Teachers

Portrait of a woman with long blonde hair, smiling, wearing a purple shirt, with out-of-focus trees in the background. Overlay text reads: "Brittney Simmons, Director and Lead Teacher."

Brittney Simmons is delighted to join The Little Learning Grove as the Director and Lead Teacher. She holds a degree in Early Childhood Development from The University of Texas at Austin, with a minor in Music Education. With a passion for innovative teaching methods, Brittney holds certifications in Early Childhood through Grade 4, Gifted and Talented, ESL, Montessori, Whole Brain Learning, and Children’s Yoga and Mindfulness. She is also pursuing her Reggio Emilia certification to further enrich her educational approach.

With 17 years of experience in education, Brittney has taught music, second grade, and kindergarten in public and charter schools across Austin, Kyle, and Buda. Her dedication to excellence earned her Teacher of the Year at Carpenter Hill Elementary and the prestigious HEB “Excellence in Education” State Teacher of the Year award. While these honors are meaningful, what she values most are the lasting relationships she builds with her students and their families.

Brittney believes that children are unique, capable, and full of potential. Her teaching philosophy is child-centered, fostering curiosity through play-based, self-directed learning. She creates intentional environments where children explore the world through music, movement, self-expression, and hands-on experiences. Early childhood education, in her view, should nurture the whole child—mind, body, and heart.

Brittney is committed to providing a safe, loving, and inspiring first educational experience for every child at The Little Learning Grove. She looks forward to partnering with families and guiding young learners as they discover the joy of learning.

Smiling person in a patterned sweater standing outdoors with trees in the background, labeled as Maria Contreras, Teacher, on a polaroid-style photo with tape.

With nearly 15 years of experience in early childhood education, Ms. Maria brings warmth, dedication, and expertise to Little Learning Grove. As a mother herself, she understands the importance of nurturing young minds in a safe, engaging, and structured environment.

Ms. Maria has spent over a decade as a Pre-K Lead Teacher, where she skillfully designs interactive lesson plans in math, science, history, art, and reading. She believes in fostering a love for learning through hands-on activities while carefully tracking each child’s progress through assessments. Her ability to connect with families ensures that every child’s unique needs and interests are supported.

Certified in Child Development (CDA) and CPR-trained, Ms. Maria is committed to creating a joyful and enriching classroom experience. Her organizational skills, creativity, and compassionate approach make her a beloved guide for young learners.

When she’s not teaching, Ms. Maria enjoys spending time with her own family and finding new ways to inspire her students.

Alyssa is a nurturing and passionate early childhood educator with a rich background in Montessori and nature-based learning. With experience as both a Montessori Nido Guide and a professional nanny, she brings warmth, patience, and a deep respect for child-led exploration. Trained through the Prepared Montessorian Institute, Alyssa specializes in Practical Life, Sensorial, and Language materials, fostering independence, curiosity, and joyful discovery. Inspired by Waldorf principles and outdoor education, she integrates creativity, nature play, and hands-on experiences into her daily rhythm.

At schools like Guidepost Montessori and nature-based programs in Austin, Alyssa has supported children through foundational milestones with gentle, responsive care. She values strong partnerships with families and creates safe, engaging environments where children feel seen, empowered, and inspired. Outside the classroom, she enjoys painting, exploring Austin’s rich nature with her daughter Amelia, and caring for her dogs, cat, and foster pups.

A portrait of a smiling older woman with short hair, wearing a blouse with leaf patterns. The name "Gina Butcher" and title "Teacher" are written underneath. The background shows blurred trees and the image has a taped photo frame style.

With 35+ years of experience shaping young minds, Gina brings wisdom, energy, and joy to Little Learning Grove’s academic hours. After an award-winning career as a teacher (music, dance, and PE), Hays’ Assistant Principal of the Year, and elementary principal, she “retired” in 2021—only to return to her first love: guiding learners.

Now, she spends her mornings supporting LLG’s academic foundations with a kinesiologist’s understanding of movement and an educator’s heart. When not helping children discover the rhythm of letters and numbers, you might hear her leading an impromptu dance break or sharing camping stories (her happy place).

To Gina, education is a lifelong adventure—one she now enjoys as both a teacher and proud grandmother.

Woman smiling outdoors holding a baby in a wrap, with a heart icon covering the baby's face.

Jessica brings over a decade of organizational expertise from Austin's design-build world to Little Learning Grove. With an architecture degree from UT, she now applies her precision and problem-solving skills to support the school's operations.

As a mother of three, she wanted to contribute meaningfully to her children's learning community. To her, Little Learning Grove isn’t just a workplace—it’s where her skills, passions, and family all come together.

A man with a beard wearing a blue vest, standing outdoors with trees in the background, in a photo labeled "Eamon Carrig, CIO and Founder."
Person wearing a blue jacket and green top, outside with trees in the background; labeled as COO and Founder.

As parents of four young children and longtime dreamers of creating an extraordinary learning space, Eamon and Attilie brought Little Learning Grove to life. Their vision was simple yet profound: to build a school that nurtures children’s natural curiosity and love of learning—inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s wisdom to "teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."

Though Eamon works in tech and Attilie is pursuing her medical degree, their true passion lies in fostering meaningful education. They’ve entrusted the daily magic of LLG to their incredible team—Brittney, Maria, and Gina—while remaining deeply connected as advisors and cheerleaders. Living right next door to the school, they’re often spotted popping in with their little ones, sharing their joy for the community they helped create.

For the Carrigs, Little Learning Grove is more than a school—it’s the realization of a dream to give children (including their own!) a foundation of wonder, confidence, and lifelong discovery.

"If you want to build a ship, don't herd people together to collect wood, and don't assign them tasks and work, but teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery, "Wisdom of the Sands"

Two women standing back-to-back in a room with books and a red decoration, labeled "Casey Jensen & Allison Hillman, Founders."

As passionate educators with over 25 years of combined experience, Casey and Allison helped found Little Learning Grove in 2024 to create an exceptional early learning environment rooted in play-based education and social-emotional development.

Casey brings her expertise as a 15-year kindergarten teacher specializing in social-emotional learning, while Allison contributes her background as an award-winning early childhood educator with a Master's in Education. Together, they ensure Little Learning Grove remains true to its founding principles of nurturing curiosity, building foundations for lifelong learning, and fostering meaningful family connections.