Teachers
Louise Miracle
Louise is the founder/director of WAP while also coteaching with the amazing staff. She started West Asheville Playschool in 2008. She received a degree in Environmental Studies from Clark University in Massachusetts. After many years of exploring the country and many varied job experiences including farming, Habitat for Humanity construction, and environmental education she settled in Asheville. She spent a few years working at Asheville City Preschool, went back to school and completed a Birth-Kindergarten degree in education from Western Carolina University. She also completed a certification through the North American Montessori Center. She is mother to 2 daughters that attend Silsa and Asheville High. She has a passion for books, cooperation and integrative learning. She is contagiously enthusiastic about most things and loves to make messes.
Erin Colberg
Erin joined the playschool community in 2011 as a parent and has now been a teacher at WAP for 11 years! She has two kids that attend Asheville High and the University of San Francisco. Erin is full of energy and always has something positive to add to every situation. She is in charge of summer camps at Playschool and keeps everyone coming back for more of the magic! She is passionate about music, gardening and dance. She is talented at craft projects and origami and has a wonderful sense of style. Erin keeps us organized and is always the first one at school and the last to leave! All the children in both classes always want more of Ms. Erin!
Samantha Erway
Samantha also started out as a parent in 2015 and has stayed with us. She is a mother of 2 kids that are both Playschool graduates and now attend Hall Fletcher elementary and North Star Academy. She has a BA from Penn State in English and spent most of her working life advocating for the autism and disability communities. She is our resident dj, meditation/taichi/yoga guru and has brought much joy to the Playschool by introducing us to her “cousin” Scientist Sam who loves to come in for surprise visits and give us hands on science lessons! She is an ardent supporter of the Playschool way of life and is always available with a helping hand for anyone in need!
Adena Elder
Adena came to the Playschool community in 2017. She sings beautifully with her ukulele and brings a calm and peaceful energy to Playschool. She took some time off when her son was born and returned as a teacher in 2021. Now we enjoy fun filled school days with Adena and her son Felix. Adena loves hiking, camping and being outdoors as much as possible.
“Ms. Louise and her team are talented, creative, passionate, compassionate, wise, educators and people, who you want your kids to grow up in preschool with. I was always full of gratitude and amazed to learn at the end of each and every day, how many creative ideas they had implemented, to teach their lessons based on the theme that month. Ms.Erin as the "creative arts director" shared countless hands on fun and super beautiful art projects, for the kids to be inspired by and create. I chose to have my son remain for one extra year at the Playschool, instead of moving him on to elementary school, to be able to provide him with the stability, consistency, support, love, fun, and community that would nurture him through. Ms. Louise and her team became "family" and I call them my son's school mamas. My only complaint after my son being a part of the Playschool for 4 years, is that they aren't an elementary school too!
Choosing the West Asheville Playschool as the preschool for my son, was a decision that touched our lives and impacted us in ways that he and I both will carry in our hearts forever. “
-Alyssa Scully, 4 year playschool parent
Loren Taylor
Loren came to West Asheville Playschool in 2021 as the mother of twins that are now going to first grade. She is very sweet and nurturing and all the kids want Ms. Loren snuggles. She is a great listener and genuinely loves to spend time with kids. She is a very hard worker and keeps Playschool extra clean, always with a kind word and big smile. She enjoys hiking, playing with her dog and knitting.