Melanie Williams founded Haywood Haven to reimagine education as a partnership between parents, teachers, and children. With a background in education and a passion for purpose-driven, Christ-centered learning, she created a program that nurtures students academically, emotionally, and spiritually.

From teaching every class in the early days to now serving as Director, Melanie remains joyfully hands-on—acting as parent liaison, teacher support, science lab leader, book club facilitator, and even the resident “hot tea maker” for kiddos with scratchy throats. Through flexible, community-based learning, she helps families build customized experiences where every child can grow in confidence, faith, and purpose.

Maria brings over 30 years of teaching experience to Haywood Haven, blending her background in Music Education (K–12) with a deep love for faith-based learning. After homeschooling and graduating all five of her children, she felt called to join Haywood Haven, where she continues to help children learn through creativity, curiosity, and the truth of God’s Word.

Maria is passionate about helping each student discover how they learn best and finds joy in weaving music, art, and hands-on experiences into her teaching.

With a background in nursing, psychology, and counseling, Janet brings a wealth of experience and compassion to Haywood Haven. After years of serving as an RN in pediatric care and leading a statewide agency supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities, she now dedicates her time to philanthropy, mentoring, and wellness education.

At Haywood Haven, Janet serves as our volunteer school nurse and a member of our board of directors, supporting the health and well-being of our students and staff with her extensive medical and educational expertise.

Mrs. Sarah has a true passion for education and has worked in an educational setting for over 10 years. She has a degree in School Counseling, but left that position to stay at home with her young family. She is a native of Haywood County and has a heart to serve children of all ages, and she believes the best learning environments are safe, welcoming, and loving. 

Mrs. Sarah is excited to join Haywood Haven this year. She has a heart to serve children of all ages and teaches kindergarten and fourth through sixth grade.  Her teaching style focuses on hands-on approaches that foster motor skills, writing, phonics, and more.

Angelique brings years of teaching and homeschooling experience to Haywood Haven, where she loves helping children discover how they learn best and grow in the truth of God’s Word.

With a degree in French and Economics, Angelique homeschooled all six of her children from kindergarten through high school and has taught in various homeschool co-ops throughout Haywood County for over two decades.

In addition to teaching at Haywood Haven, she serves as a Testing Associate with SMART Testing, administering the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement and Dyslexia Screenings for homeschool families across North Carolina.

Chelcy is passionate about helping children grow in confidence and creativity through hands-on, faith-filled learning. A homeschool graduate herself, she believes every child is uniquely gifted by God and loves finding ways to spark their curiosity and joy in learning.

Chelcy joined Haywood Haven in 2023 as an assistant teacher and now co-teaches alongside her mother, Maria Frost. Outside the classroom, she enjoys music, dance, and performing at Hart Theater in Waynesville.

Lorelei Garnes established Digital Buzz Media over 13 years ago in Waynesville, North Carolina, and has built a business that serves small businesses and nonprofits across the country. Her work centers on website development, strategic consulting, and ongoing client support through hosting and SEO retainers.

Over the years, she has developed particular expertise in WordPress and Elementor implementations, working through the technical complexities of accessibility compliance, custom CSS development, and the integration challenges that arise when different plugins and hosting configurations intersect. Her approach to website design reflects a broader conviction that understanding why a business needs something matters more than simply executing how to build it. She’s joining Haywood Haven to teach Web Design as part of our Purpose & Skills class on Monday from 10:00-11:30 for high schoolers.

Rebecca Johnson is an author and seasoned communicator whose journey reflects resilience and hard work. Her career has allowed her to travel extensively, teaching educational and motivational courses throughout the United States and Canada, while drawing on wisdom forged in seasons of challenge and grace.

She is passionate about helping people understand that they are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) and guiding them in discovering their uniqueness and purpose in God‘s plan for their lives. Rebecca joins Haywood Haven to teach our Charting Your Course class on Mondays from 12:00-2:00 for high schoolers.