Childhood Care and Development. Nicola welcomed the opportunity to become a partner in the founding of the school and developed our Garden Playschool philosophy and approach. A genuine respect and appreciation for young children has motivated her dedication to the field for more than twenty years.

Julia Waitling

Preschool Lead Teacher

Julia Watling was born and raised right here in the Cayman Islands and has a degree in Business Management. She has over six years experience working with young children in early childhood centres and is an early years literacy enthusiast qualified to teach the Jolly Phonics program to young children. Julia is enthusiastic and passionate about caring for young children and sums this up perfectly when she says that she is "enthralled by the wonder of childhood and relishes in the endless opportunities to better understand the magic of children and serve their growth in early years to my utmost abilities" Julia is very passionate and knowledgeable with respect to environmental awareness and will support all of our staff in instilling a respect for and appreciation of nature with our children.

Shannon Power

Senior Toddler Lead Teacher

Shannon Power is our Toddler Room Teacher and she is coming to us from Waterford, Ireland. Shannon has a Level 8 (Honors) Bachelor of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Education and Care and also has certificates in many other childcare related courses including a psychotherapeutic approach to play, first aid, child protection and inclusion, diversity and equality. She enjoy being outdoors, being creative and being active. As a preschool teacher, she understands the importance of play within a child’s learning. She believes that it is her duty to plan activities which encourage the child to develop their lifelong skills to their utmost potential. These include independence, confidence, self help, social and early literacy and practical life skills. As a preschool teacher, her aim is to set a positive foundation for each individual child to develop through their own interests, which will lay as a basis for the development of lifelong skills throughout their adolescent years.

Mara Collado

Senior Toddler Assistant Teacher Practitioner

Mara comes to us all the way from the Phillipines. She is naturally warm and responsive with the children and also lots of fun! Mara is very enthusiastic about entering the field of Early Childhood Care and Education and looks forward to enrolling in the Certificate Program in Early Childhood Care and Education at the University of the West Indies in September, 2019.

Jasmine Small

Senior Toddler Assistant Teacher Practitioner

Jasmine is originally from Jamaica but has been living in the Cayman Islands for eight years. She is the proud parent of one son and her enthusiasm and genuine delight in young children is appreciated by children, teachers and parents alike at our school. She immediately embraced our Garden Playschool Approach and is currently pursuing a Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Development at the University of the West Indies which is delivered in a face-to-face format ideal for enhancing learning in this field of study. We are happy to be supporting her in achieving this educational qualification.

Aisling Sheehan

Junior Toddler Lead Teacher

Aisling comes to us from Cork, Ireland. She is a Montessori trained teacher with experience teaching young children in Ireland, London and Australia where she gained experience using the United Kingdom's Early Years Foundation Stage and Australia's Early Years Learning Framework. She has a passion for travel and shares the knowledge she gained from her international teaching experiences with our school community. She also has a passion for music which we look forward to her sharing with our teachers and children in music and movement activities.

Anmattie Bodden

Junior Toddler Practitioner

Anmattie is originally from Guyanna but has bspent the last year working very diligently to complete a een living in the Cayman Islands for 15 years. She has over 20 years of experience caring for young children in early years centres and has a warm and supportive way with young children. She enthusiastically embraced our Garden Playschool Approach from her first day with us and has worked diligently over the past year to complete a Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Development at the University of the West Indies. We would like to congratulate Anmattie for excelling in the program and for successfully graduating in December of 2018! We are so pleased to have supported her in achieving this educational qualification.

Marianne Collado

Junior Toddler Teacher

Marianne comes to us all the way from the Philippines. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing and a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She also has four years experience working in early year’s centres in the Philippines. She also has numerous professional development courses in early childhood education and development as well as courses about promoting music in educational settings. Marianne is so excited for the opportunity to live and work in the Cayman Islands caring for the children each day!

Nichola Brown

Junior-Junior Toddler Lead Teacher

Nichola comes to us from Jamaica. She lives in the Cayman Islands together with her husband and daughter. She has a Certificate in Early Child Development and a Bachelor of Education degree at the primary level. Nichola has over twelve years experience teaching in primary schools and early years centres.

Carla Wright

Junior-Junior Toddler Practitioner

Originally from the Bay Islands Carla has lived in the Cayman Islands for twenty years. She is the proud mother of four children and grandmother of three children. Carla cares for our youngest children in the infant room. Carla is in the process of working diligently to complete a Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Development at the University of the West Indies which is delivered in a face to face format ideal for enhancing learning in this field of study. We are happy to be supporting her in achieving this educational qualification.