our teachers
Ms. Jansma
3 - Day Teacher
Please welcome Ariel Jansma as our new 3-Day teacher! Ariel has worked in childcare for over 15 years, almost 10 of them being a nanny. She is very excited to get back into the classroom. Her passion is teaching and providing children with a safe and healthy environment for learning. She lives in Hobart with her fiancé, two kids and their dog. When she’s not in the classroom you can find her enjoying coffee, catching a hockey game, spending time with her family outside – usually while enjoying more coffee! She looks forward to sharing her love of teaching with everyone who comes through the class and hopefully for many years after they leave.
Mrs. Witt
Morning Assitant
Please welcome Beth Witt as our morning assistant for our 2-day and 3-day classes. She fell in love with Sandpiper while substituting for Mrs. Marjanov while she was on maternity leave in 2024. Working with preschoolers felt like her true calling and when she heard the assistant spot was available, she immediately knew she wanted to be a part of this program. Beth is married to her husband Bill and they have 4 great kids and 2 dogs. In her spare time, she enjoys golfing, swimming in her pool and spending time with her family and friends. Her and her family love vacationing in Florida and everything Disney! She looks forward to being in class with all the amazing kids the new school year will bring!
Mrs. Noland
Director, 2-Day and 5-Day Teacher
Karen Noland is the director as well as the 2-day morning class and 5-day afternoon class. She is currently finishing her B.A. in Elementary Education with an emphasis in English. Karen is excited to be apart of the classroom after being a stay at home mom for the last 13 years. She lives in Valparaiso with her husband Jake and their three kids. Adeline will be entering 7th grade, Simon will be in 5th grade and Henry will be in kindergarten. Karen has loved volunteering in her children’s classrooms over the years as a room mom and art mom. She has also been a Girl Scout leader for 5 years, and volleyball coach. When not in the classroom you can find her chauffeuring her kids to their various activities, reading, taking photographs (mostly of her kids), or at the beach. She hopes to provide an environment where her students feel safe, accepted, and loved. She wants every child to become a lifelong learner that never stop asking questions and seeking answers.
Mrs. Marjanov
Afternoon Assistant
Monica Marjanov is the afternoon assistant teacher. She has seven years of experience working with children, including teaching cooking classes and daycare, as well as being a teacher’s aid. Monica is married to her husband Stevan and they have two beautiful children Milena and Kevin. Out of the classroom she loves spending time with her family, trying new food, planting, different forms of art and reading. In the classroom Monica loves to see each child grow and their personalities shine throughout the year. She hopes to make every child feel loved, safe and heard in the school.