Our Teachers & Leadership at Play2Learn Academy
Caring, experienced leadership supporting children, families, and teachers across our Bountiful, Clearfield, and Layton centers
The people who care for children each day are at the heart of Play2Learn Academy. Families trust our teachers and center leaders not only to supervise children, but to help them feel safe, understood, encouraged, and ready to learn. That responsibility shapes the way we train, support, and lead our teams.
Play2Learn Academy is family-owned and has served Davis County families since 2007. Today, each of our three centers is guided by an experienced director who helps oversee daily operations, support teachers, communicate with families, and maintain the consistency our programs depend on.
Our directors bring different backgrounds and strengths to their centers, but they share the same broader Play2Learn approach: thoughtful leadership, clear communication, developmentally appropriate care, and a genuine commitment to children and families.
Leadership That Families Get To Know and Trust
Parents want to know who is responsible for the center their child attends, who supports the teachers in the classroom, and who they can speak with when they have a question or concern. That is why center leadership matters so much at Play2Learn Academy.
Our directors are part of the daily life of their centers. They help coordinate classroom routines, support staff, communicate with families, and keep the center organized and responsive to the needs of the children in its care.
Each director also serves as an important connection between families and the larger Play2Learn organization. Parents are encouraged to communicate directly with caregivers, and center leadership is available when additional questions, concerns, or support are needed.
Meet Our Directors
Mary Kavanaugh
General Director
Mary Kavanaugh is the General Director of the Play2Learn Academy childcare centers. She brings nearly 30 years of experience working with children and families, and she was recently confirmed as a member of the Utah State Childcare Licensing Board. Mary holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Arizona and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Weber State University. She is also CPR and First Aid certified and holds a Food Handler’s Permit. Play2Learn Academy
Her background brings both educational experience and an understanding of child development, bringing better leadership to our centers. Mary focuses on organization, communication, and child-centered care, helping create a stable environment where teachers are supported, children can stay engaged, and families can feel confident about the care their children receive.
Victoria Avilez
EDucation Coordinator
Victoria Avilez brings over 13 years of experience to Play2Learn Academy Bountiful in early childhood care and holds a Child Development Associate credential focused on infants and toddlers, along with an associate degree in general studies. Victoria is also CPR and First Aid certified.
Victoria provides Pyramid Model coaching to instructors at all three Play2Learn Academy centers. A Pyramid Model coach provides guidance, modeling, feedback, and practical strategies to empower early childhood educators to create a nurturing and inclusive environment.
Through building positive relationships and partnering with families, our educators are better equipped to support children’s social-emotional development and behavioral needs. Victoria’s work strengthening classroom practices ultimately promotes positive outcomes for children, families, and the organization.
Tanessa King
Clearfield Center Director
Tanessa King leads the Play2Learn Academy Clearfield center. She brings approximately 10 years of experience and holds a Child Development Associate credential in infants and toddlers. Tanessa is CPR and First Aid certified and ServSafe certified. Play2Learn Academy
Her role at the Clearfield center includes supporting a well-organized learning environment, helping teachers maintain consistent routines, and encouraging clear communication with families.
The Clearfield center serves children at many different stages, from infants and toddlers through preschool, Pre-K, and school-age programs. Strong local leadership helps those programs work together as one center while giving families a clear point of connection when they need help or information.
Supporting the Teachers Who Care for Children Every Day
Center directors are one part of the Play2Learn team. Our teachers and caregivers are the people children spend much of their day with. They help children move through routines, participate in activities, build relationships, work through difficult moments, try new things, and gradually become more independent.
Those everyday interactions require more than patience and kindness. They require preparation.
Play2Learn staff complete a minimum of 40 hours of training each year. Training includes child development, Positive Guidance, age-appropriate activities, sanitation, nutrition, illness recognition, medication procedures, and injury prevention. Staff also maintain current CPR/First Aid and Food Handler certifications.
Ongoing training helps our teachers continue developing the knowledge and practical skills they use in the classroom every day.
A Positive, Developmentally Appropriate Approach
How adults respond to children matters. Play2Learn teachers use Positive Guidance techniques such as modeling, redirection, helping children express their feelings with words, and positive reinforcement.
Children are still learning how to wait, share, communicate frustration, follow routines, and solve problems with other children. Our goal is to provide clear expectations while responding in ways that respect each child’s age and stage of development.
That approach reflects several of Play2Learn’s core values, including Compassion, Patience, Integrity, and Growth.
Teachers Bring the Curriculum to Life
A strong curriculum depends on the people using it. Play2Learn Academy uses Learning Beyond Paper as a developmentally appropriate framework for early learning. Teachers bring that framework into the classroom through daily reading, hands-on math and science, art, dramatic play, music, social interaction, outdoor activity, and other age-appropriate experiences.
Teachers also have room to respond to the needs and interests of their class. That balance between structure and flexibility is important. A curriculum can provide direction, but a thoughtful teacher notices when a child needs encouragement, when a group is especially interested in an idea, or when the class needs a different pace.
Working in Partnership With Families
We believe strong childcare relationships include parents. Families know their children better than anyone. Teachers see children in another setting and may notice new interests, developing skills, friendships, challenges, or changes in behavior.
Open communication helps bring those perspectives together. Parents are encouraged to speak with their child’s caregiver when questions arise. Directors and assistant directors are available when additional help is needed, and ownership can become involved when a concern requires further attention.
The goal is straightforward: families should know who they can talk to and feel comfortable asking questions about their child’s experience.
One Play2Learn Team Across Three Davis County Centers
Play2Learn Academy serves families from three childcare centers in Davis County:
Led by Victoria Avilez
Led by Victoria Avilez
Led by Victoria Avilez
Each center has its own local team and community while sharing Play2Learn’s larger mission, Core Values, approach to learning, and expectations for health, safety, training, and family communication.
That combination allows each center to have its own personality while remaining part of one family-owned organization that has served Davis County families since 2007.
Come Meet the People Behind Play2Learn Academy
Reading about a childcare center can answer many questions, but there is no substitute for seeing the environment and meeting the people who will be part of your child’s day. We invite you to visit the Play2Learn Academy location nearest you, meet our team, learn more about our programs, and ask the questions that matter to your family.
