Project Play Discovery School

Alera is the founder and owner of Project Play, she has her BA in elementary education from Baylor University and is a certified Gifted and Talented and ESL teacher. After college Alera went on to teach as an elementary educator in both the public and private school settings. She was named Teacher of the Year in 2015 and was awarded numerous education awards throughout her eight years in the classroom. Alera is thrilled to be leading our Discovery School team once again this year and cannot wait to welcome all our new families.

With over 30 years of experience in early childhood education, Mrs. Schumann brings a wealth of knowledge, patience, and care to our Twos class. She spent 22 years teaching Early Childhood Special Education in Grand Prairie ISD and most recently served as an Early Childhood Intervention Specialist. She is certified in Elementary Education, Elementary English (Grades 1–8), Special Education (PK–12), and ESL Generalist (PK–6). Her passion for early learning shines in every interaction, and she’s ready to nurture our youngest learners with warmth, expertise, and a steady, caring presence.

Bobette Gore is excited to join Discovery School to teach our youngest learners. She brings a wealth of early childhood experience and over 40 years of teaching experience to our Discovery School Team.  She holds a Master of Education with Autism Certification from the University of North Texas, a Bachelor of Science in Special and General Education from Texas Woman’s University, and certifications in Special Education (ages 3–21), Early Childhood Education, and General Education (Grades 1–8). Throughout her career, Mrs. Gore has been recognized as Teacher of the Year twice, received the Texas PTA Lifetime Membership Award, and was nominated for the President’s Educator Award. She is known for creating nurturing, engaging classrooms that spark curiosity, build strong academic foundations, and help every child feel valued.

Dr. Shelley will be teaching our three-year-olds this year, bringing nearly two decades of experience as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, and college professor. She holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education along with certifications in Early Childhood–Grade 4, ESL, and Principal (EC–12). From teaching little learners their first letters to guiding future teachers—and even serving in the Peace Corps in Madagascar— Natasha has done it all. She and her two boys are excited for their first year at Discovery School!

Kylie is a valued and familiar face at Project Play, having been part of our team for several years. Last year, she worked in our Tiny Tykes classroom and brings a strong understanding of our school’s culture, routines, and expectations—making her a natural fit as the three’s assistant teacher. Kylie is always ready to jump in and support wherever she’s needed. We’re excited for the joy, care, and enthusiasm she’ll bring to our three’s classroom this year.

Meet Mrs. Shirley, a passionate early childhood educator who is so excited to lead Discovery School’s First Grade classroom this year! She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of North Texas and previously taught first grade in Denton Independent School District, bringing both a strong educational foundation and firsthand experience with this important year of learning and growth.

Mrs. Shirley believes children learn best when they feel known, supported, and excited to come to school each day. She is passionate about creating a warm and engaging classroom where students are encouraged to ask questions, take academic risks, build independence, and develop confidence in themselves as learners. Her goal is to support the whole child academically, socially, and emotionally while making learning meaningful, memorable, and fun.

She especially loves the growth that happens during the early elementary years as children strengthen their reading, writing, and math skills while becoming more independent thinkers, problem-solvers, and classmates. Mrs. Shirley looks forward to creating a classroom where children are challenged appropriately while still having the space to wonder, create, explore, and enjoy childhood.

Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Shirley loves spending time with her husband, their one-year-old son, Crue, and their cat, Cash. You can also often find her on the golf course usually with an iced coffee in hand!

Mrs. Shirley is excited to partner with Discovery School families and looks forward to a year filled with learning, confidence, growth, and wonderful memories.

Meet Jackie Franklin, a certified educator with over 30 years of experience and a passion for helping young children discover the joy of learning. Jackie is excited to join Discovery School each Monday for Spanish Immersion!

Throughout her career, Jackie has taught in traditional classrooms, virtual classrooms, and one-on-one settings, allowing her to support children with a wide variety of learning styles and needs.

No matter where she teaches, Jackie’s mission remains the same: to help children develop confidence, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning. She can’t wait to learn, laugh, and grow alongside Discovery School students!

¡Nos vemos los lunes!
(See you on Mondays!)

 Meet Mrs. Kelly, an experienced educator who is excited to bring a year full of exploring, creating, experimenting, and discovering to Discovery School! She brings over six years of experience in early childhood and elementary education, with a special passion for creating hands-on learning experiences for young learners.

As the former STEM Lab Teacher at Butler Elementary, Mrs. Kelly designed engaging STEM experiences for students beginning in Pre-K, introducing young children to science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics through play, creativity, building, experimenting, and problem-solving. Under her leadership, the STEM Lab consistently earned Distinguished Lab recognition and achieved the district’s highest ranking in 2026.

Before becoming an educator, Mrs. Kelly worked as a Zoo Hospital Keeper and participated in primate research at Harvard University, bringing a unique background in science and discovery into her teaching.

Most of all, Mrs. Kelly loves the natural curiosity of early childhood. She believes young children are born scientists constantly asking questions, experimenting, building, and discovering how the world works. She is excited to create an environment where that curiosity is celebrated and Pre-K learners can explore big ideas in developmentally appropriate, meaningful, and magical ways.

 Speech-Language Pathologist

Cara is passionate about working with the pediatric population and strives to provide individualized care through evidence-based, child-led, and play-based therapy.

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SPECIALTIES:

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• Specializes in treating Childhood Apraxia of Speech
• Recognized SLP by Apraxia-Kids
• Training in Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC)
• Principles of Motor Learning
• Articulation 
• Phonological Disorders
• Receptive, Expressive, and Pragmatic Language
• Pre-reading skills
• Late Talkers and Early Intervention
• Autism and Gestalt Language Processing

 Speech Therapy | Joyful Noise Speech Therapy | Fort Worth, TX