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
6th Year at Pine Grove 8 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 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
23 years at Pine Grove 30 + years of Preschool and Kindergarten classroom experience B. A. in French Education from University of Southern Maine in Portland Montessori Certification from National Center for Montessori Education – 2002 Pine Grove’s French Teacher for 22 years State of Maine Department of Education Ed Tech III Certification Maine Roads to Quality Level 5 Center Based Direct Care Professional
1st year at Pine Grove 2 years Preschool teacher aide experience B.S. Elementary Education, Peace and Reconciliation Studies Concentration from University of Maine, Orono
After-School Program 3rd Year at Pine Grove B.A. in Elementary Education from University of Maine Farmington 2 day Montessori Assistant Teacher Training Workshop, Summer, 2013 Former Pine Grove and Public School Substitute Teacher Maine Roads to Quality Level 5 Center Based Direct Care Professional
27th year at Pine Grove B. A. in Sociology from Susquehanna University in PA Montessori Certification from the North American Montessori Center, 2001 Past Facilitator of Discovering Montessori training program offered at Pine Grove Maine Roads to Quality Level 7 Center Based Direct Care Professional Maine Early Childhood Learning Guidelines seminar, 2008 Past Summer Camp Program Coordinator
8th year at Pine Grove 15+ years in Preschool Education with a B.A. in Religious Studies from Hobart/William Smith College in NY. M.Ed. degree in Care and Education in Early Childhood with a focus in Leadership and Policy from Wheelock College. Attended elements of Teaching and Learning in a Montessori Early Childhood Environment, Master level course, USM 2008. Montessori Certification from American Montessori Society completed 06/2015. Maine early Childhood learning Guidelines seminar, 2008.
7th year at Pine Grove 20+ years of experience in education B. F. A. from Maine College of Art Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Language and Literacy, University of Southern Maine, Portland 1yr in Educational Leadership, University of Southern Maine, Portland Maine Early Childhood Learning Guidelines seminar 2008 Maine Roads to Quality Level 5 Center Based Direct Care Professional
Lunch Recess Aide / Late Care Floater 1st year at Pine Grove 6 years ESL teaching experience B.A. International Studies from Kenyon College in OH, Masters of Teaching English as a Second Language from Simmons College in MA, currently attending Pre-Speech Language Pathology Program from La Salle University in PA
3rd year at Pine Grove 3 years of experience in early childhood education B.F.A. Maine College of Art Early Childhood Montessori Teacher Certification - New England Montessori Teacher Education Center Maine Roads to Quality Level 5 Center Based Care Professional Maine Early Childhood Learning Guidelines Seminar, 2014
2nd year at Pine Grove 4 years experience in Preschool and Toddler Education B.S. in Biology from Fitchburg State College in Massachusetts Montessori Teacher Training Certificate from Polish Montessori Institute, Warsaw, Poland
1st year at Pine Grove 5 years of preschool experience B.S. Biology, minor in Chemistry and Studio Art from Gettysburg College, PA Montessori Certification from American Montessori Society completed 06/2015
5th year at Pine Grove 4 years of preschool experience B.A. in sociology from St. Lawrence University
1st year at Pine Grove 8 years of Montessori toddler and preschool experience B.A. Sociology with a minor in Psychology from University of Massachusetts, Amherst International Montessori Preschool/Kindergarten Teaching Diploma from North American Montessori Center Maine Roads to Quality Level 6 Center Based Direct Care Professional
1st year at Pine Grove 2 years recreation education experience B.S. in Community Health Education, minor in Nutrition Education and Psychology
1st year at Pine Grove 5+ years teaching experience B.A. in Humanities from New College of California
Education Program Director 9 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 Lvl 6 Admin Professional.
Director of Operations 19 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
Administrative Assistant 2 years of experience In Educational Administration 28 years paralegal experience B.S. in Psychology, minors in Education and Biology State of Maine Department of Education Ed Tech III Certification