About
Our Beginning
Alice Lane & Shante Lane Tamerat are Co-Owners and Co-Founders of Discovery Lane. The idea for Discovery Lane came in the summer of 2014. They were compelled to open an educational program tailored to the needs of the community and enriched the lives of families. Discovery Lane was established with the firm belief that students are remarkable when you give them a path to trail. Alice & Shante invite you along on that journey to Discovery.
Our Mission
Our school was developed for families desiring a curriculum that will encourage student interest and promote a gamut of healthy living experiences. Teachers are encouraged to promote a classroom environment that motivates students to investigate their environment and act as co-researchers to scaffold knowledge.
Co-Owners Alice & Shante opened Discovery Lane with the hopes of offering a progressive school to communities that otherwise would have limited access.
Meet Our Team
Alice Lane
Head of School/Co-Founder
Alice always envisioned that she would be teaching, more specifically students in early childhood. Since 1994 she has been educating infants, toddlers, and school age children, and supporting families. Today, Alice is excited to welcome this new venture as she opens an educational program with her daughter. With over 20 years of early childhood experience, and a host of early childhood education. Alice is ready to teach the minds of young students.
Shante Lane Tamerat
Head of Elementary School/Co-Founder
Rhainie Young
Director of Admissions
enrollment@thediscoverylane.com
Hello Families! I have always gravitated to helping young ones and servicing families since I was very young myself. As I grew older my passion intensified working for several youth camps and as a behavioral therapist for children with special needs. I hold my Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Bowie State University and will soon go for my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. Nothing excites me more than seeing young minds flourish.
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It has been a pleasure starting my journey at Discovery Lane as lead teacher and Assistant Director. It now brings me great joy to serve our incoming families as the Director of Admissions. I hope we connect soon and look forward to welcoming you to our Discovery Lane family!
Brianna Hale
Program Director
briannastruggs@thediscoverylane.com
Greetings families! I go by Ms. Bree here at DiscoveryLane. I’m a Washington DC area native and began my career around education starting in 2010. My first experience as a teacher was an inspiration and pushed me to further my knowledge and qualifications to fully allow me to educate children based highly on the quote “the best teachers are those who show you where to look but don’t tell you what to see”
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I am now the proud Program Director and currently working on my Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Community Education at Trinity Washington University. I am appreciate and am very glad to be apart of the Discovery Lane crew. I felt the warm energy ever since I stepped foot in the door and I am sure you will too!
Sheila Griffin
Instructional Coach
sheliagriffin@thediscoverylane.com
I am Shelia Griffin. I was born and raised in Newport News, Virginia and attended Newport News Public Schools. I continued my education at Norfolk State in Norfolk, Virginia where I received a BA degree in English and Theatre Arts. After graduation, I was uncertain about what I would do with my life in terms of career.
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It was not my plan to teach even though I had come from a long line of educators. It took several jobs before I realized that, ironically, my divine purpose was to be a teacher. I yielded to that calling and have never looked back.
After relocating to Washington, D.C., I applied for a retooling program that was accepting applications from prospective DCPS teachers who held a four year degree in any area. This program was initiated through a consortium of universities in the District of Columbia.
Upon completion, I held a license to teach with a Masters Equivalency in Early Childhood Education. The advantage of enrolling in the program was that it allowed me to hold a teaching position while I worked on my certification. In June, 2017, after 30 years of dedicated service, I retired. Again, I was faced with what to do with the rest of my life. I had been trained too well and had too many positive teaching experiences to sit on my haunches and not share. Also, I could not fathom the idea of not working with the young learners that have become central to my life. I jumped at the opportunity to work at Discovery Lane.
Jhané Curtis
Medio Lead Teacher
jhanecurtis@thediscoverylane.com
Welcome! My name is Ms. Jhane‘ also known as Ms. J, and I am the Piccolo teacher. I’ve been working with children for 7 years now and I love every bit of it! Teaching is something I knew I wanted to do at such a young age. I loved playing school with my siblings, grading papers, organizing folders, creating PowerPoint, and drawing on my whiteboard for my imaginary students. Being able to watch children learn and grow in their unique ways is magical! It allows you to get truly creative all while transforming lives and making a real difference.
Dayauna Tripp
Medio Partner Teacher
dayaunatripp@thediscoverylane.com
My name is Dayauna Tripp also known as Ms. Day. This is my first year working here at Discovery Lane and I already enjoy working with your kiddos! My role here at Discovery Lane is being a partner teacher for Medio! I was born and raised in Maryland. I graduated from Westlake High School in 2023. When I was younger I had already decided that I wanted to be a teacher because I enjoyed working with children and being able to teach what I knew. I can’t wait for the new journey that awaits and to work with your little ones. Thank you so much!
Julia Huffman
Generoso Lead Teacher
juliahuffman@thediscoverylane.com
My name is Julia Huffman. I was raised in Biloxi, Mississippi, but I have been a resident of Prince George’s County Maryland since 1996. I began my career working as an educator in 2006 and am currently pursuing my Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. As the oldest of seven children and the mother of three children, providing care and learning opportunities is something that has always come naturally
and brought me great joy. I believe that everything can be an opportunity to explore and learn, making mistakes is how we learn, and that every child has the ability to learn and I will foster those abilities in all the ways that they present. The care and education of children has been my life’s passion and Discovery Lane provides me with the inspiration that I need to continue to inspire learning in children.
Kelsey Griffin
Instructional Support/Genoroso Partner Teacher
kelseygriffin@thediscoverylane.com
Hello! My name is Kelsey Griffin. I am a Support Instructor and Partner Generoso Teacher here at Discovery Lane. I grew up in Prince George’s County, Maryland and I received my High School diploma from Penn Foster High School in 2019. I have always had a great connection with young children growing up, and I think that made an impact in me choosing to work in educating young minds. I love watching kids grow everyday and just having fun as they learn and discover. I look forward to working with your kids in the future!
Elizabeth Scott
Immaginare (Kindergarten) and Social Studies Teacher
elizabethscott@thediscoverylane.com
Hi, my name is Ms. Liz. I am the kindergarten teacher at Discovery Lane. I am from New York, NY, received a Bachelor’s Degree from the College of New Rochelle, and my Master of special Education from City College of New York.
This is my first year working at Discovery Lane where learning and fun are a
combination for growth.
I have a passion for working with young learners enhancing each child’s progress in all areas of their development- language, social, academic, and motor- is a challenge that I accept daily. I work to create a community of learners that grows in a positive, fun environment.
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I reside in Temple Hills, Maryland. I have a son Christopher, who is a Coordinator of Family Services for New York City Public School System. When we are together, we watch movies and visit restaurants to eat. I enjoy visiting my family in New York, spending time with friends, listening to music, bowling, reading, and cooking.
I look forward to a great school year!!
Gabriela Manning
Creativi (2nd Grade), Language Arts, and Social Studies Teacher
gabrielamanning@thediscoverylane.com
Hi everyone! I’m Gabriela Manning, also known as Ms. Gaby, and I’m delighted to be part of the Discovery Lane community! Originally from Vancouver, BC, Canada, I made the exciting move to Maryland in late 2023 and I’m eager to continue inspiring students in new surroundings, I hold a Bachelor of Arts, with a major in Sociology, as well as a Bachelor of Elementary Education from the University of British Columbia. Throughout my eight years of elementary school teaching, I’ve had the privilege of working with a variety of students from Kindergarten to Grade 7, teaching a wide scope of subjects.
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Beyond the classroom, I’ve enriched children’s lives through coaching, summer camps, and out-of-school care for over a decade. This holistic approach to child development has shaped my belief in creating inclusive and supportive learning environments where every student can thrive.
I’m passionate about fostering curiosity, social-emotional learning and creating memorable educational experiences for our students. I’m looking forward to connecting with the wonderful families and students here at Discovery Lane and embarking on this journey of exploration and growth together!
Derick Speight Jr.
Innovatore and Investigatore (3rd & 4th Grade), Mathematics and Science Teacher
derickspeightjr@thediscoverylane.com
Hello everyone, my name is Derick Speight. I was born and raised here in Maryland. I have been working with children for about five years. After graduating with a BA in Social and Political Science, I began working for a nonprofit organization. Originally, my focus was on policy. Filling in where I was needed, I found that teaching and building connections with children was something I enjoyed and excelled at. Fast forward a bit and now, this is my second year as a teacher!
School
Location
3081 Old Washington Road
Waldorf, MD 20601
240-803-5263
info@thediscoverylane.com
enrollment@thediscoverylane.com
School Day
Preschool- 7:30am-5:30pm
Elementary- 8:30am-3:30pm
Elementary Aftercare- 3:30pm-5:30pm