Primrose School of Middleton

Our Staff

  • Ms. Carie Imme, Chief Operations Officer

    Ms. Carie Imme

    Chief Operations Officer

    Ms. Carie Imme embarked on her journey with Primrose School of Middleton upon its opening in August 2016. Equipped with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, encompassing both regular and special education, Carie started as the Early Preschool teacher. It was here that she found a love for Primrose’s mission to provide high-quality education and care to all children.

    Driven by her admiration for Primrose’s educational philosophy, Carie transitioned into the role of Education Coach before assuming the position of Director. As she honed her skills in educational leadership, Carie had an aspiration to re-engage directly with students in the classroom and explore teaching special education. In 2019, she returned home to Milwaukee, where she grew her experience in elementary special education.

    Fueled by her passion for instructional mentoring and leadership enhancement, Carie undertook the role of Dean of Special Education, serving students and families in grades K4 through 8th. Her tenure in an urban elementary school setting further reinforced her belief in the importance of early education. In the summer of 2022, Carie rejoined Primrose School of Middleton as its Chief Operations Officer.

    Leveraging her enriched educational leadership experience, Carie currently oversees the Leadership Team, focusing on teacher mentoring, optimizing systems directly impacting students, families, and staff, and managing enrollments.

    Though her current responsibilities do not involve direct classroom engagement, Carie finds immense fulfillment from her interactions with children, cherishing the opportunity to share her joy with others in her professional career.

  • Mrs. Pivonka, Director

    Mrs. Pivonka

    Director

    Mrs. Pivonka is excited to be part of Primrose School of Middleton. She will be working as part of the Leadership Team.

    Mrs. Pivonka received her teaching degree from the University of Wisconsin -Whitewater. She has worked in the early childhood field for over 25 years. She started her journey as a 2-year-old teacher and has held almost every position from teacher to director to administrator.

    Mrs. Pivonka lives in Monroe with her husband, Frank. Together they have 5 grown children and 2 amazing grandchildren. Mrs. Pivonka and her husband own a small Chicago style restaurant in Monroe called Frank’s Franks. They are both very involved in their community and give back as much as they can. On weekends in the summer they take their food trailer to a variety of festivals in southern Wisconsin.

    Primrose School of Middleton is a great place for children to grow and learn and she is happy to be a part of the Primrose family.

  • Ms. Washa, Assistant Director

    Ms. Washa

    Assistant Director

    Ms. Washa is proud to be a part of the Primrose family. She loves the Balanced Learning approach and the ability to inspire a love learning in young children. She looks forward to continued growth in her career at Primrose and continuing her own personal education. In addition to being a teacher in Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten, Ms. Washa was also a Pod Leader and our Head Pod Leader for our Venture Program.  She is excited to return to leadership in this role that will support our school, engage families, and empower teachers to provide a safe and healthy classroom for their students..

    Ms. Washa has a Bachelor's in Psychology from Edgewood College. She has worked in the early childhood field for over 12 years as a teacher and director in the Madison area. She lives with her long-term boyfriend and their two cats. In her spare time she is an avid kayaker, enjoys camping and being outdoors, gardening and trying out new recipes to cook.

  • Ms. Hannifan, Education Coach

    Ms. Hannifan

    Education Coach

    Ms. Kayleigh Hannifan began at Primrose School of Middleton in November 2020. Ms. Hannifan is a UW Badger and she received her Bachelor Degree in Psychology and Communications in 2020. Kayleigh is an avid runner, enjoys reading so much that she has quite the library of books and enjoys baking when she can.

    Ms. Hannifan has many years of experience working with children being a summer nanny and lifeguard, several years of babysitting and almost 2 years in a childcare setting. She has worked with all ages up to 6 years old, but has worked in our Toddler 2 and Early Preschool 2 classrooms. Ms. Hannifan has a very nurturing teaching style, paying close attention to the "why" and asks so many great questions that speak to children's reasoning skills. This has been great skill to have in our older Toddler classroom as children navigate through so many social situations and emotions. We are so excited to have Ms. Hannifan join our Leadership Team with all the knowledge she brings to Primrose.

  • Mrs. Downey, Office Assistant

    Mrs. Downey

    Office Assistant
  • Mrs. Morrissette, Remote Administrative Assistant

    Mrs. Morrissette

    Remote Administrative Assistant

    Mrs. Morrissette started with Primrose School of Middleton on the opening team in August 2016. In February 2018, she relocated back to Minnesota with her husband, but has continued as part of our team working remotely completing administrative duties.

    Mrs. Morrissette started her early childhood journey in 2012 and had been part of the Primrose family previously, in Woodbury, Minnesota. She fell in love with the Primrose curriculum and the family feel Primrose provided. She moved to the Madison area with her husband in 2015 and was thrilled to learn about the opening of the Middleton location. She graduated with her Early Childhood Education degree at the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2016.

    Mrs. Morrissette has a passion for organization and attention to detail. These skills, along with strong leadership and a desire to work with all families, children, and staff, makes her the perfect fit for our Leadership Team as the Administrative Assistant.

  • Ms. Ziegler, Infant Teacher

    Ms. Ziegler

    Infant Teacher

    Meet Ms. Ziegler!

    Formal Education: 

    • Early Childhood Credentials
    • Food Safety Certification for Young Children


    Years in Field: 17

    Favorite Part of Teaching at Primrose:

    • Watching the children learn and grow
    • Primrose Schools’ Harmony & Hearts and Wonder Time
  • Mrs. Rajendran, Infant Teacher

    Mrs. Rajendran

    Infant Teacher

    Meet Mrs. Rajendran/"Mrs. R."!

    Formal Education: 

    • Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering – Electrical and Electronics
    • Early Childhood Credentials (in progress)

    Years in Field: Less than 1 Year

     

  • Ms. Coronado, Young Toddler Teacher

    Ms. Coronado

    Young Toddler Teacher

    Meet Ms. Coronado!

    Formal Education: 

    • WI Early Childhood Credentials

    Years in Field: 3

    Favorite Part of Teaching at Primrose:

    • Knowing all the teachers are here because they WANT to be here; it is not just a job.
  • Mrs. Tetteh, Young Toddler Teacher

    Mrs. Tetteh

    Young Toddler Teacher

    Meet Mrs. Tetteh!

    Formal Education: 

    • WI Early Childhood Credentials
    • College Coursework in Social Work

    Years in Field: 4

    Favorite Part of Teaching:

    • Having the privilege to impact a child's future and who they will become
    • Honored to be a part of a child's success story
  • Ms. Zehntner, Young Wonder Support Teacher

    Ms. Zehntner

    Young Wonder Support Teacher

    Meet Ms. Zehntner

    Formal Education: 

    • WI Early Childhood Credentials (in progress)

    Years in Field: 6

    Favorite Part of Teaching:

    • Being surrounded by love from all the children and when they give hugs
    • Primrose Schools Harmony & Hearts and Wonder Times
  • Mrs. Veluswamy, Toddler Teacher

    Mrs. Veluswamy

    Toddler Teacher

    Meet Mrs. Veluswamy!

    Formal Education: 

    • Master’s Degree in Business Administration
    • Early Childhood Credentials


    Years in Field: 1

    Favorite Part of Teaching at Primrose:

    • Watching the kids grow and building relationships with kids and co-teachers.
    • During a stressful day, a simple hug with the kids can instantly put a smile on my face!
  • Ms. Jefferson, Toddler Teacher

    Ms. Jefferson

    Toddler Teacher

    Meet Mrs. Jefferson!

    Formal Education: 

    • College Coursework in Early Childhood Education
    • Bachelor’s Degree Candidate in Art

    Years in Field: 8

    Favorite Part of Teaching at Primrose:

    • Creating a positive, bright environment where children feel safe, happy, and loved.
    • Loves to bring out the creativity within each child
  • Ms. McClary-Keehn, Early Preschool Teacher

    Ms. McClary-Keehn

    Early Preschool Teacher

    Meet Ms. McClary-Keehn!

    Formal Education: 

    • Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education
    • WI Credential in Preschool

    Years in Field: 3

    Favorite Part of Teaching at Primrose:

    • Primrose Schools Balanced Learning Curriculum
  • Ms. Mackins, Early Preschool Teacher

    Ms. Mackins

    Early Preschool Teacher

    Meet Ms. Mackins!

    Formal Education: 

    • WI Early Childhood Credentials (in progress)

    Years in Field: 1

    Favorite Part of Teaching:

    • Primrose Schools Balanced Learning Curriculum
  • Mrs. Patel, Wonder Support Teacher

    Mrs. Patel

    Wonder Support Teacher

    Meet Mrs. Patel!

  • Ms. Chen, Early Preschool Teacher

    Ms. Chen

    Early Preschool Teacher

    Meet Mrs. Chen!

    Formal Education: 

    • Bachelor's Degree in Law
    • WI Early Childhood Credentials (in progress)

    Years in Field: 5

    Favorite Part of Teaching:

    • Primrose Schools Balanced Learning Curriculum
  • Ms. Ohre, Early Preschool Teacher

    Ms. Ohre

    Early Preschool Teacher

    Meet Ms. Ohre!

    Formal Education: 

    • Master's Degree in Education - Teaching English as a Second Language

    Years in Field: 8

    Favorite Part of Teaching:

    • Being able to meet the needs of students emotionally, socially, and academically 
  • Mrs. Herbrand, Preschool Pathways Teacher

    Mrs. Herbrand

    Preschool Pathways Teacher

    Meet Mrs. Herbrand!

    Formal Education: 

    • Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education

    Years in Field: 10

    Favorite Part of Teaching at Primrose:

    • The understanding from the team when things come up personally and professionally.
  • Ms. Gehl, Preschool Pathways Teacher

    Ms. Gehl

    Preschool Pathways Teacher

    Meet Ms. Gehl!

    Formal Education: 

    • Bachelor's Degree in Psychology

    Favorite Part of Teaching:

    • Connecting with students
    • Being able to be creative
  • Mrs. Elswick, Preschool Teacher

    Mrs. Elswick

    Preschool Teacher

    Meet Mrs. Elswick

    Formal Education: 

    • Bachelor's Degree in Personal Finance
    • Elementary Education Certification
    • Master's Degree in Elementary Education (in progress)

    Years in Field: 4

    Favorite Part of Teaching:

    • Watching the children learn and grow
    • Learning from other teachers
  • Mrs. Muthukumaran, Preschool Teacher

    Mrs. Muthukumaran

    Preschool Teacher

    Meet Mrs. Muthukumaran!

    Formal Education:

    • Master Degree in Business Administration, Finance
    • Early Childhood Credentials (in progress)

     

    Years in Field: 1

     

    Favorite Part of Teaching at Primrose:

    • Getting to know children of different ages and backgrounds
    • Building trustworthy relationships with the children
       
  • Ms. D

    Preschool Teacher

    Meet Ms. D!

    Formal Education: 

    • Bachelor's Degree in Psychology

    Years in Field: 13

    Favorite Part of Teaching:

    • Watching the children learn and grow
    • Primrose Schools Balanced Learning Curriculum
  • Mrs. Pilinci, Preschool Teacher

    Mrs. Pilinci

    Preschool Teacher

    Meet Mrs. Pilinci!

    Formal Education: 

    • Bachelor’s Degree in Education


    Years in Field: 4

    Favorite Part of Teaching at Primrose:

    • Loves teaching in Preschool and teaching circle time
    • Enjoys reading books with the children
  • Mrs. Jain, Private Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

    Mrs. Jain

    Private Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

    Meet Mrs. Jain!

    Formal Education: 

    • Master's Degree in Statistics
    • WI Early Childhood Credentials

    Years in Field: 6

    Favorite Part of Teaching:

    • Introducing and educating new concepts and ideas to children
    • Seeing the children grow each day
  • Mrs. Ardestani, Private Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

    Mrs. Ardestani

    Private Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

    Meet Mrs. Ardestani!

    Formal Education: 

    • WI Early Childhood Education
    • Elementary Education Para Training
    • License in Cosmetology
    • Optician Training

    Years in Field: 3

    Favorite Part of Teaching:

    • Teaching children the importance of respect
    • Playing with children
    • Bringing joy into children's lives
  • Mr. Allen, Private Pre-Kindergarten Teacher & Explorer Teacher

    Mr. Allen

    Private Pre-Kindergarten Teacher & Explorer Teacher

    Meet Mr. Allen

    Formal Education: 

    • College Coursework in: Neuropsychology and Child Psychology
    • WI Early Childhood Credentials (in progress)

    Years in Field: 2

    Favorite Part of Teaching:

    • The kids and how excited they always are to see me
  • Ms. Hall, Explorer Teacher

    Ms. Hall

    Explorer Teacher

    Meet Ms. Hall!

    Formal Education: 

    • WI Early Childhood Credentials (in progress)
    • Certified Nursing Assistant Certification

    Years in Field: 20

    Favorite Part of Teaching:

    • Interacting with the kids
    • Watcing them grow as they transition to a new classroom/age group
  • Chef Ethan G., Food Service Manager

    Chef Ethan G.

    Food Service Manager
  • Amanda and Mark Kienbaum, Franchise Owner

    Amanda and Mark Kienbaum

    Franchise Owner

    Meet Amanda and Mark Kienbaum, parents to three young girls and proud Franchise Owners of Primrose School of Middleton. Longtime supporters of Primrose Schools, the Kienbaums are thrilled to bring the quality experience they know and love to the children and families of Middleton.

    Amanda was first introduced to Primrose Schools in 2006 when she accepted a director position at a Primrose school in Minnesota. She previously worked in children’s services, so she immediately warmed to the nurturing environment she observed at the school. Impressed and inspired by the Primrose commitment to serve each individual child and family, Amanda knew right away that she’d found the perfect fit — both for her career and for the care of her own children in the future.

    “What I love most about Primrose is we’re all truly focused on the child,” said Amanda. “The Balanced Learning® approach is unparalleled and its focus on character development helps each child set the foundation she needs for success. But the piece that has always stood out the most to me is the investment in each individual child and family.”

    Mark, too, has a past with Primrose Schools that began before the Kienbaums started exploring their options as Franchise Owners. In fact, Primrose is tied into the couple’s love story — they met through a colleague of Amanda while she was in her director position.

    “Back when Amanda and I met and she first introduced me to Primrose, I told her if I had kids, I would send them to Primrose right then and there,” Mark said. “That’s how strongly I felt about the brand from the very start.”

    For the Kienbaums, opening Primrose School of Middleton is a dream come true. They’re eager to bring Primrose to families in a community where they saw a distinct need for a premier, quality early education and care provider. Their own daughters, Myra, Eden and Emery, attend/have attended the school.

    Amanda, who graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a degree in child psychology, will bring her passion for serving children with years of experience in child education to the school. Mark will provide his expertise in marketing and finance to support the behind-the-scenes operations. A business graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, he grew up in Southern Wisconsin and has always believed Middleton is the perfect location to open a Primrose school.

    “Not only is this area home to one of the best school districts in the state, but it’s also a thriving business center,” said Mark. “Now, many commuting parents can have peace of mind knowing there is a premier child care option close to where they work that will fully prepare their children for success in school and life.”

    Amanda and Mark enjoy offering Middleton families a loving, warm atmosphere where their children can grow Active Minds, Healthy Bodies and Happy Hearts®. As Franchise Owners, their goal is to provide parents with an environment where they can feel good about leaving their children, knowing their little ones are receiving the best quality of care.

    Opened in August 2016, Primrose School of Middleton features the Balanced Learning curriculum in Infant through Private Pre-Kindergarten classrooms and the Primrose Explorers after-school and summer program for students through age 12. Developed and taught exclusively at Primrose Schools, the research-informed curriculum blends purposeful play with nurturing guidance to encourage curiosity, confidence and compassion.

    Primrose School of Middleton is located at 3000 Deming Way. For more information, visit www.PrimroseMiddleton.com.

     

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