Eliot Pearson Children's School 2020-2021 - Tufts Self-Serve ...
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Eliot Pearson Children’s School
2020-2021
Administrative Staff
Hanna Gebretensae
Director
Hanna Gebretensae joined Eliot Pearson the summer
of 2013 as the new Director. Prior to that, she was
the Director of Early Childhood Programs at Aspire
Institute/Wheelock College. She has extensive
experience in the field of early education and care
including direct services, administration of
programs, teacher education, training/technical
assistance, mentoring, anti-bias curriculum/cultural
competency and policy work across Massachusetts
and nationally. Hanna has been a program director
at Acorn Center for Early Education and Care, a
bilingual Chinese/English center and a Mentor-Director for early childhood programs
in Boston supporting accreditation and quality of programs in the city. She is a diversity
trainer certified by Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and various programs and
organizations. Hanna has held adjunct faculty positions at Lesley University, Wheelock
College and the Urban College of Boston on a variety of early childhood topics. Prior to
coming to the US, Hanna also managed early childhood program development and
projects in East Africa and worked with UNICEF. Hanna received a bachelor’s degree in
Human Development and Early Childhood Education from Lesley College; received
her master’s in Educational Administration, Planning, and Policy from Harvard
University; and a Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership with a concentration on
Curriculum and Instruction from University of Phoenix. She also holds a certificate in
Educating Children with Special Needs from the Goldameir International Training
College in Haifa, Israel and is a CAYL Fellow in Early Care and Education Policy.
Maria Hastings
School Operations Coordinator
Maria comes to us from Needham Heights
KinderCare where she held the position of an
Assistant Director and has 23 years of experience as
an administrator and educator in various educational
settings. She has been a teacher, a director and an
administrator in public/private programs and
schools (PK-6) and an adjunct instructor teaching
various college courses related to education and
psychology. In her role as an administrator, Maria
has managed budgets and payroll, monitored and
maintained tuition accounts, assisted with financial
aid programs to families, and participated in
fundraising efforts. Maria has extensive knowledge in maintaining state licensing
regulations and has assisted in National Accreditation processes & maintenance. She
has effectively handled student and staff records in the areas of admissions, enrollment,
financial aid, family/school events, and related tasks, ensuring all updates and
requirements were being met at all times. Ensuring efficiency in school operations and
creating a welcoming front office area that is inviting, professional and organized are
very important to her. She is looking forward to bringing her expertise and enthusiasm
to our school. Maria has a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a
master’s degree in Educational Administration.
Lynne May Lim
Educational Specialist
Lynne May has been in the field of early
childhood education for thirty years strong as a
classroom teacher and as an education specialist. She
brings to EPCS her vast experience working with
young children of diverse learning profiles and
backgrounds, and her unique perspective on antibias
education based on her professional and personal
experiences as a cisgender woman, a parent, an
immigrant to the USA, a teacher of young children,
and as a person of the global majority. She is a strong
advocate for inter-disciplinary, multi-modal, project-
based, and children-centered curriculum that seeks to activate children’s inherent
curiosity and build on their strengths and prior knowledge to pursue their interests,
understand new ideas, and solve all kinds of problems. Lynne May strives to affirm
children’s individual and collective identities through her work mentoring and
coaching experienced and novice teachers as they explore, plan, develop, and
implement learning experiences for all the children they serve. When not teaching,
Lynne May enjoys spending time with family and friends, and taking walks. Her
interests include drawing, music, and using still and moving images to capture
moments and tell stories. She holds a Master of Art in Teaching Early Childhood
Education from National-Louis University in Illinois, and a Bachelor of Science in
Business Administration from the University of the Philippines.
Gabriela Herrera
Enrichment/ Summer Program Coordinator
Gaby has been in the field of early childhood education for
over nine years. She has held both classroom and
administrative positions in different school settings. Her
experience working in several countries and with diverse
populations have helped her understand the value of
culturally diverse practices and integrating it into her daily
work.
Gaby is committed to fostering an environment, both
physical and emotional, where every member feels safe
and confident to explore, take risks, and be themselves. She
is passionate about enabling students to use their unique
perspectives and talents to contribute to their community.
Gaby holds a B.A. in Psychology from Universidad de las Americas in Mexico City and
an M.A. in Child Study and Human Development from Tufts University. When she is
not working, she enjoys exploring local art and culture, cooking, hiking, and traveling
(when the world was a different place.)
Leah Eyob
Staff Assistant
Leah is excited to be a part of the Eliot-Pearson Children’s
School administrative team. She attended George Mason
University and studied English Literature. At Mason, she
was particularly interested in how the history and
cultures of immigrant populations were preserved
through folklore and mythology. She worked at Apex, a
company that worked with publishers, museums and
archives to preserve their collections. She spearheaded a
research project to find out how to help university
generated materials meet new and comprehensive
standards for accessibility. Leah has also worked with
grant recipients to make user friendly free archives for historical newspapers. Before
coming to Boston, Leah worked at Visiting Angels, a company that provides elder care.
There she coordinated with families and medical professionals to provide empathic,
safe, and customized home care services for the elderly. Leah has been privileged to
work in environments that value demographic and experiential diversity. As a result,
she knows how much richness and intelligence that diversity can bring to the learning
experience. Leah comes from a large extended family that blessed her with lots of
experience in childcare. She hopes to bring her passion for social justice, accessibility,
storytelling to the school. In her free time, Leah enjoys experimenting in the kitchen,
learning about other cultures through food and travel, and spending time with family
and friends.
Teaching Teams
Orange Room
Matthew Slepin
Head Teacher
I have lived in quite a few places and pursued a number
of interests. I taught courses in the evolving concept of
magic in medieval Europe at Northwestern University
and wrangled dishes at a dude ranch in the Sangre de
Cristos mountains of Colorado. I taught Elizabethan
history on a living history museum that not only sailed
around Great Britain, but right through Loch Ness (I
didn't see any monsters though). For almost a decade, I
worked on community development issues on Maui,
Hawaii. I spent some time teaching in the Concord and
Cambridge public school systems, as well as at the
Cambridge Friends School, before landing at Eliot-Pearson Children's School. And
my son says that I make the best cinnamon rolls that he has ever eaten
Katie Hustins
Assistant Teacher
Katie attended UMass Amherst and studied Sociology,
Psychology, and Education. She has worked in schools for
the past 6+ years and has worked with children from ages 3-
18. During the school year, Katie is an assistant teacher in the
Orange Room and during the summer is the head counselor
of the green room. The areas of teaching she feels most
passionately about are social justice awareness, being
connected to nature and other living things, and literacy
including poetry and writing stories.
Green Room
Juliana Fuchs
Head Teacher (Spring)
Juliana comes to EPCS with thirteen years of experience as
an early-childhood educator. She is committed to creating
a compassionate classroom community where students feel
valued, supported, challenged, and comfortable to make
mistakes. She believes that learning should be hands-on
and new information is best accessed through open-ended
exploration and meaningful, in-depth, and integrated
investigations. She is particularly passionate about student
and teacher inquiry, anti-bias curriculum, social justice
literature, and nature-based education. Juliana comes most
recently from Touchstone Community School in Grafton
where she taught 6-8 year olds for three years. Before working at Touchstone, she
taught Kindergarten at The Fessenden School in Newton and at Ethical Culture
Fieldston School in New York City. Juliana received a M.S.Ed in General and Special
Education from Bank Street College and a B.A. in History from Williams College.
She loves learning, laughing, and being active outdoors!
Gabriela Herrera
Head Teacher (Fall)
Gaby has been in the field of early childhood education
for over nine years. She has held both classroom and
administrative positions in different school settings. Her
experience working in several countries and with diverse
populations have helped her understand the value of
culturally diverse practices and integrating it into her
daily work.
Gaby is committed to fostering an environment, both
physical and emotional, where every member feels safe
and confident to explore, take risks, and be themselves.
She is passionate about enabling students to use their unique perspectives and talents to
contribute to their community.
Gaby holds a B.A. in Psychology from Universidad de las Americas in Mexico City and
an M.A. in Child Study and Human Development from Tufts University. When she is
not working, she enjoys exploring local art and culture, cooking hiking, and traveling
(when the world was a different place)
Danielle Hart
Assistant Teacher
Danielle graduated from Connecticut College in 2018,
where she studied English and Studio Art. She has
worked extensively with children of all ages as an
assistant teacher, nanny, camp counselor, and tutor. She
has also worked as a Child Life Assistant at the Dana-
Farber Jimmy Fund, where she used art and play activities
to develop therapeutic relationships with pediatric
hematology and oncology patients and their families.
Danielle is passionate about fostering growth through
creativity and self-expression. She is committed to
supporting each child and to creating a safe, inclusive, and
integrated learning environment. In her free time, she loves reading, making art,
playing soccer, and spending time with friends and family. She is thrilled to be back
with her Green Room and Life Project classes for another year of learning and growing!
Purple Room
Victor Bradley
Head Teacher
Victor comes to EPCS with over twenty-eight years of
experience as an early childhood educator of children
ages two to six in preschool and elementary school
settings serving diverse communities. Victor has
extensive experience in guiding young children
through inquiry-based math and science learning using
multi-faceted art and literacy mediums. Victor’s
approach to teaching and learning focuses on play-
based classroom environments and how they
encourage and nurture different modes of learning.
Victor has worked with teams of teachers and specialists in pre-k and kindergarten
classrooms where he designed, planned, and set up multi-sensory and interdisciplinary
learning environments and delivered special support services to children. He brings
with him a deep commitment to social justice in early childhood education settings
through extensive experience with history, anti-bias, and anti-racist curriculum
development and implementation. He has mentored graduate and undergraduate
student interns from various Boston area colleges and universities. Victor has broad-
based leadership and community- building experiences in classrooms, schools, and
community-based organizations serving children, adults, and families from all walks of
life. When not teaching, Victor enjoys listening to all kinds of music which he
incorporates in his classroom environment, being part of the revaluation counseling
community, going for long walks on the beach in all seasons, cooking delicious meals,
going to new exciting restaurants locally and when traveling, practicing Reiki, being
with his partner Sabina, who is also a teacher, being with his daughter Hazel who is 8.
He holds a specialized Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from
Wheelock College.
Cris Paulino Assistant Teacher Cris Paulino is a recent graduate of Tufts University, where they majored in American Studies and minored in Drama. Over the past five years, they have spent their working hours teaching and mentoring students of all ages and abilities in high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, and early education. They invest much of their free time in theater, be it as a patron, actor, or stagehand. They are excited to join the Eliot Pearson Children’s School and continue their work in fostering the holistic development and success of the children in their community!
Jordin Luxenberg
Floating Teacher
Hello! My name is Jordin Luxenberg. This year will be
my second year at Eliot Pearson Children's School. I am
the Float Teacher, aka, as the children say, "you're the
teacher that works in all the classrooms!" I have a
Bachelor of Arts Degree from Lesley University. I have
been working in classrooms full-time for five years now.
I will be starting an online master program in the Fall at
Teachers College, Columbia University in
Developmental Disabilities. In my spare time, I
volunteer at Boston Children's Hospital, enjoy exploring
the city, watching documentaries, and catching up with
friends. I am looking forward to another year of learning, growing and, exploring!Eliot-Pearson Fellows
Olivia Hobert
Olivia is a recent graduate from Mount Holyoke
College, where she earned her B.A. in Psychology and
Education. She has worked in a variety of schools over
the last five years, working in a few positions that
include an intern, a classroom assistant, and a certified
infant/toddler, and preschool teacher at a daycare.
Though she enjoys working with children of all ages,
she has the most experience working with children
ages 2-5 years old. She is very excited to begin her
graduate studies at Tufts and form new connections
with all of the staff, parents, and children! When not
working, she loves writing short stories, poetry,
photography, and spending time with her family.
Claudia Hyman
Claudia is very excited to be starting her master’s program
in Child Study and Human Development at Tufts this fall.
She is originally from New Jersey and will be new to the
Boston area! She graduated from the University of Miami
where she studied Psychology, Sociology, and Elementary
Education. She has worked with children in a variety of
settings including the classroom, treatment programs such
as the Child Mind Institute, and non-profit summer camps
in Miami. She is drawn to learning about the ways teachers
must teach and accommodate students with various
disabilities such as autism, ADHD, and anxiety within
inclusive classrooms. She is looking forward to being an EP
fellow at the Eliot Pearson Children’s School and continuing
to learn more about education and its hugely important role in a child’s development.Ana Jurca
Ana is a recent graduate of Tufts where she studied Child
Development, Clinical Psychology, and Philosophy. Over
the past couple of years, she has worked and volunteered
with young people in middle schools, in elementary schools,
in hospital settings, as a tutor and private caretaker, and at
EPCS! In childcare, Ana is most passionate about restorative
justice, art therapy practices, and connection to nature. She
loves hiking, roller skating, painting, reading, and spending
time with her three younger siblings!
Sabrina Kazi
Sarah graduated from Cornell University in 2019 where
she majored in Psychology and Biology. As a student,
she has always been interested in how education and
development are intertwined. Believing that experience
shapes a person's life, Sarah worked in two different
psychology labs during her undergraduate years and
was a McNair Scholar. Through McNair and the club
Early College Awareness, Sarah has realized her love of
mentoring younger students and being in the classroom.
In her free time, Sarah is an avid reader and can usually
be found watching historical documentaries. She is enthusiastic about new experiences
and loves a-hands-on approach to learning. Sarah is excited to be a part of the Eliot-
Pearson Children's School and a community where science mingles with society to truly
make an effect.Rebecca Laudermilk
Becca attended Smith College, studying psychology
with a certification in Culture, Health and Science.
She’s filled many positions within school systems for
over ten years, from being a tutor, paraprofessional,
assistant teacher and lead teacher. For the past two
and a half years, she has been teaching English to
students in Kyrgyzstan with the Peace Corps. While
abroad, she was able to travel to numerous countries
including Kazakhstan, Egypt, Thailand, Singapore,
Greece, and the United Arab Emirates. Through her
travels, she’s learned to appreciate all languages and
cultures, especially the food! Since her return to the
US, she has been teaching English Language Arts to sixth graders in her hometown. She
loves reading stories to learn and teach life’s greatest lessons. In her free time, she
enjoys outdoor adventures, running and baking sweet treats. She loves spending time
with her two pets, a gecko and a puppy.
Sarah Merisier
Sarah received a BA in Psychology with a concentration in
Latin American and Latino Studies from the College of the
Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. As a graduate fellow, she
will pull from her experience as a child
development research assistant where she worked with
kindergarten-age children to best serve and support the
Children's Lab School classroom teaching team. While
juggling her undergraduate studies and sitting on the
boards of various student organizations, she also
mentored first-year ALANA (African American, Latin
American, Asian-American, Native American) students.
She enjoys dancing, traveling to new cities, and spending
time with family and friends. She is looking forward to
joining the Eliot-Pearson Children's Lab School!Allison Tilton
Allison graduated from Tufts University in 2020 with
a major in Clinical Psychology and a minor in Child
Study and Human Development. While at Tufts, she
was a member of the varsity softball team for four
years. She participated in a year-long internship at the
Boston Child Study Center where she was a clinical
assistant for the Parent-Child Interaction Therapy unit.
Allison has worked both formally and informally with
children over the years, from babysitting to observing
classrooms, recording children's books on tape, and
coaching youth softball camps. She has worked as an
assistant counselor for the EPCS summer camp and was an undergraduate assistant
teacher for the Preschool Extended Day and Life Project. She is excited to continue her
education and gain experience related to her career path while fostering meaningful
relationships with each child at EPCS!
Grace Zechman
Grace is a recent graduate of Sewanee: The University of
the South. On the mountain, she studied Psychology with
a minor in Spanish. Over the past 6 years, Grace has loved
working with children inside and outside the classroom.
This includes being a full-time nanny over two summers
and working as a camp counselor in the Poconos where
she was responsible for a group of third graders as well as
leading the Camp’s tennis program. During a semester in
Argentina, she taught English to young students at an
after-school program. While at Sewanee, she brought her
knowledge of psychology to the rural Tennessee
elementary schools where she volunteered and provided positive psychology
interventions to boost the children’s overall well-being. She hopes to bring these ideas
and techniques to the Children’s School! Grace loves all things outdoors, sports, and
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