Our Founders & Directors
The Atelier stems from our love of children, art, music, and education. We seek to bring the joy of learning to young children and families within our community! We believe in the power of learning through the fine arts and have designed our programs to be a hands on creative curriculum that integrates all learning with a strong focus in art and music and the creative/learning process.
Kara holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a Master of Education Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Art Education from the University of Missouri. She has taught preschool and elementary children for over 15 years in Columbia, MO, Blacksburg, Virginia and Toronto, Ontario. While in Virginia she was lucky enough to teach at a Reggio Emilia inspired research and laboratory school on the campus of Virginia Tech. She fell in love with the Reggio approach which naturally mimics her own philosophies about childhood education. She has attended Reggio Emilia workshops and conferences and looks forward to continuing her education through involvement in the Reggio community. Her dream to create a beautiful, nurturing environment for children to learn, experiment, discover, create, laugh, and grow has come true through The Atelier!
Founder, Director of The Atelier Primary School
Founder, Director of The Atelier Primary School
Benjamin is a life long scholar, educator, and musician. He grew up in Columbia, a son of two music educators. He is a certified instructor in the Orff-Schulwerk method of preschool music education, and loves sharing his passion of music with children. Benjamin is a multi-instrumentalist and voice specialist who has toured the United States and produced albums of original work. He also holds a PhD in Earth Sciences from the University of Toronto. His wide range of knowledge and experience bring so many learning opportunities to the classroom.
Founder, Director of The Atelier Elementary School
Founder, Director of The Atelier Elementary School
We are fortunate to have had the opportunity to move back to Columbia, with our two young sons, to be near family and friends. We love being a part of this community and want to give children a place to learn, explore, discover, and create.
We hope to see you at The Atelier School of Creative Learning!
Kara and Benjamin Hook
We hope to see you at The Atelier School of Creative Learning!
Kara and Benjamin Hook
Our Teachers
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Jenn Book Haselswerdt (Ms. Jenn) received a BA in Theatre from The American University and a MA in Theatre History and Criticism, Dramaturgy focus, from The Catholic University of America. She loves teaching children of all ages creative drama and music; writing and facilitating curriculum for arts-integrated lessons, and creating plays for and with young actors. She is also a certified yoga instructor and enjoys integrating yoga into our daily curriculum. In addition to her work with children, Jenn is also a dramaturg who has worked locally with actors, directors, playwrights, and audiences in Columbia.
Lead Kindergarten Teacher, Artful Yoga teacher |
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Brooke Austin (Ms. Brooke) received her Bachelor's Degree in General Studies with minors in psychology and sociology from Columbia College. Teaching is her passion. She has been an educator for over a decade, and is a certified Montessori teacher. She feels teaching about peace education, social skills, and self-care, as well as caring for the environment will help set the foundation for the child. If children gain these skills, she believes they will be successful in whatever endeavors they encounter in the future. Brooke was born and raised in Columbia, Missouri. She recently married her high school sweetheart in October 2018 and they have two shih tzu's names Chubbs and Louie.
Lead Primary Teacher, Let's Create Together instructor |
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Brianna Bogucki (Ms. Bri) holds a Bachelor’s degree in Photography from Columbia College, where she also studied early childhood education. She has worked for several years as a preschool educator in both assistant and lead teaching roles, and has also directed plays with children of all age groups. In addition to teaching, she also works part-time at Sager Braudis Gallery in town and is very excited to use her knowledge of the arts to implement creative learning opportunities in the classroom and help children to find their individual voice. In her free time, she can be found making her own artwork and doting on her pitbull, Walter.
Lead Primary Teacher |
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Kate Dranginis (Ms. Kate) has studied Social Work and Sociology from the University of Missouri. She has spent the past three years working as a caregiver in New York City. Kate has a Montessori teaching background and loves helping children learn about the vast world around them. She believes in teaching kindness and empathy to those in our community and beyond. She is a certified postpartum doula and working towards her birth doula certification. Kate was born and raised in Columbia, Mo. In her free time she enjoys reading, cooking and hiking.
Assistant Primary Teacher |
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Kristin Crabtree (Ms. Kristin) holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Education with Vocal/Choral emphasis from Missouri State University. She has spent many years teaching music to children of all ages, preschool through twelfth grade. She loves helping children experience joy and self-expression through music, as well as using music fundamentals to enhance other areas of student learning. She has seen the success of the Atelier’s methods firsthand through her own daughter, and is incredibly excited to help other children learn and explore at The Atelier!
Music Specialist, Event Coordinator |
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Elizabeth Wolfson (Ms. Elizabeth) earned a BA in Art History from Knox College, a MA in Art History and Archaeology from Washington University-St. Louis, and a Ph.D. in Art History and Archaeology from the University of Missouri. The Atelier has given her the chance to foster and encourage learning, exploration, and creativity among preschoolers. In her spare time she's teaching Sunday school at a local synagogue, and volunteering at Orr Street Studios and the Museum of Art and Archaeology.
Assistant lead teacher, Let's Create Together instructor |
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Laura Westbrook (Ms. Laura) is currently a senior at the University of Missouri, majoring in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Spanish. Having previously worked in a library, she is passionate about helping children learn to love literature as much as she does. She believes in educating the whole child and that preschool is where you set the stage for loving yourself and others. When not working or doing homework, you can find Laura reading, playing board games with her family, or playing video games with friends.
Classroom support teacher |
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Alyssa Booth (Ms. Alyssa) is currently a senior at The University of Missouri, majoring in Early Childhood Education. She has worked with ages birth to seventh grade at preschools and Elementary schools in the Kansas City Area. Alyssa is passionate about providing a multicultural education for all students, as well as fostering creative and critical thinking skills at an early age. She believes that preschool years set the stage for learning and creating caring, loving humans. When Alyssa is not working or doing homework, she is with her dog Araya outside, with friends, family, or engaging in crafts.
Classroom support teacher |
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*Joining the Atelier's team for the 2021/2022 school year! *
Amanda Atkins is a Columbia native who studied a little bit of everything at the University of Missouri-Columbia, graduating with a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies with and emphasis in Psychology, Sociology, and Human Development & Family Studies. She founded and operated a family home preschool in 2016 and has also taught and served as administrator for a local center-based preschool. Amanda spent seven years working with children through foster care and adoption and is passionate about trauma-informed practice. For fun, Amanda enjoys performing with area community theatres with her husband and three youngest children, while cheering on their oldest through his college years. Amanda is honored to be joining the Atelier staff! |
our interns...
Our partnership with the University of Missouri's Early Childhood Education Department as well as the Human Development Department has allowed us to welcome students who are completing their last year of school to gain classroom experience. The Atelier values life long learning and we find great value in helping nurture future teachers in quality educational practices.
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"I’m so thankful that I was a part of The Atelier community!! It has shaped me into the educator I am today!"
-Hanna Wims, University of Missouri intern 2019
-Hanna Wims, University of Missouri intern 2019