Treehouse Learning is a private, locally-owned Early Childhood Education program offering quality childcare and educational experiences. Treehouse Learning is located on 1.25 acres in the Indian Peaks neighborhood of Lafayette at 95th and Baseline, in the heart of both Louisville and Lafayette communities and serving families throughout Eastern Boulder County and beyond.
Completed and established in 1997 and expanded in 2008, the building is distinguished by its unique design, triangular roof line and windows, along with generous large natural grass playgrounds and engaging outdoor spaces. The original facility was designed and built specifically with children and families in mind. The classrooms, lobby and kitchen all radiate from the center common room which is distinguished by abundant natural light.
Why We're Here
Positive early childhood experiences occur within the context of safe and secure caregiving relationships that support early learning experiences and healthy social-emotional development on behalf of the “whole child.” Developmental research has identified “windows of opportunity” in children for optimal times to learn language, analytical reasoning, spatial relationships, physical coordination, and musical abilities. A “whole child” approach views caregiving and education within the context of the integration of each child’s unique mind, body, and spirit as well as the interconnected relationships of care for ourselves, others, and the world around us.
Our mission also includes advocacy for quality child care, support of early childhood research and education, serving as a resource for parents, and a deep commitment to our community, our environment, and working towards a thriving future on behalf of all children. Fundamental to our mission is our commitment to maintain a knowledgeable and responsive, teaching staff that is dedicated to early childhood education as a career and a profession.
Administration Team
Our Administrative team assures that the Treehouse Learning program functions smoothly, maintains licensing requirements, keeps a direct focus on excellence, and effectively communicates with the Treehouse Learning community of families and teachers. Our Program leadership is headed by our Program Director, Melissa Tafoya and the rest of the Leadership and Admin Team. We also have multiple Director-qualified Lead Teachers who provide educational leadership within our classrooms, as well as many other individuals who embody Treehouse Learning values, vision, and mission into our program on a daily basis.
Program Director: Melissa Tafoya
Melissa Tafoya joined Treehouse Learning in September 2024 as a Co-Program Director, and became Program Director in June 2025 in a planned transition of program leadership and administration. She brings with her a wealth of experience, knowledge, skills, and character virtues that align with Treehouse Learning’s mission, vision, and values to support the program now and into the future as part of our Leadership and Admin team.
Melissa is a Colorado native, with a short stint growing up in the Midwest during her younger years. She and her husband Joey are proud parents to 3 beautiful daughters. Whether in the mountains or on the beach, Melissa and her family love spending time outdoors together and with family and friends.
Melissa has dedicated her professional career to Early Childhood Education, with over 20 years of experience, beginning as a classroom-based educator and leading her to program leadership and administration. Her experience has been mainly in the private sector in dedicated Montessori Programs, with the past 11 years serving in various leadership roles, including Head of School/ Program Director, and Director of Program Operations. Throughout her career, Melissa has been committed to building strong relationships with families and communities, understanding that a supportive network is essential for children’s success. She is passionate about mentoring and guiding fellow educators, with a strong emphasis on collaboration.
Melissa believes that each child is unique with their own strengths and interests, and it is our role as Early Childhood Educators to build on those strengths and strive to foster a forever love of learning. She believes in creating spaces where curiosity thrives and children are empowered to explore in a safe and loving environment – indoors as well as outdoors.
It is truly inspiring for Melissa to see how Treehouse Learning not only prioritizes education but also honors the world we live in by promoting sustainability and creativity with a strong emphasis on the holistic development of each child.
Admissions and Enrollment Coordinator: Cezanne Mascioli
Mabuhay!
Cezanne Mascioli, with over 20 years of Early Childhood experience, originally hails from the Philippines. She credits her career as a professional in Early Childhood Education to her parents, especially her late father, who convinced her to switch majors from Journalism and
broadcasting to a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education. Cezanne taught Kindergarten for three years before moving to Boulder in 2006 with her daughter, who was only 6 years old at that time (and has since followed in her mother’s footsteps as an educator and is now a 4th-grade teacher).
Cezanne’s first experience working in a preschool in Colorado came with a significant amount of culture shock, despite having a background in Early Childhood Education, where the theories and philosophies are supposedly universal! After a few years to adjust, self-reflect, and re-evaluate her profession, as well as increase her familiarity with play-based early education, Cezanne returned to school for a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Colorado, Denver and graduated in December 2011.
Cezanne joined Treehouse Learning in October 2018 in the Evergreen preschool classroom, where she soon stepped into a Lead teacher role. However, she took a personal leave in May 2020 during the pandemic, though she stayed connected to the program as a substitute teacher.
In 2022, she returned to the program part-time as an Admissions Coordinator, a role she continues today.
In August 2023, Cezanne returned to Treehouse Learning in a full-time capacity, leveraging her extensive background and experience into an expanded Leadership role as a Curriculum Director as well as Admissions Coordinator. Cezanne, who also has a Director Certificate, shares her knowledge, experience, and collaboration with different curricula and approaches, like Reading Readiness of Accelerated Christian Education, Creative Curriculum, Reggio Emilia, High Scope, and Tools of the Mind. She supports staff in their professional development and implementation of the Treehouse Learning curriculum.
Starting August 2025, Cezanne will continue her role as the Admissions & Enrollment Director. She will continue to invite families and engage them with the learning opportunities that Treehouse Learning will offer to their child, and as a part of a thriving community. She will also continue to work side by side with our new Curriculum Director.
In her time away from Treehouse Learning, Cezanne enjoys spending time with family. Walking her dog, Koda, is a favorite form of therapy, and she also enjoys hiking, including the huge accomplishment of climbing Colorado’s impressive 14,000 ft mountain peaks! She loves playing
Mahjong and word games, as well as cooking, baking and of course eating delicious food, which ends up being the highlight of every family trip!
Curriculum Director: Ari Olvera
Ari Olvera joined Treehouse Learning in 2021 and is the Curriculum Director, responsible for the coordination and implementation of program curriculum across Treehouse Learning, including direct support and coaching for staff members.
Ari was born in Guanajuato, Mexico, and moved to Colorado in the early 90’s with her family and is now proud to call Colorado home!
It is also in Colorado that Ari started her journey in Early Childhood Education in March of 2011, when she answered a newspaper ad for a teacher’s aide. She started working in a Pre-K classroom and immediately realized how much she enjoyed working with children. Since then, she has worked with toddlers, preschool, school aged children and even spent some time in an infant room.
A lifelong learner, Ari studied Early Childhood Education at Front Range Community College and recently completed a certificate program to become Director Certified. Along the way, she has continued to build her professional and personal skills with ongoing coursework, credentials, trainings, leadership opportunities and mentorships to support her classroom experience.
Ari has been a part of the Treehouse Learning teaching team since 2021. Since 2023, she has focused on the preschool program, specifically the Evergreen classroom, including leadership of the Preschool Teaching Team. In 2025, Ari joined Treehouse Learning’s Leadership and Administration team as Curriculum Director, where she can effectively leverage her knowledge, skillset and deep alignment with our program mission, vision, and values by supporting each of our classrooms and teachers across the program.
One of the things that Ari finds most rewarding about working with children is watching them discover their surroundings and being able to see the world through their eyes. She also enjoys helping children find new interests, discover, and learn about things they didn’t even know existed, like the pyramids! Teaching for Ari is about giving back to her community and encouraging children to develop a love for learning.
Owner | Founding Family: Amy Benson May
A Boulder native and Fairview High School graduate, founding family member Amy Benson May was a high school student at the time Treehouse Learning opened its doors for the first time in 1997. She graduated from Smith College with a BA in Women’s Studies, cum laude, and Phi Beta Kappa, during which time she also spent a transformative year nannying for twin babies and learning about attachment theory, responsive caregiving, and child development.
Her early career was as a financial analyst in New York City and Boston. She eventually left the finance world when she became a mother, also discovering a passion for maternal and child-related issues.
In early 2012, the May family moved back to Colorado, where she worked as an Assistant Teacher in the Infant and Toddler program at Treehouse Learning.
After the death of her mother, Dr. Nancy Benson, Amy dedicated herself to personal and professional learning and development in early childhood education. She continues ongoing coursework in Early Childhood Education in pursuit of a Director’s Qualification certificate. She is a parent of four children, all of whom are Treehouse Learning alumni or current students.
Part of an entire family of self-directed learners, Amy is a perpetual student and co-learner. Amy lives with her husband Osei and 4 children on a small regenerative farm down the road, called Hoedown Farm. They raise a host of chickens, ducks, pigs, dogs, cats, guinea pigs, bees, trees, and gardens. Amy is passionate about building community, gardening, sustainably growing food, and stewarding the natural and created world around us. She finds that a small farm, much like Treehouse Learning, requires community to be sustained at the same time it builds community. Amy feels most alive through movement (running, hiking, and dancing), art, and music– all of which are inspired by the natural playfulness and creativity of young children.
Our Teachers
Selected for their expertise in early education and their enjoyment of children, our teachers are well-paid professionals who have much to offer our Treehouse Learning program and families. At Treehouse Learning, we actively encourage longevity and promote career development. Within each classroom, Treehouse Learning teachers establish secure and respectful relationships with children, responding to their individual interests and creating appropriate challenges.
The quality and professionalism of our Treehouse Learning teachers clearly demonstrate our values and mission on behalf of children. Models of lifelong learning themselves, our teachers share a commitment to the early childhood profession, and live their work with dedication, skill, and integrity.
Our building is an architectural masterpiece with a “golden aesthetic” originally envisioned by Treehouse Learning founder and civil engineer Larry Benson, inspired by the principles of the geodesic dome and the geometry of the natural world. The original building, completed in 1997 and designed by renowned local architect Bill Bowen, was built around the expansive ceilings, triangular windows, and sheer volume of our Big Room.
Used daily for Big Circle, this area also hosts groups of children daily, as well as a variety of presentations and events for children and families. At the top of the Big Room, our visible kitchen is the heart of our building, nourishing our children with chef-prepared cuisine. In 2008, Treehouse Learning was enlarged with a new wing designed by architect Phil McEvoy, creating new toddler classrooms, a walk-out basement with a patio and gardens, and a large multi-purpose resource room. The footprint of Treehouse Learning today contains 9 unique classrooms.
Our 1.25-acre campus encompasses numerous playgrounds and outdoor learning spaces, seamlessly integrating nature, learning, and play. Nature observation areas, pollinator gardens, and numerous trees all invite children to engage and care for their environment and local ecosystems. Environmental landscape design and ecological literacy are integrated into our curriculum as learning opportunities for children while simultaneously supporting our larger program values and mission of sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Through the years, the Treehouse Learning facility and program have enjoyed a special synergy as a result of intentional, high-quality design and construction, as well as the purposeful incorporation of nature into indoor and outdoor spaces. Inside and out, Treehouse Learning is a safe, engaging, and comfortable learning environment that sets the stage for growth, exploration, creative expression, and a relationship with the living world around us.
Colorado Green Business Network Gold Member
Treehouse Learning is a proud Gold-Level member of the Colorado Green Business Network, which recognizes state businesses committed to integrating sustainability into our daily operations and work. Treehouse Learning goes beyond; sustainability is integrated into our curriculum and program at all levels through our commitment to environmental literacy and ecological stewardship. Because we care for children, we work towards a thriving planet on behalf of ALL children.
24Karat Gold Challege Winner
Leader in Sustainability and Early Childhood Education
Our Legacy and History
Dr. Nancy Benson (1948-2012)
Treehouse Learning is a continuation of Nancy’s personal and professional commitment to the field of education. Nancy enjoyed a lengthy career in public school and higher education, spanning elementary, middle and high school, and university teaching.
Nancy held an M.A. (1975) with a specialization in reading K-12, and a Ph.D. (1979) in education with a focus on evaluation methodology, both from CU-Boulder. Until her death in 2012, Nancy maintained an active role in the vision and leadership of Treehouse Learning and enjoyed writing, speaking, and research on topics related to early childhood education. Her legacy is evident at Treehouse Learning throughout the seasons and years as we greet bright-eyed infants starting their journey, watch confident kindergartners move on, and everything in between!
We are proud to continue down the path to helping children grow and thrive, nearly three decades later.
Meet the Owners
Susan Benson Horn-Paxson (right) and Amy Benson May, daughters of founder Nancy Benson, are the local owners of Treehouse Learning. Amy maintains an active leadership role in the program. Their goal is to facilitate Treehouse Learning’s mission and vision toward early childhood education in Boulder County and our community.
To be in a tree house is to be inside and yet outside, to be free and yet protected, to be held up in the air, yet rooted, held. It is a distant retreat, yet conveniently near. It is being adventurous and yet home-loving, a wayfarer and nest builder, a pirate and a lighthouse keeper. Tree houses enclose all the spirit that needs enclosure and liberate all the spirit that needs to see from horizon to horizon and guess what lies beyond.