Faculty & Staff

I graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science in Education and minor in mathematics. I joined the Tiller family in 2008. I believe all children can be academically and socially successful in a warm, caring environment. I enjoy spending time with my family, going to the beach, and enjoying the outdoors.

It is my pleasure to serve as your Assistant Director. This will be my fourteenth year in educational leadership. Prior to becoming principal, I was a teacher, assistant principal and principal with the Carteret County School system.  I hold a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Chowan College and a Masters of School Administration from East Carolina University with certification in Curriculum and Instruction. I will always be a teacher at heart and always remember the important work being done in classrooms. 

I am blessed to be married to my wonderful husband Bill of 34 years and mom to our son William. 

My goal is to help provide a supportive culture where students grow and are provided the skills to reach their highest potential. I look forward to working with the students, faculty, staff and families of The Tiller School. 

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I am so excited to get to share my love for art with the students at Tiller School! I received my BFA in Art Education from ECU where I graduated with honors, Summa Cum Laude. I have been working with elementary students in a variety of ways for the past 7 years. I am an acrylic painter and ceramic artist, but I love to explore all the different mediums. You can see some of my artwork at Alohiart.com. In my free time, I love to read and visit the beach. I am also a black belt in World Tang So Do. As an artist, I really appreciate the beauty of martial arts. I am a child at heart and I want all my students to wonder at the beautiful world around them so that they will be eager to learn more every day.  I can not wait to meet all of you!

Hello, My name is Ms. Hannah, I am honored to be teaching kindergarten at Tiller school. My journey at Tiller school began 8 years ago as an afterschool assistant and substitute teacher and then the 2nd grade teacher assistant for 3 years. During this time I found my passion in teaching and knew I wanted to teach kindergarten at Tiller. Several years later I graduated from the University of Mount Olive in May of 2020 with my Bachelors in Early Childhood Education. I  taught Kindergarten in Craven County school for 1 year before I reached the opportunity of my dream job teaching kindergarten at Tiller. I look forward to inspiring young minds and teaching creative learners at Tiller school.

In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my husband Alex, my daughter Lexie, my son Cole and our golden retriever Callie. We love to spend time outdoors playing in the summer sun! Living in down east Carteret county gives us the opportunities to spend time on the water as well! We are grateful to be able to raise our little family here in Carteret county where my husband and I grew up.

I graduated from Salisbury State University with a degree in Elementary Education.  I have teaching experience in  California, Maryland, Washington State, and North Carolina.  I've taught kindergarten at Tiller School for three years and am so excited to be back for the 2022-2023 school year!  

In my free time, I volunteer as the President of Misplaced Mutts, a local nonprofit dog rescue.  I have three kids: Michael, a recent graduate of UNCW, his twin brother, Cameron, and little sister Rachael who both attend CCC. When I'm not in the classroom I enjoy spending time with family, helping animals, and doing anything to do with the water.  

I began working at Tiller in 2007 after graduating from East Carolina University with a degree in Elementary Education and concentration in Child Studies.  I feel so lucky to teach at this wonderful school.  I believe that all children can learn and that the best learning is done in a safe, positive, fun environment.  We treat our classroom like our home and each other like family.  When away from my school family, I enjoy painting and other crafts, reading, and being outdoors.  I am very close with my family and love spending time on the water with my husband Blake and English bulldog Zeus.

My name is Taylor Phelps and I am so excited to join the Tiller community. I am a Meredith College graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology along with a K-6 North Carolina Licensure and a K-6 Virginia Licensure. I am so beyond excited to possibly extend my journey of building a community in my classroom at Tiller School. 

I am from the Roanoke Rapids area in North Carolina. I have just fallen in love with the charm that Carteret County has to offer. The community that has been established in the area is exactly what I am looking to be a part of. The mission statement "Tiller School is dedicated to fostering creativity, confidence, and enthusiasm for learning through arts integration, family engagement, and a responsive academic and social curriculum" upholds my educational philosophy.  

I feel that these last few years have been a true example of the importance of being adaptable and teaching students the life skills needed to become effective contributors to society. With all the students have experienced this year, I have really had a newfound appreciation for the student's social-emotional health and am excited to implement Responsive Classroom. Students learn best when they are in a nurturing environment. It is my goal to build a community, not just within my classroom but within the school as a whole.

I graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science in Education and minor in mathematics. I joined the Tiller family in 2008. I believe all children can be academically and socially successful in a warm, caring environment. I enjoy spending time with my family, going to the beach, and enjoying the outdoors.

Hello! My name is Kristen Boyd. I am originally from Morehead City but have spent the past 5 years living in Wilmington. I’m glad to be living back in the area and so excited to teach 2nd grade at Tiller School! I graduated from UNCW with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and this is my third year teaching 2nd grade. In my free time, I love to be on the boat enjoying the sunshine with friends and family. I look forward to an awesome school year!” 

I am a proud graduate of The University of North Carolina at Wilmington earning my B.A. in Elementary Education. I have known since I was a child that my career would involve working with children. I am very passionate about making a lasting impact on my students lives and helping them to succeed and grow in all that they do. I have come to find that each student makes an impact on you, just as you do on them. This too is why I chose the teaching profession. 

In my free time, I enjoy spending time outdoors on the water with family and friends and traveling and exploring new places. I am excited to be teaching at Tiller School. I intend to bring a positive attitude, a smiling face and motivation to my students. Children are inspired and learn best in a positive, social environment.  I believe this is a special attribute of our school. Our sense of community, and nurturing environment allows for strong relationships to be made and provides extra love and support to students. I want to make sure my students come to school feeling excited and lucky to call Tiller their school.  I am so excited to begin building relationships with the faculty and staff at Tiller and most importantly all students and families. I am so honored to be a part of this family. 

I am from Ocracoke and began my journey into education while in high school as an assistant for the after school program, "Big Kids Club." In 2019, I completed the East Carolina University Partnership East Program. The completion of this program earned me a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in reading.

This will be my third year as a classroom teacher, however, I have been working with children ever since high school as an afterschool tutor, substitute teacher, coaching basketball,

 leading cub scouts, teaching Sunday school, and teaching English Learners On-Line as well as raising my own two children who are now 15 and 9 years of age.

My philosophy of education revolves around providing a safe and nurturing environment where the uniqueness of students can shine and students are able to feel comfortable in asking questions as well as making mistakes to aid them in their learning as well as grow their confidence. 

I graduated from UNC Pembroke with a Bachelor's Degree in 1998, and this will be my 24th year teaching. I have two grown boys, Nick and Lacy. I also have 3 grandchildren, Logan, he lives in Izmir, Turkey, while Samuel and Jennings live locally. 

 Mrs. Player graduated from East Carolina University with a BS in Education. Over the past seven years of teaching in both Pitt and Wake Counties, Mrs. Player has had the pleasure of teaching many grade levels in both special and regular education classrooms. She is awesome at adapting any lesson to meet the individual needs of every student in her class. 

Having previously been a theater major in Manhattan, NY as well, Mrs.Player loves incorporating fun, educational and hands-on activities in her class to make learning engaging for her students! 

Madison Andrews (to be Madison Wright on November 5th) is an avid reader, lover of the outdoors and animals, and enjoys spending time with her family. 

Since she was old enough to be employed she has always worked to support and educate children in her community. This is where she learned of her calling in life. Some of her favorite things are poems, dove dark chocolate, her cat, and the season of winter. Madison is beginning her second year of lead teaching but her fifth year of being an educator.

I am so excited to be joining the Tiller School staff & family. I am a mom to two beautiful little girls. Laria is a Kindergartener at Tiller and Kaia is in the three year old class in Headstart. I have a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in Special Education. I lived on the island of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands for 10 years, and during that time taught Special Education for 4 years. I believe in a students first approach and that it does take a village. I am so very happy to be joining your village here at Tiller to assist your children, their teachers, and you! 

In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my husband Alex, my daughter Lexie, my son Cole and our golden retriever Callie. We love to spend time outdoors playing in the summer sun! Living in down east Carteret county gives us the opportunities to spend time on the water as well! We are grateful to be able to raise our little family here in Carteret county where my husband and I grew up.

I moved to Morehead City in 2017, and I love our Crystal Coast community! Previously, I taught Special Education in Mooresville, North Carolina for 6 years after graduating from Chowan University. You could say I was born to be a teacher. My mother and two of my sisters are also teachers, so it runs in the family! I grew up watching my mom make a difference in so many kids’ lives, which made me eager to follow in her footsteps. I believe that every child is unique, and I have a passion for teaching the whole child. Each year, it is my hope to learn as much from my students as they learn from me. When I am not teaching, I enjoy reading, spending time with my family, playing with my dogs Bocephus and Folsom, and more reading! I look forward to getting to know you all!.

My wife and I along with our little dog Nugget have had a  home in Morehead City for the past three years that we used for our weekend getaways and vacations.  During those 3 years we have grown to love the area and the many friends that we have made.   I recently retired from my previous job in Greensboro, N.C. at the end of 2020 and decided it was time to make Morehead our forever home.  I have worked in the Manufacturing industry for more than 20+ years and developed much insight about the operational needs of a facility.  I am  aware that each day will give me an opportunity to learn and grow, since each day will present different opportunities. My wife presently works at Bogue Sound Elementary as a Teachers Assistant and Bus Driver.  I am happy to be part of  theTiller Elementary School Family.  My commitment will be to this School, Faculty, Students and their Families. 

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I joined the Tiller School in January 2022, and am very excited to be a part of the Tiller community. I grew up in Beaufort,and attended ODU/UOP with a BS degree in Nursing. My specialty is in the area of Pediatrics/Infant/Neonate and trauma triage. I believe there is a strong connection between healthy behaviors and academic achievements.

I am looking forward to the new school year as we continue to promote a safe healthy environment for each individual student.