Stepping Stone School is a child-centered school that builds curiosity and an excitement for learning. The curriculum is excellence plus. It is more than a set of activities. It is a well-thought-out plan to nurture and develop all areas of the child.
Nationally Recognized. Family Focused
The best organizations – the ones that really shine– are led by people who are interested, involved and invested in every facet. Most importantly, they are the ones who set the standards that others follow.
The Pavers are setting those standards as leaders in Early Care and Education. Rhonda, Bill and their adult children take an active role in the day-to-day operations of Stepping Stone School.
A Culture of Stability
Rhonda’s guidance is best reflected in the culture of stability she and her professional staff create for Stepping Stone School teachers, parents and children. It is a culture where great ideas are respected and rewarded. Happy, engaged teachers shepherd and lead engaged children.
Stepping Stone School team members receive support through our Platinum Leadership Education™ program which includes:
- Comprehensive in-house orientation and training, custom-designed by our own team of early education and care experts.
- Extensive information, input and insights related to classroom curriculum.
- Ongoing opportunities for continuing education – including scholarships, trainings, local, state, and national conferences.
Educational Advisory Board
Educational Advisory Boards are generally found in higher-level education institutions. Stepping Stone School distinguishes itself from other early care and education providers with our commitment to upholding the best education standards.
Our board members are national experts who counsel and offer research-based recommendations on educator development programs, curriculum enhancements and other state-of-the-art improvements designed to maximize the quality of a Stepping Stone School education.
Rhonda represents the rare unity of passion, caring and logical decision-making that has led her to create this community where children learn and thrive, and educators are happy and excel in their work.
With a bachelor’s degree in history, philosophy, and theology, Rhonda is regarded as a leading expert in early childhood care and education. Rhonda earned her master’s degree in Early Childhood from the University of Texas at Austin while leading the school’s growth. She has also been designated a Distinguished University of Texas Alumnus. In 2011, the Governor appointed her as the only person in private business to the Texas State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care. She is also a writer and speaker, having presented multiple times at the World Forum on Early Care and Education, and at the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s National Conference.
Her love of learning keeps growing stronger and she finds, as she interacts with them, some of her best teachers are the Stepping Stone children. She has taken what she has learned and made Stepping Stone Schools Central Texas’s largest privately-owned and most respected private preschool. Many of the programs she has developed are on the leading edge of the early care and education field nationally:
- Trademarked curriculum for all age levels
- Teacher training program, including ongoing continuing education
- VerifiED™ Quality Assurance system
- Platinum Leadership Education Program™
Working in tandem with Rhonda is her husband, Bill Paver, who supports and augments the Stepping Stone School curriculum and vision. Dr. Paver holds a Ph.D. in education and educational administration. He is an author and has spoken nationally and internationally on matters pertaining to education and administration of educational entities.
Rhonda and Bill have five grown children. They also enjoy their eleven grandchildren, all of whom attend or have attended Stepping Stone School.
Christopher J. Lemons, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Special Education in the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University. His research focuses on improving academic outcomes for children and adolescents with intellectual, developmental, and learning disabilities. His recent research has focused on developing and evaluating reading interventions for individuals with Down syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Chris’ research has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Exceptional Children, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, and Remedial and Special Education. Lemons has been awarded funding to support his research from the Institute of Education Sciences and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, both within the U.S. Department of Education. He is an Associate Editor for the American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. He chairs the Executive Committee for the Pacific Coast Research Conference. Lemons is also Co-Director of the National Center for Leadership in Intensive Intervention and a Senior Advisor for the National Center on Intensive Intervention.
Lemons is a recipient of the Pueschel-Tjossem Research Award from the National Down Syndrome Congress. In 2016, Chris received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers, from President Obama.
Dr. Lemons began his career with Stepping Stone School as a School Age Teacher at our Northcross campus twenty years ago while a student at the University of Texas at Austin where he earned a Bachelor Degree of Arts in Psychology, a Bachelor Degree of Science in Applied Learning & Development and a Master of Arts degree in Special Education. Lemons also holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Human Development (Special Education) degree from the Peabody College of Vanderbilt University.
Our board members are national experts who counsel and offer research-based recommendations on educator development programs, curriculum enhancements and other state-of-the-art improvements designed to maximize the quality of Stepping Stone School.
Christopher J. Lemons, Ph.D.
Stanford Assistant Professor
Dr. Sandra Briley is an acclaimed educator and consultant in early childhood education. In addition to serving as an adjunct faculty member at Texas State University in the field of family and consumer sciences, Dr. Briley is the founding director for the University of Texas Child Development Center.
Her passion for education is reflected in her extensive work with organizations such as the National Association for Child Care Professionals. Her commitment to serving children of all ages is illustrated by her history of esteemed positions on numerous local and national prestigious consulting projects.
Dr. Briley earned her bachelor’s in child development at the University of Texas at Austin, where she also received a Ph.D. in early childhood education. She earned her master’s in early childhood education from the University of Texas in San Antonio.
Dr. Joyce Juntune is a nationally renowned consultant, trainer, professor and lecturer. An instructional associate professor at Texas A&M University, she teaches graduate-level courses in her expert areas of intelligence, child and adolescent development, educational psychology, giftedness and creativity.
She has served as the executive director of the National Association for Gifted Children, the American Creativity Association, and the Institute for Applied Creativity at Texas A&M University.
A widely published author of 25 journal articles and books, Dr. Juntune is also a keynote speaker and educational pioneer who has presented 30 papers at numerous conferences and conventions, reflecting her extensive research in areas such as creative thinking and gifted education. Over the course of her career, Dr. Juntune has been invited to appear on leading television programs such as The Phil Donahue Show and The Today Show. She has also been honored with a variety of awards, including the Texas A&M University Distinguished Award in Teaching.
Dr. Juntune earned her master’s in curriculum instruction from St. Cloud University and her Ph.D. in educational psychology from Texas A&M University.
Shannon Moody is the executive director of the Jeremiah Program, a nonprofit that empowers single mothers to break the cycle of poverty and create a fulfilling life for themselves and their children. A successful nonprofit professional with more than 20 years of experience, Shannon has honed her expertise through roles in a variety of key areas, such as nonprofit management, development, marketing, communications and special events.
Shannon’s ongoing support of education and nonprofit success is evident in her rich history of community leadership. In addition to her position on the Stepping Stone School Educational Advisory Board, Shannon is the former president of Marathon Kids, where she is a current member of the board of directors.
Shannon’s commitment to education is illustrated by her service to schools such as Good Shepherd Episcopal School, where she volunteered and filled the role of school photographer, and St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, where she is a current volunteer and former advisory board member. Shannon has also served on the boards of directors for leading organizations such as SafePlace, Planned Parenthood of Austin, Heritage Society of Austin and the Austin Children’s Museum.
Dr. Giles teaches courses in the graduate Elementary and Early Childhood Education programs, as well as the undergraduate Early Childhood Studies program at the University of Alabama. She has over 30 years teaching experience ranging from pre-kindergarten through higher education and has spoken and published widely on numerous topics related to early education, literacy and teacher preparation. She is the author of A Young Writer’s World: Creating Classrooms Where Authors Abound (2020, Exchange Press)
Dr. Giles attended the University of Texas at Austin where she obtained her Masters in Education with her major concentration in Curriculum & Instruction with an emphasis on Early Childhood Education. She then attended the University of Southern Mississippi where she was awarded her Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction with an emphasis on Elementary and Early Childhood Education.
The past twenty years in higher education has confirmed Dr. Giles’ belief first instilled as a novice early childhood teacher long ago, that teaching is a challenging and demanding profession requiring tremendous dedication on the teacher’s part in order to be done well. Dr. Giles believes that successfully engaging students in meaningful learning opportunities incorporating the present standards, reflecting the most current research, and modeling the latest techniques requires thorough planning, advanced preparation, flexibility in delivery, and thoughtful reflection resulting in future modifications.
Dr. Giles’ philosophy of learning is best summarized by Frederick Froebel, the “Father of Kindergarten,” in his 1897 publication The Education of Man “[T]o learn a thing in life and through doing is much more developing, cultivating, and strengthening, than to learn it merely through verbal communication of ideas.” As a result, Dr. Giles attempts to initiate stimulating dialogue and lively discussion related to course topics, incorporating cooperative learning into her lessons, and forcing students to use available resources, from Internet sites to personal experiences, as they search for possible solutions to complex issues.
Aline Zeringue is regarded as one of Austin’s top medical professionals and has worked in a variety of settings in Austin for over 15 years. After graduating from Texas A&M with a degree in Psychology, Aline went on to pursue her Master’s degree in nursing from The University of Texas at Austin. Aline serves ALL populations and has been active in maintaining accurate oversight of disease prevention, especially focusing on the health and well being of people and organizations during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Upon graduation from nursing school in 2001, Aline became the director of nursing at an area nursing home in Austin. While there, Aline was able to learn both the administrative aspects of nursing home care as well as the clinical side of caring for patients. After a year in the position, Aline realized her love and passion for caring for patients as a provider and decided to pursue clinical practice.
From 2002 to 2010, Aline maintained both an office based practice as well as a nursing home practice. Since 2010, Aline has focused her time in private clinical practice but continues to be passionate about the geriatric population and the holistic care of patients of all ages. Aline has served as faculty at ACC as well as The University of Texas School of Nursing, both at the undergraduate and graduate level.
In addition to direct patient care, Aline is the owner of ATX Primary Care and is one of a small number of advance practice nurses in Austin to own their own practice. Aline serves as a preceptor to nursing students from varying schools as well as often serving as an educational speaker on a variety of topics.
Aline provides ongoing education and care for her patients and community with her family-focused practice in Austin, TX.
When not working, Aline spends her time with her husband, daughter and identical twin boys who have proudly attended Stepping Stone School.