Art. Play. LEARN.
About Us
Meredith Kaunitz
Chief Education Officer
Master Teacher
Professional Actor
Video Producer
With 25 years of teaching experience, a curiosity about Neurology, Psychology, and Cognitive Science, and exposure to a wide variety of teaching strategies, Meredith has become a thought-leader in education. Developing and implementing new teaching strategies, Meredith has become a popular teacher and sought-out education consultant. She developed an Infant and Toddler Enrichment Program that continues to draw caregivers who want to give their children the best play-based, brain-building opportunities available. Courses include
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Baby Sign
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Moving Storytime
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4 Visual Arts classes
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Intro to Music
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3 Dance classes
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Spanish for Babies, and
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Science for Toddlers.
Subsequently, Meredith has developed a distance-learning program, including 7 levels of Japanese (for 8-12 year olds, and for teens) with 2 writing supplemental classes, that has garnered the attention of over 600 families. She enjoys a 4.5 star rating for all of her distance learning classes overall with many classes at a 5-star rating. Teachers across the country have purchased Meredith's original curricula for use in their own classrooms. Meredith is uniquely positioned to create a neutral space for local homeschool families to learn together in using active learning techniques.
Dana Parker
Science Teacher
Music Teacher
Visual Arts Teacher
Dana Parker has been a professional singer for over 30 years. Her first stage performance was at the age of 10, and by age 13 she was signed to her first of 3 major record labels. She has worked alongside many in the music industry and is currently the lead singer in a band based in Washington, DC. A writer and producer, Dana has studied voice for the span of her career and continues to work with choirs and vocal groups. She is a certified Audio Engineer, having studied sound design and studio techniques, and also holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and Network Engineering, Cyber Security.
Alejandra Zuñiga
Spanish Teacher
Alejandra is a native of Peru who has lived in the United States for many years with her husband and 2 children, whom she homeschools. She represented Peru at the Latin American Cultural Expo at the College Park Community Center, educating the public about Peruvian geography, history and culture. Alejandra was teaching Spanish at Small Wonder Day Care until recently and is now teaching Spanish for Art Play Learn's Toddler classes and Homeschool program. She is a dynamic personality who brings joy to every room and creates active, student-centered programs wherever she goes.
Jeanne Garrett
Piano Teacher
Voice Teacher
Acting Coach
Audition Coach
Jeanne Garrett (a.k.a “Ms Jeanne") has been a vocal/piano/theatre instructor/coach and choir/showchoir director for over 30 years. She has taught in the Bowie/Arundel Mills/Annapolis area for the last 14 years. Jeanne began performing at the age of 4 and has studied with vocal coaches Lucille Zepp, Larry Carey, Karen Bureau, Susan Schreiner, and Linda Eder. She studied music at York College of Pennsylvania, Psychology at University of Maryland, and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Mental Health Counseling at Liberty University.
Jeanne has prepared students for auditions nationally with many being cast in lead and supporting roles both locally and in NYC, Florida, and Japan. She is often asked to judge pageants, run
auditions, choreograph musicals and lead master vocal classes in the Pennsylvania and Maryland area.
Scott Baker
Drums Teacher
Scott is an accomplished musician and teacher. A Maryland native, he started playing the drums at age 7. As a young student, he studied with Dr. Richard Bick and Gary Elliot (U.S. Navy Commodores). He attended St. Mary’s College Md. as a Percussion Performance Major, continuing his studies with Gordon Stout. While in attendance, he performed with the Percussion Ensemble, was first chair in the Orchestra and played with the Jazz Band.
Scott was a co-founding original member of Chrysalis recording and touring artists Here Today and Vigil. After Vigil, Scott kept busy playing a wide variety of styles from Rock to R & B, Jazz, Blues, Big Band and Country in countless venues with numerous groups and artists.
Over the last 20 years, he has taught beginner to advanced students of all ages from young children to adults and seniors. His strength is in reading, fundamentals and technique on the Snare Drum, as well as teaching all styles and forms of drum set from Modern Pop to Classic Rock, R & B, Jazz, Blues and Latin.
Scott has a solid track record of success with his students. Pupils have received Music Scholarships to Dematha High School. He has helped numerous students prepare and succeed in auditions for Honors, Jazz, Marching and State Bands. He has also had students get accepted into music programs at Notre Dame, University of Maryland, Howard University and Towson University. After many years, Scott still loves playing and teaching and really enjoys passing on and sharing his knowledge, passion and excitement for music to his students.
Candise Jordan
Personal Safety Instructor
Fitness Instructor
Candise has been a professional in the fitness industry for 13 years. She holds certifications from the American Red Cross and ASHI as a Certified CPR/First Aid/AED Instructor, Aerobics Fitness Association of America as a Certified Group Exercise Instructor, the National Academy of Sports Medicine as a Certified Personal Trainer and is an SDTS Self-defense Instructor. She has continuing education certificates in Functional Fitness, Senior Fitness, Youth Fitness, Boot camps, Power Jump, PiYo, Medicine Balls, Bosu, Spin, Kickboxing, and Core Strength. Candise has published two books,
Pot Belly to Flat Belly: A 28 Day Rapid Fat Loss Transformation and
The Fit & Flavorful Kitchen Makeover. She is a homeschooling mom.
Amber Ba'th
Preschool Teacher
Professional Actor/VO Actor
Acting Coach
Entertainment Producer
Amber has been teaching preschoolers to teenagers for over 10 years; from the alphabet, to dance, and to the stage. She uses her many talents to teach “littles”, as she calls preschoolers, in ways many enjoy and can relate to; through the arts. She graduated Howard University with a BFA in Theatre Arts Administration, and has performed on stage, tv and film. She has been in the entertainment industry for many years, both in front and behind the scenes, and homeschools her two amazing children.
Michael Kessler
Brass Instrumental Teacher
Michael Kessler is an Instrumental Music Teacher for Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) where he is currently assigned to three elementary schools where he teaches beginning Band and Orchestra to grades 4, 5, & 6. Mr. Kessler believes that everyone has musical ability in them even if they are not aware of it, and that they are capable of learning music and an instrument with a little dedication and hard work. Mr. Kessler earned his Bachelor of Science in Music Education (2006) and a Master in Music Performance (2013) from Towson University. He currently holds an Advanced Teaching Certificate from Maryland State Department of Education.
In addition to teaching for PGCPS Mr. Kessler maintains a private lesson studio. As part of that studio he previously taught private brass instrument lessons at the Music and Arts Center in Bowie (2014-2020) and at St. Anne’s School of Annapolis (2007-2011). In addition to teaching Mr. Kessler was the Principal Trumpet of the Londontowne Symphony Orchestra (2009-2016) and a member of the Anne Arundel Community College Band and Orchestra (2008-2010).
Ezekiel Bailey
Strings Teacher
Ezekiel Bailey loved singing as a child. His elementary music teachers noticed his passion for music and recommended him to audition for the Maryland Children’s Choir. There he gained performance experience and a foundation in music theory.
As Ezekiel reached adolescence and his voice began to change he began to look for new ways to perform music. He picked up the guitar and started lessons. Within a couple of years he was accepted into the Baltimore School for the Arts where he studied classical guitar with the renowned Spanish guitarist Gustavo Them. After high school, Ezekiel was accepted into the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. He went on to receive a Bachelor's degree in classical guitar performance while studying with Ray Chester and a minor in Lute performance under Mark Cudek. He continued his education and received a Master’s degree in classical guitar performance under the tutelage of Julian Gray. While at Peabody he also had the privilege of playing in masterclasses with many of the world’s top performers including Manuel Barrueco, William Kanengiser, Phyllis Bryn-Julson and John Shirley-Quirk. He also attended the Domain Forget Summer Music festival in Quebec where he participated in masterclasses with Pepe Romero and studied with Bruce Holzman and Patrick Roux.
Ezekiel has been teaching guitar since he was 18 years old. Through the years he has branched out into bass guitar, ukulele, music theory, ear training, music transcription and composition, as part of his teaching practices. He can also teach lute but no one has ever asked for that one. He is proficient in most styles of music including classical, jazz, rock, blues, funk, etc. basically if it makes sound, he can play it. He has taught students of all ages from 4-80. Many of his students have gone on to successful music careers and/or prestigious music programs such as Berkeley School of Music, Peabody Conservatory, Baltimore School for the Arts, Salisbury State University and Colorado State University.
Gerard Stropnicky
Story Circle Teacher
Gerard Stropnicky co-founded Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble in 1978, where he worked as an actor, director, writer and administrator for the next 35 years. With BTE he created LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, which was published both as a play and as a trade paperback. For the past twenty years, he’s centered his practice on listening, and on story. In rural communities in Appalachia, the Deep South, Pennsylvania, New Orleans, Uganda and elsewhere, he’s worked with community to create large-scale original site-specific productions where diverse community casts employ local story to celebrate, challenge, and address their issues. He co-founded the Network of Ensemble Theaters, and was named United States Artists Lowe Fellow in 2010. For his service to the autism (ASD) community, he was the 2010 Temple Grandin Award winner.
Lauren McClain
Reading Specialist
Lauren has teaching experience with preschool through adult learners. She taught public school for seven years in Minnesota (middle and high school), ran a small, home-based preschool for three years, and has homeschooled her three elementary-aged children for six years. She is a licensed teacher and reading specialist in the state of Maryland with certificates for teaching reading, writing, literature, and special education. Her master's thesis focused on emergent literacy--early reading and writing skills. Lauren is also the Director of Education at a busy birth and women's health center in Annapolis and teaches independent birth classes to expectant parents in the Bowie area. She believes that everyone is a life-long learner and in the substantial powers of a good game, a good mess, and a good conversation.
