![\"Owner](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lebobeat.com\/staging\/1488\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img_2275.webp?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1\")
![\"Jenn](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lebobeat.com\/staging\/1488\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/boal-family.webp?resize=800%2C800&ssl=1\")
\u201cIt\u2019s always been about: What can we do to make the community better,\u201d Hauck said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The early learning center features floor-to-ceiling windows in each of its six classrooms and a sprawling play area with private access. Hauck, a mother of two, has led efforts in aesthetics, branding, and marketing. She previously worked in fundraising for Children\u2019s Hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, Boal, a mother of four, serves on several boards, including as Managing Director for the Seesaw Center, a nonprofit play center for children in Castle Shannon. She is also PTA president at Jefferson Middle School and vice president of the Mt. Lebanon PTA Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFinding a partner that has different strengths than you is what makes a business successful,\u201d Boal said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Boal, who has more than two decades of experience in education and is no stranger to owning a business, will help mentor the center\u2019s 20 staff members and counting\u2014more than half of whom reside in Mt. Lebanon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite some construction delays and licensing holdups caused by the government shutdown, Boal says the staff has remained eager to begin their work since interviews started back in May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve stuck with us because they believe in the vision, and they want to be a part of this, \u201c Boal said. \u201cThey want to see this thing grow.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Staff members include a mix of seasoned educators and community members who have spent years showing up for local children\u2014one reason the owners plan to offer competitive pay and provide opportunities for further education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI would be doing my profession a disservice if I didn\u2019t inspire people to continue on, Boal said. Although it\u2019s not great for the business model, it\u2019s what\u2019s best for the human model.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Angela Spieler will serve as the center\u2019s director, with Mercedes Duncan as assistant director. Lead teachers Chrissy Daube and Molly Dam live in Mt. Lebanon. Other team members include Caitlin Graham Clark, a former NICU nurse, as well as Lauren Jabara, Marissa Joyce, and Rachel Rezmerski.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The partners are also thrilled about a connection made through Joy Givens, who was leading an English learning group for several local moms from Afghanistan and Pakistan. Falak Nusrat, Fara Khiabani, and Maryam Barakzay will join the team as support staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe want our community to be better. We want our experience to be better. We want families to feel like we are invested in this place,\u201d Boal said. \u201cWe want the experience to be so good for them that we can feel proud.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For parent Sam Gagliardi, returning to the workforce after being a stay-at-home mom has been a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTrying to time waitlists with job offers can be even tougher,\u201d Gagliardi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite delays in the center\u2019s opening, she says the owners have gone above and beyond to ease the transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLuckily, the owners connected our family with one of their teachers who was looking for nanny work, so our son is taken care of. We are eager for him to get to school, but we feel grateful to have our needs met for the time being, as I know not every family can say that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The early learning center is expected to open its doors in January, with more than 60 families already enrolled. And the potential for growth arrived sooner than expected: the partners recently signed a lease for a second location on Bower Hill Road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That site will house Honey Bee Haven Kids, launching with two weeks of winter break camps in late December. Plans are already underway for spring break and summer camps as well. Come fall, the Bower Hill Road location will expand again\u2014this time offering programs for kindergarten through fifth grade. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Honey Bee Haven opens with play-based, Montessori-Reggio\u2013inspired approach and strong community roots<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":35080,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"nfd_image_url":"","nfd_onboarding_generated":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23,40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-people"],"yoast_head":"\n