My name is Renee Koschnick and I am the founder and director of Little Acorn Academy. We moved here in 2015 and was immediately embraced by the warm and welcoming Oakwood community. I look forward to growing a special place of learning here. My Bachelor of Arts is in Early Childhood Education and my Master’s is in Curriculum and Instruction. I look forward to creating curriculum that will bring learning to life for my little acorns.
My husband Clay and I met in 2003, married in 2006, and enjoyed moving and traveling all over before starting our family in 2010 with our son Colton, followed by our daughter Sylvie in 2013. As a family, we love being active and out exploring nature! When indoors, we enjoy baking, reading and playing board games!
Emry Quinn
Creative Helper & Enrichment Teacher
"Isn't Mrs. Quinn just the best?" Do you know how many times I have heard that? Too many to count and it makes me so thankful to know her! I am so lucky this wonderful and talented lady is a part of the Little Acorn family! She comes with years of experience and helps every lead teacher more than she is required to. You will see her talent in every Tiny Seed, Sprout, Acorn, and Mighty Oak tree she has painted throughout the school!
When she can take herself away from school, she is a mom to 3 grown children and a grandmother too! She enjoys time creating masterpieces for Little Acorn! She is a lover of art, a published illustrator and enjoys decorating new spaces!
Stephanie Goeller
Acorns Lead
Stephanie was an amazing surprise that came into my life and the preschool! While interviewing her for an assistant position, I quickly learned of her wonderful teaching experience and just immediately adored her and needed to have her be a part of the Little Acorn family. So thankful she decided to take on more than she interviewed for! She has a Bachelor’s in Biology and her Master’s in Education. Her sweet spirit will be a perfect addition!
Stephanie lives in Oakwood where she has for over 20 years with her husband Todd and children Maggie, Caroline, Benjamin, and Erin. When she isn’t spending time with her family (her favorite activity), she likes to paint and garden.
Kiersten Cahill
S.T.E.A.M. Lead
I feel incredibly lucky to have Kiersten back working with preschoolers! When she reached out to me about teaching at Little Acorn, I did not hesitate for a second! Her wonderful energy and the incredible knowledge she brings, makes her a true asset to the program! She received her Bachelor’s in Psychology from Santa Clara University. Having her Master’s in Education and her teaching credential with a Science emphasis makes her perfect for teaching the S.T.E.A.M. class this year.
Kiersten lives in Oakwood, with her husband Sean and their 5 kids. Brandon, Riley and triplets Logan, Tyler, and Delaney. She enjoys running, gardening, traveling, and watching her kids at their various sporting events.
Caillen Smith
Specials Lead
Caillen was brought to us from a former beloved Little Acorn teacher and I knew immediately that she would be a good fit with her excitement to take on our Specials program and for her love of working with children of all ages and needs. She comes from Australia and her love of Bluey will be a great match for our students! She trained in Multisensory Structured Learning making her a perfect fit for all three of our Special classes!
Caillen and her husband Jerrold met while playing Dungeon and Dragons and now live locally with their 3 cats: Pixel, Gryffindor, and Zelda. She loves all things music and musical theatre. She likes to cook, read, write stories, knit and quilt.
Chrys Morrissey
Acornss Assistant
Chrys was my daughter’s preschool teacher and I immediately appreciated the kindness and love she shared with her. Her warm smile makes everyone feel welcome! She received her Bachelor’s in Biology from University of Iowa and has taught preschool for many years, as well as participated in many trainings. I know from personal experience, there are some lucky learners out there to benefit from her knowledge and care.
Chrys is married to Ryan and they have 5 children, Taylor, McKenna, Logan, Riley, and Jack. She enjoys running, walking their adopted lab mix Charlie, family bike rides, watching her children's sporting events, reading, and playing co-ed volleyball.
Abbie Finlayson
Sprouts TWTh Assistant
When Abbie reached out about the job the first time, I immediately felt comfortable with her. She was very upbeat and easy to talk with! She had just moved here and already had her kids enrolled in summer activities and almost done unpacking...I remember thinking, "that is one organized mama!" She received her Bachelor's of Science in Psychology from the University of Arizona. She has taught English as a Second Language to Preschool-7th grade while living in Tokyo, Japan. The Military took her away from working at Little Acorn for a few years and we are all SO excited to have her back!
She recently moved back to Oakwood with her husband Ryan and 3 children: Smith, Carson, and Payton. They have a dog named Cali. As a family, they love to travel and meet new people. Abbie grew up in Atlanta, so be sure to listen for her "y'all."
Penny Mullett
Tiny Seeds Lead
Penny was a sweet face that I enjoyed seeing at preschool drop off where she would come as a nanny. When I knew I needed a new Acorns Lead, I didn’t want to rush to hire someone. Most things with this preschool have happened organically and have been wonderful, so I wanted to wait for the right person to come along. When I received Penny’s resume, it proved once again…patience brings about amazing things. She has her Bachelor’s of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Kent State and has been a teacher and nanny for many years!
Penny is married to Scott and they live in Kettering with their daughters Cece and Ruby. She likes live music and spending time with family.
Beth Ferguson
Sprouts TWTh Lead
Beth is someone I would run into around town and always left thinking what a sweet spirit she had. I enjoyed learning of the various community organizations she was volunteering for, such as Boonshoft and Dayton Children’s Women’s Board and was in awe of her giving heart. When she reached out about a job opening; I become excited at the thought of having share her talents at the preschool. She has her Bachelor’s in Business from Colorado State, Pueblo and has a gentle approach with children that is perfect for our little learners.
Beth moved to Oakwood from Kansas City with her husband Rob and has a son, John. She enjoys time with family and friends, working on her golf game, fitness, and exploring new areas.
Sara Grafton
Sprouts MTTh Lead
I first met Sara as a parent at the preschool. I always admired her calm and comforting demeanor with her daughter. When the lead position opened up and I knew she had just finished teaching locally; I had hopes of her for the position. I knew she would be a great fit for many reasons…lucky us! She has a B.A. in Psychology from Case Western Reserve University and a Master’s Degree in College Student Personnel from University of Dayton.
Sara grew up in Dayton and after time living in California, her family moved to Oakwood. She enjoys spending time with her husband John and 2 kids, Alex and Carolyn. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, bicycling, and crafting.
Becky Sennet
Mighty Oaks Lead
I first met Becky when she came to tour the preschool for her adorable son. Her sweet smile and high energy was so refreshing and enjoyable to be around. We quickly connected talking about out past teaching experiences before becoming mamas! She even comes from a family of teachers! Becky has her B.S. in Early Childhood Education. She has taught for 8 years and is now getting back into sharing her heart and joy with our students!
Becky currently lives in Oakwood with her husband Alex, her son Dawson, and their sweet labradoodle, Emma. They love to travel, go on bike rides, hike, and just be outdoors!
Teresa Paravati
Tiny Seeds Assistant
Years back, I received an application for a sweet little girl to start at Little Acorn. We had a mutual friend and that friend told me that I would be lucky to hire her mom one day. Teresa became a well-loved sub and when an assistant position opened up, lucky us…she quickly accepted the opportunity. Teresa has her Bachelor’s in English and her Master’s in Education. She taught for 10 years and took time off to become a mom. She is excited to be spending her time learning and growing with students again! I am so excited to have her positive energy in the building on a regular basis.
Teresa lives in Oakwood with her husband Anthony, daughter Rosie, and their cat Sweetie. She loves baking, cooking, reading, and traveling with her family.
Gretchen Elameto
Sprouts MTTh Assistant
Gretchen is just sunshine…simply put. I first met her through a mutual military friend and I helped her locate a house for her family to move to Oakwood. When they finally arrived, we immediately became friends and I appreciated her positivity, knowledge, and creativity. I was excited when a position opened up to give us a little time working together before the military moved her sweet family overseas. I was so excited when I heard they were moving back and even more excited when she said she wanted to come back to Little Acorn.
Gretchen is a jack of all trades with a B.A. in Elementary Education from University of Guam, a B.A. in Anthropology from University of Hawaii, and a Law Degree from University of Hawaii. She lives in Oakwood with her husband Sean, her daughter Charlotte, and her wild, but well loved dog, Cooper. In her free time, Gretchen likes to read and organize, dabble in French and gardening, and work on mastery of her new hobbies, tennis and roller skating.
Polly Russo
Mighty Oaks Assistant
Polly first came to me for an interview. I knew almost immediately that I wanted to have her on staff, but I didn’t have a position at the time. Thankfully, she was available to sub for us and everyone loved having her in the classroom and seeing her interact with the children was such a joy. When a position opened up for the next school year, I knew immediately I wanted to offer it to her. She has her Master’s in Education and is a retired teacher of 30 years. She is excited to be back nurturing the social, emotional, and academic needs of our students.
Polly grew up in Oakwood and recently returned to be closer to family! She has 2 children and 3 grandpuppies. She enjoys walking, swimming, crochet, and reading.