Leadership

After graduating from high school in southern Ohio, Ms. Carol Oswalt moved to Winter Haven, Florida. She attended Polk State College and obtained an A.S. degree, achieving her dream of becoming a Registered Nurse. She worked for fourteen years at Polk General Hospital in Pediatrics and Emergency Room Care, as well as working consecutively at Peace River Center in a federally funded Child Abuse Prevention Program.

In 1986, Ms. Carol opened the doors of Safe and Sound Child Care and Early Learning Center in Eagle Lake, Florida, serving Eagle Lake, Winter Haven, and as far away as Lake Wales.  In the early years, many of Ms. Carol’s family worked at Safe and Sound, especially her mother, Ms. Bonnie, who served Safe and Sound as the assistant director for the first sixteen years.  

For the past twenty-one years, Ms. Carol has had a director on-site. Under Ms. Carol’s guidance, Safe and Sound formed an effective working relationship with the Department of Children and Families, Early Learning Coalition, Heartland, United Way, and Career Source Polk.  Several of our children are from second-generation families. We are pleased to be able to serve the families in our area.

Mr. Zac Marius attended Safe and Sound from toddler through elementary school, and later graduated from Polk State’s Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School. He then pursued his education at Florida Atlantic University, where he majored in psychology and minored in sociology. He completed his education with a Master’s degree in industrial-organizational psychology.

During his high school and college years, Mr. Zac followed in his mother, Mrs. Carol's footsteps, and joined the childcare industry. With over ten years of childcare experience ranging from infant to school age, Mr. Zac strongly believes that child care is a cornerstone of a community, providing a critical service to families so they can serve the community in other industries.

Mr. Zac feels that childcare facilities should prepare children for elementary school and set the foundations for successful adulthood in a safe and loving environment. Furthermore, he believes that the fine arts are vital to a child’s education. Therefore, Safe and Sound and Mr. Zac partner with Theatre Winter Haven (TWH) Academy, where he serves as a show director and guest instructor.

Mrs. Michele has over 20 years of experience in child development, she has had the privilege of working as a director at various sites and as a lead teacher for children of all ages. Currently, she is pursuing her AS degree in Early Childhood Management at Polk State. She is also proud to be a CDA observer for the Bright Horizons program.

Aside from her professional commitments, Mrs. Michele is a wife and mother to two wonderful children and an active member of First United Methodist Church. Mrs. Michele also serve as a mentor for Nemours Children’s Health with the GI Department.

Mrs. Michele is looking forward to working with your family to create a nurturing and inspiring environment for your children at Safe and Sound Child Care Center. Her goal is to make it a home away from home for them and to instill a lifelong love for learning.