Meet Us

Discovery Child Development was founded in 2010 in Morrisville, North Carolina. At the time, Dr. Alejandra Livas-Dlott was searching for a preschool for her son near her home in Cary. She decided to use her experience as both a teacher and a researcher to open her own center. She envisioned a place where students would come excited to learn each day, and could connect what they learn in the classroom to the outside world. The center opened with two classrooms and has grown each year. In the winter of 2014, Discovery moved into a brand new building. The school is now accredited through SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools)/CASI (Council on Accreditation and School Improvement), an accreditation division of AdvancED. Accreditation is a voluntary method of self-evaluation and continuous improvement. The evaluation team commended the school on its strong sense of community, teacher quality and its supportive learning environment.

Discovery Child Development Center has a unique project-based curriculum. The project approach provides children the opportunity to study topics in-depth and integrates content knowledge throughout the projects. Students learn in an authentic way and are able to connect what they are learning to the world around them. They also learn how to ask questions and develop strategies for finding answers to their questions. Children at Discovery are seen as active learners who learn through discovery, play, manipulation of objects and interactions with peers and teachers.

Read our full story

Teachers

Ms. Ivelisse and Ms. Emily - Young Preschool Room Teachers

emily valentine - Young preschool lead teacher, 
IVELISSE QUINONES - YOUNG PRESCHOOL TEACHER

Hello, I am Emily Valentine, lead teacher in the Young Toddler classroom.  I grew up in central Pennsylvania, then went to college at Wheelock College in Boston, MA where I earned my BA in Human Development and Child Life.  During the 10 years I lived in Boston after graduating, I taught in infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms and was a center director.  In Boston, I met and married my husband and had my oldest 2 children.  I then took a hiatus from teaching to be a stay at home mom.  In 2010, my family moved to Cary where we eventually became foster parents and adopted our 3rd child.
 
We were thrilled to find Discovery for our children.  I was instantly hooked on the environment and philosophy of the school.  I even told my husband that when I went back to teaching, Discovery was where I wanted to teach.  I love that all 3 of my children will be Discovery graduates. In 2017, Discovery welcomed me as a teacher.  My passion is working with young children and families and to help them grow and develop to their full potential. 
 
When I am not at school, I can most likely be found on the sidelines of my children’s sporting events.  I also enjoy spending time with my family, reading, and photography.

JASMEEN BAGGA - half day preschool lead teacher

I am Jasmeen Bagga, lead teacher of the half day preschool classroom. I grew up in New Jersey, then went to college at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA where I earned my Degree in Graphic Design. While in college I held a part time job at University of Pennsylvania’s Childcare Center. After working in the design industry, I quickly realized my passion was in teaching. I earned my Masters Degree in Art Education in 2012 from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. During my graduate studies I met my wonderful husband and I moved to Michigan to be with him. In Michigan I taught High school Art for 2 years before we relocated again, but this time to sunny California! In California I had my beautiful first child and decided to take time off from work to be with her. We realized pretty quickly that as much as we loved living in California, the cost of living was just too much. So, in 2017 we moved here to Cary and had our second child. 

Discovery Child Development Center was recommended to us by our family friend and we are so grateful for the introduction.   On our tour I knew this school would be the perfect fit for my then 3 year old. The project based learning model is inspiring and caters to various learners. I am constantly impressed by the different ways each child engages with the Project. I love seeing the children grow and build social skills to become great members of the community. Coming from a diverse upbringing, I strive to make my classroom a place where all are welcome and celebrated. I am happy to be part of the team as both a parent and a teacher. 

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Ms. Aparna and Ms. Gladys - Preschool Teachers

Aparna amarnath - Preschool and pre-k TEACHER

My name is Aparna Amarnath, and I am proud to be part of the Discovery team.  Teaching is my passion, and I have been teaching young children since 2004.   To me, time spent with children is precious and I try to make it meaningful.  My desire is to pique their curiosity and bring lessons to life by providing interactive and sensory activities.  It is a privilege to teach children in their early years, and my goal is to make school an exciting, wonder filled magical experience.  I strive to broaden their horizons and nurture their individual gifts while providing them with the tools to receive and process new information.  Building a sense of community is vital at this age, and I believe in celebrating and drawing attention to the kind and empathetic nature of my class to strengthen bonds. One of the many rewards of being a teacher is getting to know and working together with new families.   This ensures effective and continuous communication which is vital to meeting the needs of each and every child. I am always excited to meet my incoming students and begin the wonderful adventure that each August brings.

Melissa tobin - school day preschool teacher

Hi, my name is Melissa Tobin. I am the lead teacher in the preschool classroom. I have been working with young children of all ages since 2000. I have been fortunate enough to experience educating children wearing many different hats - from an assistant, lead teacher, administrator and trainer. I love changing the lives of children and enjoy seeing each child blossom through the love and care a teacher gives. I have a AAS from WTCC and Early Childhood Administrative Credentials. 
When I'm not working, I enjoy spending time with my son and family, going on runs, doing yard work and projects around the house.

COURTENAY GARVER - HALF DAY PRE-K LEAD Teacher

​I am the lead teacher for the Pre-k class. I have a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a certificate to teach preschool. I have been a teacher for over 20 years. Over 10 of those years have been teaching Pre-K. Before coming to teach at Discovery Child Development Center, I taught at Duke School in Durham. I loved using the Project Approach so I was so excited to find a preschool close to home that also used this way of teaching. Children investigate topics thoroughly based on their interests and have lots of hands- on experiences. They go on field visits, learn to ask questions, collect information and make observational drawings. It's an exciting way of learning and teaching! I live in Cary with my husband, two daughters and two cats. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, shopping, spending time with friends and I wish I could say exercising! ​

Ms. Sanja and Ms. Aparna - School Day Pre-k Teachers

Sanja subasic - School day Pre-K teacher

I grew up in a beautiful city called Banja Luka in Europe and moved to the United States in 1996. Teaching has always been my passion and joy. I have been working as a preschool teacher and director for more than ten years. I received an ESL (English as a Second Language) Teaching Certificate from Wake Tech Community College. I currently volunteer as a tutor helping non- native English speakers with English.  

I believe that every day creates new teaching moments.  To me, childhood is a journey, not a race, and I am grateful to be a part of each child’s journey.  I also believe that basic educational disciplines and hands-on activities taught in a positive environment yield happy, well-rounded children. My personal goal is to provide a safe, creative, warm, and challenging atmosphere in the classroom. Positive communication between parents and teachers is extremely important to me.  I am excited to be part of the Discovery Child Development Center and am always looking forward to working with your child. 

Ms. Jyothi, and Ms. Sujata - TK Teaching Team

Jyothi Kaushik and Sujata Rajaram
​Transitional-K/Kindergarten Teachers

My name is Jyothi Kaushik and this is my fifth year working at Discovery child development. It has been an absolutely wonderful experience for me so far along with the little curious explorers and all of the great co-workers. I love working with preschoolers and the fun we get to have!
I am originally from the southern part of India and grew up with two brothers. My parents currently still live there and we visit them once in a while. I have been a resident of Cary since 2006 and call this my home along with my supportive hubby and a 15 year old daughter and a 11 year old son! 
I have a science degree from India and a certification in early childhood development from California. I have taught two years of high school biology and chemistry back in India and have been teaching Pre-K for the past 10 years here. 
Looking forward to more years of learning and growing with little great minds!

My name is Sujata Rajaram and this is my 9th year teaching at Discovery. I have a degree in home economics with a focus on child development and nutrition, and a post-graduate degree in nutrition dietetics. I completed Montessori training in preschool and kindergarten (ages 3-6) at the North American Montessori Center. Prior to coming to Discovery, I taught at a Montessori preschool and substituted for Wake County Public Schools. I see the best in all children and strive to help them reach their potential. I especially love helping children learn math and science concepts through creative lessons and hands on learning experiences.
'When I am not teaching I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I enjoy gardening, cooking, and reading at my home in Cary.

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 Administrative Staff

Mike Dlott
Director

Mike Dlott has worked with children in a variety of different settings. In college he spent two summers working with preschoolers at a YMCA summer program in Massachusetts. During his junior year at Tufts University he co-founded an after-school program for local elementary school children aimed at promoting fitness and health. In addition, he spent a semester in Washington D.C. studying the effects of Head Start preschool programs on children. After graduation Mike returned to Washington D.C. and worked for the American Institutes for Research where he participated in a number of educational research studies and he also served as Youth Coordinator for the Technical Assistance Partnership. As Youth Coordinator, Mike was responsible for creating curriculum and coordinating activities for students attending national conferences. In 2003 Mike returned to school as a graduate student at Duke University and received a Masters of Arts in Teaching. Mike has taught at the middle and high school levels. In addition to teaching, he has coordinated and managed teachers at schools and summer programs as a service-learning lead instructor. Many of these projects have included working with elementary and preschool students. Mike is the proud father of three young boys, and resides with his family in Cary. Mike serves as the director for Discovery Child Development Center.

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Poonam sharma, School admissions and operations director

I started my time at Discovery back in 2014 when my then 2 yr old joined the young preschool class, and there has been no looking back! I have loved this school as a parent and I love being a part of the Discovery family, managing school admissions, operations, and interacting /assisting kids in the classrooms when needed. I am passionate about helping kids learn and thrive, and at the same time help maintain positive relationships with the parents, school staff, and associated support functions. I received my bachelors degree with Honors in English Literature, and Masters degree in English Literature from India, and have broad work experience in teaching, business management, and sales operations. Spending time with my family, reading books, working out, and going shopping are the things I love to do. The most beautiful thing to have ever happened in my life is being a mom to my amazing, energetic, adventurous, and full of life daughter!

Alejandra Livas-Dlott, PhD
 Founder and Advisory Board Member

​Since a young age, Alex has shown a great passion for schools, teaching and working with young children. Alex received her BA in Child Development from Tufts University. At Tufts, she worked in a Head Start preschool classroom as well as a private, research-based preschool based at the child development department at Tufts University. In addition to her studies and classroom work at Tufts, Alejandra co-founded and participated in an after-school program for young children that promoted movement and physical education. Upon graduation, Alejandra became a kindergarten and first grade teacher as a Teach for America corps member. While teaching, Alejandra realized the importance of returning to school to further her expertise in theory, research and practice. Alex returned to graduate school where she earned an MA and PhD in Education from the University of California, Berkeley. While at graduate school, Alex worked with families and young children in research settings and furthered her expertise in child, family and classroom theory, policy and assessment. After graduate school, Alejandra worked with a professor at UNC’s School of Education to co-create a parent outreach program that helped Latino families with the transition into kindergarten. In addition to her work with families and young children, her favorite time is spent with her husband, three sons and dog. 

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Gabriela Livas Stein, PhD
Psychology Consultant and Advisory Board Member 

Gaby Livas Stein is a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor in clinical psychology at the UNC - Greensboro. She also provides consultation at El Futuro, a mental health clinic for Latinos in Carrboro and Durham. Dr. Stein completed her clinical psychology training at UNC - Chapel Hill, where she focused on child and adolescent therapy and research. At the end of her graduate work, she was presented with an APA/APAGS Award for Distinguished Graduate Student in Professional Psychology. Along with her work, Dr. Stein enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children. Dr. Stein serves as a psychology consultant to Discovery staff.

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Advisory Board - Mony malhotra

Mony Malhotra is Vice President of Finance for Singh Development, a real estate development company with offices in Michigan and North Carolina.  She is a graduate of the University of Michigan Business School and has a Master’s Degree from Columbia University in New York.  Prior to joining Singh 10 years ago, Mony worked on Wall Street providing and securing capital for Real Estate Investments around the country including landmark assets such as the New York Times Headquarters in Times Square.  At Singh, Mony plays a critical role in the organization’s strategic goals, planning, and implementation.

Mony grew up in Metro Detroit and now lives with her husband and three children in Morrisville.  Her children and nephew have attended Discovery Child Development Center.  Mony is an active long distance runner and volunteer school teacher to her Temple school.

Pam Diamond - bio coming soon


Shiv Hira - bio coming soon