LEADERSHIP TEAM

Ben Mardell

Atelierista

PEDAGOGISTA

Ben joined Newtowne School in August 2023, bringing decades of early childhood teaching experience. He holds an M.A. from Wheelock College and a Ph.D. in Child Studies from Tufts University. Ben worked at Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Project Zero (PZ). At PZ he participated in the Making Learning Visible project (a collaboration with the Municipal Infant-Toddler Centers and Preschools of Reggio Emilia) and helped lead the Children are Citizens and Pedagogy of Play projects. Ben has also worked as a professor at Lesley University’s Graduate School of Education. He has co-authored a number of resources related to the Reggio Emilia Approach, as well as a book on early childhood curriculum. Ben loves working in his home community of Cambridge, and values his smart and kind colleagues at Newtowne. He is passionate about the Reggio idea that children are citizens in the here and now (not citizens-in-training) who can have insights into issues that affect them and their community. Outside of teaching he enjoys hiking, swimming, and games with his family, as well as participating in triathlons.

Check out Ben’s most recent research collaboration: A Pedagogy of Play: Supporting playful learning in classrooms and schools.

Holly Janssen

INCLUSION SPECIALIST

Holly grew up immersed in the world of early childhood education thanks to her parents’ family-owned preschool in Wisconsin. She has worked in early childhood programs in Somerville and Cambridge since 2014, including as a child development consultant at the Early Years Project. She holds an M.A. from Tufts University in Child Study and Human Development with a focus on social emotional learning in early childhood settings. Holly joined Newtowne School as a teacher in 2019, and then as the Inclusion Specialist in 2021. In her role as Inclusion Specialist, Holly enjoys consulting with teachers and families to make sure that each child’s unique needs are met. As a teacher with a background in mental health, she is committed to viewing children’s behavior as a form of communication and believes that all children can thrive at school with the right support. In her free time, she enjoys cross stitching and scouring thrift stores for vintage decor, DIY furniture projects, or interesting classroom materials.

Melanie Cooper

SCHOOL COORDINATOR

SUMMER PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Melanie holds a B.A in Early Childhood Education from Lasell University, and has been working alongside our youngest citizens in Reggio Emilia inspired schools within the Greater Boston area since 2014. After nearly 10 years of classroom teaching experience with varying age groups, she found that her passion was in helping to cultivate school culture. In particular, a culture that values diversity, inclusivity, and the partnership of families and teachers. Her interest in early childhood leadership inspired her to return to school to gain her Department of Early Education and Care’s Director Certification, and begin her administrative career at Newtowne in 2021. Melanie's favorite part of her role is the whole-school connection that it renders. She treasures her ability to build meaningful relationships with all of the children at Newtowne, as well as with the families through Newtowne's co-op structure. Melanie also finds joy in exploring each classroom's innovative curriculum alongside the children, following their lead within each unique space. She holds a particular love for children's literature, and the encouragement of children seeing themselves within story characters. Outside of Newtowne, Melanie enjoys reading, exploring the city with friends, and traveling with her wife.

TEACHING FACULTY

Nana Appiah-Korang

orange sea star teacher

Nana began her lead teaching career at Newtowne in 2021 after completing her M.Ed in Early Childhood Education from Boston University, where she worked at the university’s Early Childhood Learning Laboratory school. She loves working with preschool children because their questioning nature and curiosity makes every day an adventure. She enjoys learning first-hand about cooperative education in her time at Newtowne. Seeing the formation of partnerships and relationships through this approach has solidified her belief that families, teachers, and children are equal collaborators in the process of learning. Her hobbies include DIY projects and coding. Nana was born in Ghana, West Africa, and her name means ‘Queen’ in her local language, Twi.

Kari Sizemore

Orange Sea star teacher

Kari has been a teacher since 2008, initially working with middle and high school students before discovering a passion for working with younger children. Kari holds a B.A. in Spanish Education and has done extensive graduate study in early childhood development and infant-toddler curriculum. She has found that toddlers are her favorite age group to work with because of their curiosity and the big feelings they bring to class each day. Kari joined Newtowne School in 2023. She loves the community, partnering with families and working together to create a warm and supportive environment to nurture our youngest learners. She finds the teachers at Newtowne to be some of the most gifted colleagues she’s ever worked with. Kari also values the child-centered Reggio Emilia approach at Newtowne, and how it prioritizes children’s interests and curiosities, giving them space to explore their capabilities. The foundation of her teaching philosophy is that children are incredibly capable. She also loves having the time and ability at Newtowne to document a child’s learning and make it visible. Outside of teaching, Kari enjoys reading, gardening (especially working with dahlias), walking and spending time with family.

Jenna Rounds

Purple Fish Teacher

With B.A. in graphic design with a minor in early childhood education, Jenna’s preschool classroom always exhibits a beautiful artsy flair! After working in advertising and newspapers for several years, she had her first child and soon after rekindled her love of working with young children in school settings. She has been a preschool teacher since 2010, beginning at a local Waldorf-inspired cooperative preschool. The school closed for a year during the pandemic and during her search for new adventures, she remembered visiting a bright and beautiful school in Cambridge: our very own Newtowne School! Jenna has found the new exposure to the Reggio philosophy inspiring, and she especially enjoys being a part of our vibrant community of families and teachers. Jenna lives in Watertown with her two teenage children and a menagerie of pets, knitting, cooking and gardening whenever she gets the chance. You may find her visiting her large family in the Berkshires, walking in the woods with her dog, Louisa, or lounging on a sunny beach in the summertime.

Samantha (Sam) Liptak

purple fish teacher

Sam joined Newtowne in 2021, first as a teaching fellow and then as a lead teacher after graduating with her M.A. in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University in 2023. Sam started her teaching career while studying for her B.A. in Journalism and Environmental Science at American University where she worked with children in Washington, D.C., guiding them through local parks after school while teaching wilderness and survival skills. At Newtowne School, she loves working alongside families and seeing how hard the school strives to provide a warm, welcoming environment for all children to learn. Sam has taught in all the Newtowne classrooms, and enjoys seeing how much children grow each year – in terms of learning, social skills and height! She believes that children are intelligent and capable of guiding their learning and finds the Reggio Emilia approach provides the tools to hear children’s ideas and put them into action. Sam is inspired by the twists and turns a curriculum takes throughout the year, as children’s interests change. Sam is passionate about the environment and animals and loves spending time outside. In her spare time she loves running, hiking, skiing, hot yoga, and going to baseball games.

Danielle Hart

BLUE OTTER teacher

After studying English literature and studio art in her undergraduate career, Danielle went on to discover her passion for early childhood education, where she is constantly inspired and moved by the children she works with. Danielle has been teaching since 2019 and joined Newtowne in 2022 after receiving her Master’s in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University. She has worked in several private and public schools, and is ultimately drawn to the Reggio Emilia approach of truly respecting and learning alongside children. Danielle feels honored to be a part of the Newtowne community that she feels so strongly values family relationships, social emotional learning, and the wonders of childhood. Danielle strives to create authentic connections with children and their families, and works to make sure that every child feels safe, valued, and empowered. She believes that this is the foundation we need, starting with our youngest learners, to build a more just and equitable world. Outside of the classroom, Danielle loves drinking tea with friends, spending time with her family (she is the proud older sister of three brothers), hiking, drawing, painting, or reading a good book.

Jen Schreiner

Blue Otter teacheR

Jen has always worked in fields relating to children and families, starting her career studying to be a midwife and doula, working in public health, and teaching children’s yoga for almost two decades. Over the years, she has collaborated with the Boston Public Library, Head Start Centers and transitional living centers to provide culturally sensitive and inclusive movement and mindfulness programs for children and families. Jen has a bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies from Mount Holyoke College and graduated with a M.A. in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University in 2023. Jen first got interested in teaching after being a classroom helper at her daughter’s co-operative school in Boston. She was inspired to make a career change and started teaching in 2017. Jen joined Newtowne School in 2023 and is passionate about exploring, connecting and learning with the children and families at the school. When she’s not teaching, Jen loves traveling, reading, photography, camping, hiking and rock climbing with her family. She is also a core organizer for the Dorchester Community Fridge – a mutual aid project aimed at alleviating food insecurity in her community. She can be found cooking and dancing while listening to KCRW music shows in Dorchester where she lives with her husband and daughter.

Vaidehi Desai

Green DragonFly teacher

Vaidehi first started working with young children in Mumbai, India where she was born and raised. In 2005, she moved to the United States for graduate school and earned an M.A. in Special Education from the University of Texas at Austin. Since then, she has worked as a special educator and an early childhood educator in different school settings across the United States, including the Boulder Journey School, where she taught while pursuing an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education with a focus on the Reggio Emilia approach. Newtowne’s commitment to inclusion and diversity appeals to Vaidehi, as she views all children as valuable citizens with inherent and undeniable rights. Vaidehi’s teaching is deeply rooted in Anti-Bias and Supportive Social Learning frameworks, which she believes help her critically evaluate her classroom practices and develop a strong image of the child and adults who are connected within a community of learners. Vaidehi is also kept busy by her own amazing and energetic sons, with whom she loves traveling and discovering natural wonders; as a family, they enjoy visiting at least one National Park every year to experience the marvels of the earth.

Maggie Oliver

Green DragonFly Teacher

As a proud 2019 Clemson University College of Education graduate, Maggie is a passionate teacher and a lifelong learner. She holds a B.A. in Elementary education with a background in both American Sign Language and the study of diversity, cultural and literature patterns in education. As an avid child advocate who wanted to focus on building relationships with the community, she discovered that the Reggio Emilia approach was a means for her to ask questions about the world around her while simultaneously being a guide for children as they engage with their evergrowing curiosity. She joined the Newtowne faculty in 2022 after teaching at another Reggio Emilia-inspired school for three years. As part of the Newtowne cooperative, she enjoys seeing families engage with the magical environment as their children participate in play and feel supported by the local community. Maggie enjoys spending time with her friends and family and can often be found running or hiking in the community.

Christina Lavorna

All-School Teacher

Christina has been teaching since 2009 and joined Newtowne School in 2023. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and a M.A. in Elementary Education. Christina was naturally drawn to the Reggio Emilia pedagogy and the philosophy that children are the protagonists of their learning – that each of their interests enhance the learning and development of their community of peers, and that their materials and environments should be beautiful and inviting. She loves working with all the children, families and faculty at Newtowne, and learning alongside the children. She is fascinated by the children at all stages – the natural curiosity of toddlers, and their burgeoning relationships; and the preschoolers who are experimenting with social-emotional skills while learning from the natural world around them. When she’s not teaching, Christina is dancing. She is a life-long dancer and trains and performs as much as she can. She also enjoys being outdoors, watching her favorite TV shows and movies, and dabbling with intricate home manicures!

Emily Whitney

Substitute TEACHER

Emily’s career at Newtowne began as a student teacher in 2014. Her experience was so magical and eye-opening that when the opportunity came along to cover a teacher's maternity leave, she immediately took it and has been involved with Newtowne ever since. Emily holds a B.A. from Lesley University in Early Childhood Education and Mathematics, as well as several Massachusetts state teaching licenses. Inquiry-based projects and the collaborative learning that happens every day between the teachers and students are what inspire her the most about the Reggio Emilia approach. She loves diving into a topic or theme and finding every way to explore it alongside the children. Emily has offered professional development workshops for her colleagues at and outside of Newtowne, including at the 2018 Wonder of Learning Exhibit. List-making, charcuterie boards, and spending time in the Adirondacks by the lake are among the things that bring Emily joy!

Alastair Moock

MUSIC Specialist

Alastair is a renowned singer-songwriter who has toured in the US and Europe, celebrating the roots of American music while blending genres and musical traditions. When his twins were born, he shifted his focus to children’s music. Alastair believes in the power of music to reach others and teach others, and uses his songs and storytelling to support young children’s understandings of civil rights, social justice, and anti-racism. He is the recipient of the ASCAP Joe Raposo Children’s Music Award, a three-time Parents’ Choice Gold Medal Winner, and a 2013 GRAMMY Nominee. In his first year at Newtowne, Alastair has shown some true Reggio-spirit through his songwriting collaborations with students in all four classrooms.

Listen to an excerpt from the song ‘Love Grows’, written with guest lyricists from the 2021-2022 Green Dragonfly class!

ENLIN

All-School Puppet

Enlin is a mouse puppet who came to Newtowne with her friend Ben this September. Previously, Enlin traveled around the world, telling stories and helping make connections between young people and adults (preschoolers will often talk to a puppet before engaging with an unfamiliar adult). At Newtowne, Enlin enjoys visiting all the classrooms, hanging out in the studio, distributing mouse kisses, and eating the imaginary cheese the children are constantly bringing her.

FELLOWS AND INTERNS

Sarah Milofsky

teaching fellow

Sarah has been working in early childhood classrooms since 2015. She completed her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Special Education at the University of New Hampshire and is currently working towards her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education at Merrimack College. Sarah particularly enjoys observing the relationships and friendships among her students, thinking carefully about how each child’s preferences and interests affect peer relationships in the classroom. Sarah’s colleagues admire her flexibility and how naturally she creates a warm, nurturing, and inclusive classroom environment, where positive relationships are at the center of all else. In her spare time, Sarah also coaches a junior ice hockey team – the same team she used to play on when she was in high school!

Samanta (Sam) Mindur

teaching fellow

Sam has been working with young children since 2019, first as a nanny, and then as an assistant teacher at a Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool in Boston. Sam joined Newtowne in 2023 and is pursuing her Masters in Child Studies and Human Development at Tufts University. Sam originally studied and practiced law in her home country of Brazil, before beginning her early education journey. At Newtowne, Sam enjoys seeing how much children grow and become independent as they learn, while forming solid relationships and healthy attachments. She loves their curiosity, creativity, sense of humor and unbeatable energy. Sam appreciates the open-ended aspect of the Reggio Emilia approach and how it challenges her as an educator to be creative and think outside the box. She is passionate about child-centered education and how children have input into what happens in the classroom. Outside of Newtowne, Sam is usually studying, but also loves planning trips, doing home projects and thrift shopping with her husband.