Our expert and caring teachers welcome children into safe and prepared classroom environments each day. They function as supportive and wise guardians, observing and working with children individually or collectively. Our teachers work in teams consisting of a head/co-‐lead teacher and assistant teachers/aides. Head/co-‐lead teachers are Montessori-‐certified and some have, or are in the process of getting, a master’s degree. Our faculty also includes talents in French, nature, art and music.
Pine Grove supports our faculty through a strong professional development program and provides many opportunities for growth in professional knowledge, skills, and self-‐awareness. These opportunities include regular meetings between the administration and each team, mentoring and peer coaching programs, workshops and seminars.
Pine Grove is a healthy, professional, and compassionate environment dedicated to excellence in the field of early childhood education. All teaching and administrative staff have professional preparation. Each staff member at Pine Grove possesses that special quality of being a self-motivated learner and strives to improve their skills and knowledge in order to benefit their students and classroom.
All of Pine Grove teachers:
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Have a 4 year college degree
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Are registered with the Maine Roads to Quality Registry (for professional advancement)
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Attend 40 hours of education workshops and seminars each year (10 above the DHHS requirements)
We know our teachers are the most important bridge between our students’ lives at school and their lives at home. We make sure that all of our teachers have the professional and personal support so they can best implement their classroom plans and focus on the important work of bringing learning to life.
Support provided to teachers includes:
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2 week staff Set-up/Orientation time in late August, including workshops and professional development in areas such as:
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CPR and First Aid
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Conflict Resolution
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Communicating with Children
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Separation and the First Day of School
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Weekly Team Meetings – teachers plan out curriculum, activities, and discuss children’s progress (Head Teachers also meet with Administration every Monday to coordinate events and discuss school-wide topics.)
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Planning Time – each teacher has time scheduled to attend to curriculum planning, parent communication, organization and set-up.
New teachers receive the following preliminary training:
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“Maine Montessori Association Assistant Teacher Training” – new teachers attend a 2 day August foundation class in the Montessori method.
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“Discovering Montessori”– new teachers attend an on premise 30 week guidance and support class throughout the school year
2 prior years at Pine Grove School as co-lead teacher Bachelor of Science in Biology from Fitchburg State College, Fitchburg, MA Montessori Teacher Training, Polish Montessori Institute, Warsaw, Poland Level 7 Center Based Direct Care Professional
10th Year at Pine Grove Summer Camp Lead Teacher B.A. in Elementary Education from University of Maine Farmington 2 day Montessori Assistant Teacher Training Workshop, Summer, 2013 Maine Roads to Quality Level 7 Center Based Direct Care Professional
7th year at Pine Grove School School-wide Spanish teacher North American Montessori Teaching Diploma for Infant/Toddler Level 7 Center Based Care Professional
2nd year at Pine Grove School Bachelors of Art in Theater from University of New Hampshire in Durham Level 2 Center Based Child Care Professional
3rd year at Pine Grove 3.5 years preschool experience B.S. in Child Development and Family Relations from University of Maine 2 Day Montessori Assistant Teacher Workshop, Summer, 2020 Currently enrolled in Northeast Montessori Institute for Montessori Teacher training Level 7 Center Based Child Care Professional
10th year at Pine Grove B.F.A. Maine College of Art 10+ years Toddler/Preschool experience Nationally Certified EMT-B Maine Roads to Quality Level 2 Center Based Direct Care Professional
5th year at Pine Grove School BA in Studio Art with double minor in Psychology and Art History at University of Maine, Orono Maine Montessori Association 2 day assistant's training, summer 2016 Rising Stars' Montessori Infant/Toddler Assistant's Overview, October 2017
7 prior years at Pine Grove School as co-lead teacher Bachelors of Fine Art, Maine College of Art, Portland, ME Montessori Certification from New England Montessori Teacher Education Center, Newton, MA
4th year at Pine Grove B.A. Art Education, University of Maine, Orono B.A. Theater, Emerson College 10+ years Infant/Toddler/Preschool experience 2 Day Montessori Assistant Workshop, Summer, 2019 Level 7 Center Based Care Professional
6th year at Pine Grove Bachelor of Arts in History from University of Maine, Orono 2 Day Montessori Assistant Teacher workshop, Summer, 2019 Maine Roads to Quality Level 4 Center Based Child Care Professional
9th year at Pine Grove School (worked 2 years in 2006-2008) 15+ years Montessori primary experience B.F.A from Maine College of Art Montessori Lead Teaching Certification from Maine Montessori Institute, 2005 Maine Roads to Quality Level 7 Center Based Care Professional
4th year at Pine Grove School (worked for 2 years in 2018-2020) Undergrad course work at Salem State College, Salem, MA Over 20 years nanny/early childhood education experience Level 4 Center Based Child Care Professional
1st year at Pine Grove School (former substitute teacher) Bachelors of Fine Arts focused in photography from Tufts University, Boston, MA Attended Montessori Assistant Teacher Training Workshop, August, 2022
2nd year at Pine Grove School (alumni of Pine Grove) Bachelors of Art in Sociology with a dual minor in Writing & Art concentration from University of Vermont, Burlington 2 years nanny and lead early childhood teaching experience Maine Montessori Assistant Teacher training, summer 2021 Level 2 Center Based Child Care Professional
Education Program Director 15 years of experience in Education Admin. including curriculum programming. 10 yrs. as a School Psychological Service Provider B.A. in Business Admin, from Saint Anselm College, in N.H.. M.Ed. in School Psychology from U. of Southern ME Montessori Certification from the American Montessori Society-completion of academic phase Maine Montessori Association Board Member Maine Roads to quality Level 6 Admin Professional
Director of Operations 25 years of experience in Educational Administration B. S. in Business Administration – Marketing (one year in Education) from Northeastern University, Boston Advanced Maine Child Care Leadership Institute II 2008 Maine Montessori Association Board Member Maine Roads to Quality Level 5 Administrative Professional
13th year at Pine Grove 10+ years Montessori Preschool / Kindergarten experience B. A. Elementary Education from Roosevelt University, Chicago, IL M. Ed. in Teaching and Learning with a concentration in Montessori Early Childhood from USM and American Montessori Society, 6/13 Maine Roads to Quality Level 8 Center Based Direct Care Professional Maine Early Childhood Learning Guidelines seminar, 2011 State of Maine Elementary (K-8) Teaching Certificate
1st year at Pine Grove School Bachelors of Art in Studio Art and Philosophy from Roanoke College, Salem, Virginia Vermont Educator's License for 6 years 11 years of both teaching and Administration experience Maine Montessori Association Assistant Teacher Training, Summer, 2021