Our Lead Teachers

My name is Ms. Melissa and I am a New York State licensed teacher with certification in Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and Grades 1-6. I also have a Master’s Degree in Education. I have dedicated my life to working with young children in schools and have many years experience guiding and

nurturing them. As a mother of two boys, I enjoy staying active and visiting new places. Reading novels, dancing, singing and baking are some of my favorite things to do.

My name is Ms. Jessica. I have my Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education. And, I have my New York State teacher certification with Early Childhood Education & Special Education. I am currently working on my Master's degree. I have been working with children as an educator for about 9 years and 5 of these years I have been working at Bay One Preschool!  I was born and raised in Bay Ridge so I hold this neighborhood close to my heart. “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all!”--Aristotle.  In my free time, I enjoy going to the beach, museums, and zoos with my son. We also enjoy traveling and getting to know new locations around the world! 

Hello! My name is Ms. Liza. This is my 5th year as a lead teacher at Bay One. I have a total of 12 years of teaching experience in the classroom. Seven of those years were dedicated teaching in a Montessori setting.  I have a dual Masters’ degree in Early Childhood Education/ Special Education. I also have my NYS teacher certification B-2nd grade in Early Childhood Education. I have a Music Education bachelor's degree and I enjoy playing guitar and singing with my students. "The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child's own natural desire to learn" -Maria Montessori. As a lead teacher, at Bay One Preschool, I create lessons and activities based on my students interests that ignite my student's curiosities about the world around them. It's the BEST job in the world!

Mr. Ryan has been sharing his love of music as an Early Education Music Specialist in NYC for over ten years. During his music classes children learn about melody, harmony and rhythm through fun and engaging sing-a-longs, movement activities, and instrumental explorations. He loves creating music with the kids and introducing them to a wide range of musical genres. Ryan holds a Masters in Music from Brooklyn college and a Bachelors in Creative Writing from St. Edward’s University. He lives in Bay Ridge with his family and loves spending time (and playing music!) with his two kids, Elliott and Lucy. 

LAURA LEE WILLIAMS is a Theatre Arts Educator and Program Director with 15 years experience of delivering high-quality, multi-disciplinary arts education programming to school communities in NY and NJ.  Laura holds a B.A. in Performing Arts from Iowa State University and an M.A. in Educational Theatre from The Steinhardt School of Education at New York University.  Laura most recently served as the Education Director of In-School Programs at Wingspan Arts, an NYC not-for-profit arts education organization.  Laura combines her background in theatre performance and teaching artistry with her passion for inclusive teaching practices and social-emotional learning to create a safe, fun and enriching environment for students.  Laura resides in Bay Ridge with her family, and is the proud mother of two wild and imaginative children.