Meet Our Teachers (Erzieherinnen )

We are a mother daughter duo with a long history in early childhood education. We fully believe in the language immersion model and have nearly forty years of experience between us!

  • Founder/ Director/ Teacher

    Growing up in Siebenbürgen, Romania, Johanna experienced the benefits of learning the German Way as a young girl herself! She was a nurse in Nürnberg, Germany before moving to the States and beginning her career in childcare.

    After 16 years of in-home childcare, she founded A Place To Grow in 2008. All told, she has 32 years of early education under her belt and has found so much joy in bringing holistic learning to the Cary community.

  • Assistant Director/ Lead Teacher

    Your child will know her as Annie B, a childhood nickname from when she was growing up in the house that is now A Place To Grow. Annie has been an integral part of the school since its founding, working there on and off during much of her young adult life.

    She was an Au-pair in Germany and a full-time nanny. Childcare and Early education is the constant thread in her professional life and she is now here to stay at A Place To Grow.

“The quality of the education encompasses not only the German language and routine, but loving care provided with nature as an asset to the entire childcare experience. Our children have thrived in this environment, enjoying their outside time, walks in town and to playgrounds and exciting field trips.”

— The Kymalainens