Kate Oznick is a passionate, creative, and forward-thinking early childhood educator with over 14 years of experience in the classroom. Originally from the East End of Long Island, Kate holds a degree in Women and Gender Studies with minors in Psychology and History from Union College in Schenectady, NY. Shortly after graduating, she moved to Boston to pursue her calling in education, earning her graduate degree through a collaborative residency program between Lesley University and Belmont Day School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

At Belmont Day School, Kate spent over a decade teaching Pre-K and Kindergarten in a Reggio Emilia–inspired setting. She played an integral role in programmatic design, helping to create hands-on, play-based environments that supported the development of the whole child. Her time at BDS marked her deep commitment to reflective practice and ongoing professional growth as a mentor and lifelong learner. During her tenure, Kate immersed herself in high-quality professional development in areas such as early literacy, outdoor education, and the value of emergent curriculum.

Kate is also an Associate-level Orton-Gillingham practitioner through the prestigious Academy of Orton-Gillingham. With over a decade of experience working one-on-one with children using the Orton-Gillingham approach, she specializes in multisensory, individualized instruction to support early literacy development. She offers both in-person and virtual tutoring and brings elements of Orton-Gillingham into classroom-based literacy instruction in developmentally appropriate ways.

In 2021, Kate took a sabbatical for the birth of her son and has since returned to her roots on the East End of Long Island. She founded BusyMessyHands to support early childhood educators, schools, and families through consulting, coaching, and custom professional development. Her mission is to honor the natural curiosity of young children while empowering educators with meaningful, hands-on strategies that work in real classrooms.