Zainab Salah-Ud-Din

Zainab has been working at BHA for four years. She cherishes the time she has spent with the children and staff during this time. Zainab enjoys creating an inviting and learning-enriched environment for our toddler friends. She holds a degree and certification in Early Childhood Learning for the 2 – 6 year old age group, and she is Montessori certified with AMI credentials for the Primary age group of 3 – 6 years old.  Zainab brings not only her experience and learnings daily from the last four years, but also her experience as a teacher from two other Montessori schools. She enjoys spending time with family, doing arts and crafts, and gardening.

Dawn Beard

Hello! My name is Dawn Beard. I am just ecstatic about returning to Michigan and joining the Beverly Hills Academy family! I am honored to be given the opportunity to teach your child. I have cared for and taught children for more than 20 years! Before joining BHA, I have had the pleasure of being a preschool/childcare director, nanny, classroom lead teacher, and a preschool music instructor. Music will be a staple! I received an A.A.S. in Early Childhood Education from Virginia Peninsula Community College in Virginia, where I have lived for the past 18 years. I want to continue my studies because I believe that it is never too late to learn!  I have been married to my husband Maurice for over 30 years and we have 4 adult children, who are all products of Montessori schooling! I am an Ohio native and I love and support the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the newly named Cleveland Guardians! I am ready to teach, but I am also ready to learn. I trust it will be a wonderful year of learning and having good times together!

Tara Abukhiran

My name is Tara Abukhiran and I am so excited to join the team at Beverly Hills Academy! I spent the entirety of my childhood living in Northville, Michigan, in my father’s childhood home. Drawn to the mountains, I moved to Kentucky in my early twenties, where I met my husband. I have been married for nine years and we have a beautiful two-year old son named Laith. After living in Texas for the last decade, my husband and I (FINALLY) decided to move back to Michigan. I love nature, reading, food, and above all, spending time with my family. I have earned a Bachelors Degree in Education, Early Childhood through Sixth Grade, from the University of Texas. I have experience teaching in preschool, first, and third grade. During my time at university, my courses specialized in teaching English as a second language. In order to better understand and communicate with my husband’s Palestinian family, I also took courses to learn to read, write, and speak the beautiful language of Arabic.  

Although I am still a novice, in the process of learning the language, I gained knowledge about so many different countries, cultures, and people, that my interest grew even further.  I am overjoyed to be teaching in an environment where I myself can learn more, but I am even more grateful to have found a place where our son’s knowledge of his heritage will grow as he does.  I cannot wait to meet the little humans I will be spending the year with; I am eager to get to know each of them and their families. Most of all, I look forward to watching them learn and grow

during this most amazing age of development, toddlerdom!