For many students, kindergarten is their very first classroom experience—a place where curiosity is nurtured, friendships take root, and the joy of learning begins. And in Mount Olive Schools, that first experience is carefully designed by two dedicated educators, Breanna Seely and Elizabeth Childers, who understand that the earliest lessons are often the most important ones.

Miss Seely & Mrs. Childers arrived at Mount Olive together in 2022, both stepping into kindergarten classrooms with a shared vision: to create a space where learning feels like play and where play leads to meaningful growth. Their partnership was immediate, a seamless pairing of passion and expertise. “We joke that it was trauma bonding,” Miss Seely laughs, "That continues to grow and develop despite the chaos kindergarten may bring.”

But what they built was far from chaotic. Together, they have structured an environment where learning isn’t just about worksheets or repetition—it’s hands-on, immersive, and deeply engaging. “Kids learn best when they are engaged,” Mrs. Childers explains. “We incorporate games into our literacy groups, let them explore through free play, and give them opportunities to make choices. It builds independence, self-regulation, and critical thinking—all while they think they’re just having fun.”

Their approach is rooted in research, shaped by ongoing training in the Science of Reading and the Orton-Gillingham approach. “We dove into this from the start,” Mrs. Childers says. “We both attended workshops on the Science of Reading in our first year and haven’t stopped learning since. Everything we do in phonics and reading instruction is shaped by those evidence-based strategies.”

Beyond the structured curriculum, Miss Seely and Mrs. Childers bring creativity into their classrooms with projects that make learning tangible. Take, for instance, their class cow project. Through a partnership with a local farm, each of their classrooms has “adopted” a calf from a local dairy farm—Miss Seely’s class follows Sunny, while Mrs. Childers’s class gets updates on Sprinkles. “Each month, we get pictures and growth updates,” Miss Seely  explains. “The kids track the cow’s size, learn about farm life, and even graph the data. It’s a hands-on way to connect math, agriculture, science, and the world around them.”

Then there’s the ambitious Valentine’s Across America project. The teachers set out to collect Valentine’s cards from all 50 states, reaching out through social media and family networks. “Every day, after lunch, we’d come in with a stack of mail,” Mrs. Childers recalls. “Some days, it was four cards. Other days, I’d open 25.” The students marked each new state on a map, learning about geography, distances, and the uniqueness of communities across the country. “People even sent fun facts about their states—capitals, state birds, you name it,” Miss Seely  adds. “The kids were absolutely thrilled.”

For both teachers, the joy of working in a small school extends beyond the classroom walls. They know every student. They know their families. And they get to watch them grow, year after year. “In a big district, you might never see your former students again,” Miss Seely notes. “Here, they come back. They stop by to say hello. They remember us. And that’s really special.”

That connection extends to the families as well. The pair have prioritized strong parent communication, using apps like Talking Points and Teacher Ease to keep families engaged in their child’s learning. They’ve also fostered a culture of generosity, with parents stepping up in remarkable ways—whether it’s providing daily snacks, donating supplies, or, in one instance, rallying the community to stockpile boxes of food for both classrooms. As our conversation continues, it becomes apparent to me how much people care. The support seems to be incredible.

At the heart of their work is the belief that kindergarten isn’t just about letters and numbers—it’s about laying the foundation for everything that comes next. Until second grade, kids are learning to read. After that, they’re reading to learn. If they don’t have those early skills, they’ll struggle down the road. Good teachers, like the cohort in Mount Olive, work hard to set students up for success in every subject, in every grade.

And while their work might not always get the same attention as a high school STEM program or a state championship-winning sports team, Miss Seely and Mrs. Childers know that what they do every day is just as important. Miss Seely & Mrs. Childers work hard to get their students excited about showing up to school and learning. It is clear to me that they’re both committed to helping students develop a love for learning because, as they both know well, you can’t build something solid without a strong foundation.

Their impact may not always be measured in test scores or trophies, but in the smiles of their students, in the confidence they instill, and in the quiet knowledge that years from now, when a student is reading fluently, solving problems, or approaching the world with curiosity, it all started in their classrooms.