Honeybee Threes Teachers
Sally Butler Provo
Educational Director & Lead Teacher of the Honeybee Threes Class
B.S., English & Art History, The College of William and Mary
Sally first came to the Children’s Garden as a parent in 2005 after staying home with three young children. She started substitute teaching at the Blacksburg New School, where she served as vice president of the board of directors for seven years. She likes the wonder of early childhood and loves to partner with parents and co-teachers to build relationships, create beautiful and reflective environments, and help children express themselves through art, music, dramatic play, and storytelling. In her class, children will hatch chickens, learn about honeybees, and start a birdwatching journal. When she is not in the classroom Sally is passionate about making kimchi, photography, camping, homemade music, cooking, hiking, and making art.
Maggie Miles
Co-Teacher of the Honeybee Threes Class
B.S., Early Childhood Education, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Maggie joined the Children’s Garden in 2023 with more than 10 years of experience as an early childhood educator. She believes in the power of providing children with meaningful hands-on learning opportunities, creating community in the classroom, and instilling a lifelong love of learning in children. She is also passionate about teaching social-emotional skills and literacy. Outside of the classroom, Maggie loves spending time with her husband and Great Pyrenees dog, doing crafts, and gardening.
Friendly Fox Fours Teachers
Wynne Packard
Lead Teacher in the Friendly Fox Fours Class
B.S., Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences with Geology Minor, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Wynne fell in love with The Children’s Garden philosophy and programs while her own children were students here. After years of providing childcare in her own home, volunteering at this school and at her own children’s subsequent school, Wynne joined The Children’s Garden as a teacher in 2007. Wynne is committed to creating a welcoming, nurturing atmosphere where children feel safe and loved along their own unique journeys; a space where children can feel empowered by growing a lifelong love of learning, while expanding on their natural curiosities of our world and believing in themselves as individuals, all while gently fostering their abilities to navigate social and emotional relationships. She hopes that her students will find school magical, and she especially believes in the power of helping children connect with the natural world, with one another, and with seeing themselves as great artists. Wynne has lived in southwest Virginia for most of her life, now with her wonderful husband (together they have raised two sweet boys) and tripod rescue dog, in the woods where she loves gardening, cooking, crafting, connecting with family and friends, all things vintage, and befriending all the wildlife.
Lauren Camden
Assistant Teacher in the Friendly Fox Fours Class
M.A., School Counseling, Appalachian State University
B.A., Human Development, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Ashley Thompson-Smith
Assistant Teacher in the Friendly Fox Fours Class
Bluebird Fives and Sixes Teachers
Anna Spraker
Administrative Director & Lead Teacher of the Bluebirds Class (PK5, Kindergarten, & First Grade)
B.S., Elementary Education with Concentrations in Math and Special Education, Radford University
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Certification, TEFLEN Training College
In 2019, Anna came to The Children’s Garden as our Kindergarten teacher with more than 20 years of teaching experience. In the 2020-2021 school year, she also became the Administrative Director and Co-Owner. Anna enjoys building relationships with her students and their families within an encouraging and engaging learning environment. She is passionate about developing a love of reading by leading children in fun experiences with books. Anna also enjoys helping her students build mathematical understanding through number play! Outside of school, Anna likes cooking, reading, and taking nature walks with her husband and 3 children.
Cyndi Marsh-Stevens
Assistant Teacher in the Bluebirds Class (PK5, Kindergarten, & First Grade)
Cyndi, a former Chicago native, has been a resident of Christiansburg, VA, for almost 18 years. She joins The Children’s Garden this fall with over 14 years of experience in children’s education, from infants to high schoolers. Cyndi spent 12 years as a Lead Teacher at Tree of Life Daycare and served as a Tutor and Program Director for several years with Classical Conversations, focused on K-10th grades. She believes that learning is a lifelong journey best experienced through play and exploration, helping each child thrive in their unique way. Cyndi enjoys baking, reading, traveling, and spending time with her husband, two children, two cats and a dog.
