Tess Highter
Director, Homestead Infant and Toddler School
My passion for working with young children started when I was just a young girl myself – I would play school with my dolls and stuffed animals and pretend I was their teacher, along with being an influential role model to my younger cousins. This was when and how I knew I wanted to become a teacher in some capacity. I graduated from Castleton State College in 2010, where I studied both education and literature. I started my professional early childhood education career in 2011 and I have worn many hats and held numerous roles since then : from babysitting, to being a nanny, a substitute teacher, and a lead in both licensed family childcare settings as well as licensed centers. Spending my time with and being an advocate for children and their education is my passion, my calling, and I’m so happy to be doing this wonderful work here at The Homestead. I am dedicated to the early childhood education field and believe that supporting, teaching, and providing a safe space for children and teachers is so important. I have been at The Homestead since 2022, where I started teaching first, then became the Director of the Infant and Toddler School in 2023. In my free time, I continue to spend my time with children, specifically my 6 nieces and nephews who I have a strong bond with. I also enjoy being outdoors and soaking up as much time with nature as possible, most of the time with my camera in hand. You can usually find me wandering in the woods or paddling in my kayak on the lake or with my nose stuck into a book!
Sam Lyons
Director, The Homestead Preschool at Lakewood Commons
My name is Sam Lyons and I am a Connecticut native who came to Vermont to attend Champlain College and fell in love with this state. That was over 12 years ago now and I’m so happy to call Vermont my home. I graduated with my Bachelor’s in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and then got my Vermont Teaching Licence to work with children from birth-6th grade. After college I spent 5 years working as a classroom teacher with infants up through preschoolers. I then went on to become a Director of a program guiding staff and families through the challenging post-covid times before joining the Homestead team.
I believe in child led education and doing what I can to support children and their teachers to explore the different interests in the classrooms. Children are so aware of what is happening around them from the start, and I firmly believe that it is our job as adults to expand on that curiosity, guiding them in their exploration of the world we live in.
When I’m not in school I enjoy reading while curled up with some of my pets or playing board games with friends.