Christine Everitt (2008 )- Elementary I Program

Education
BS, Elementary Education, Bucknell University
MS, Curriculum and Teaching, Teachers College, Columbia University

Brief Biography
Christine is in her fifth year at Bellwether. She spent two years in the Primary and is currently embarking on her third year as the Elementary I teacher. Prior to teaching at Bellwether, Christine taught at The Trinity School and Dalton School in Manhattan while pursuing her masters in Curriculum and Teaching. During her last two years in New York City, she was a first grade teacher at The Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School. While having grown up outside of Philadelphia, Christine always knew Vermont would be home, and eventually moved north in the winter of 2007. Soon after, she and her husband Jeremy welcomed Luke (3 years old) and most recently, Harley (5 months) to their family. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors running and hiking.

Heather Hack (2009) - Preschool Program

Education
BS, Early Childhood Education, University of Vermont

Brief Biography
I originally moved to Vermont to go to UVM, and after a brief period of time in New Jersey, my husband and I moved back to Vermont in 2008. I began working at Bellwether in 2009 and currently live in Shelburne with my husband, Dan. We are expecting our first child in May of 2012.

Best Bellwether Moment
Reading, knitting, spending time with friends and family and getting outdoors.

Inspirational Quote
"If you know who you are, you'll know what to do." --Ronal J. Greer

Angie King (2003) - Primary Program

Education
BA, Elementary Education, St. Michael's College
BA, English, St. Michael's College
M.Ed. candidate, Early Childhood Education, Champlain College

Brief Biography
Vermonter born & raised.

Interests & Hobbies
Crafting, reading children's books, writing poetry, going out to eat, being with my family, photography.

Inspirational Quote
"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells." --Dr. Seuss

Best Bellwether Moment
Each year, after all the crafts have been made and the songs learned, proceeding into the Solstice Celebration with the entire school and seeing such proud and happy faces.

Michael LaPierre (2000) - Preschool Program

Education

BA, Early Childhood & Elementary Education, Trinity College

Brief Biography

Born in Burlington, VT. Grew up on Shelburne Point. Moved to Burlington when I was 13. Graduated from BHS in 1975. Employed at Ethan Allen Child Care Center from 1975 until the fall fo 1982 when the center closed. Attended Trinity College from 1983 until 1989 where I received a Bachelor of Art degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Eduction.

Interests & Hobbies

Ceramics, gardening, canoeing, hiking, running, walks.

Inspirational Quote

"Some pursue happiness, others create it." 

Garin Samuelsen (2003) - Elementary II Program

Education
BS, Psychology, University of Oregon (Go Ducks!)
MS, Transpersonal Psychology, John F. Kennedy University
Post-Graduate Degree, Elementary Education, Northern Arizona University

Brief Biography
I grew up in Irvine, California where I had the opportunity to frequently backpack and camp in the great Sierra Nevadas. I grew to have a deep appreciation for and connection to the ecological landscape and base my teaching on this. I feel like teaching is in my heart and soul and finding ways for each child to reach their highest potential is a goal of mine. I feel that at Bellwether, I have the opportunity to do that.

Interests & Hobbies
I love to run, hike, backpack, read, write, meditate, spend time with my son and my good friends and family.

Inspirational Quote
"Each life is a heroic journey. In order to tread on one's own path and not take the common road, one must have the opportunity to question, search, and be aflame for learning. If one is to meet the journey in fear, one loses the battle and finds oneself on a path that is not unique. Yet, if one can discover love, one will journey into the wonder of the world and see that oneself is in everything." - unknown

Lindsey Vandal (2011) - Elementary II Program

Education
BA, History, Middlebury College
M. Ed., Curriculum & Instruction, University of Washington

Brief Biography
I was raised in Shelburne, Vermont, and spent my childhood traveling and adventuring outside. I attended Champlain Valley Union High School and Middlebury College, where I was active in the Mountain Club and taught yoga. After graduating college, I moved to Seattle to explore the mountain bike trails and ski mountains, teach at Seattle Audubon Society and complete my Masters of Education from the University of Washington. I moved back to my home state in July 2011 and now live in Burlington with my husband, Nathaniel, and our frisky cat, Rufus.

Interests & Hobbies
Mountain biking, skiing, rock climbing, birding, knitting, cooking, yoga

Inspirational Quote
"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." --John Dewey

Shannon Weiner (2009) - Primary Program

Education
BS, Elementary Education, University of Southern California
M.Ed., Literacy, University of San Diego

Interests & Hobbies
Traveling, reading, cooking, spending time with family, wine tasting and going to the beach.

Inspirational Quote
If you're going to be able to look back on something and laugh about it, you might as well laugh about it now." -- unknown

Best Bellwether Moment
Dressing up as Willy Wonka with Angie and picking up our students from the library to see the Primary classroom had been transformed into Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Their faces were priceless.

Jennifer Blair (2010) - Art Program

Sadie Danforth-Brightman (2009) - Music Program

Education
BA, Music, Wesleyan Univeristy
MM candidate, Piano Performance, Longy School of Music

Brief Biography
Since 2009, I have brought my lifetime of music-making and 15+ years of teaching experience to Bellwether. Over this period, I developed an interest in the early development of music in children, and studied various ways of structuring the study of music to be an artistic, thorough and dynamic experience. Much of this teaching draws on song paired with movement, using the voice as an entrance into all musical experiences. I studied piano performance and pedagogy at Wesleyan University, the Prague Conservatory, and the Longy School of Music. I have performed throughout New England and the Czech Republic in solo and collaborative performances. Prior to returning to Vermont, I was on faculty at the New School of Music in Cambridge MA, teaching piano and group music classes. In addition to teaching at Bellwether, I currently teach private piano lessons in my Middlebury studio, as well as music and movement classes through Green Mountain Music Together. I grew up in Lincoln Vermont, where I recently returned to live with my husband, two daughters, and an extra-large cat!

Interests & Hobbies
I love hiking and being outside with family, and cooking and baking for family and friends.

Best Bellwether Moment
My best Bellwether moment so far was seeing and hearing the entire school singing together, happy and swaying!! Letting the music fly. And, this year, hearing one student say, Sadie, I'm so happy we have a piano school!

Nick Engdahl (2010) - Spanish Program

Education
BA, French and Technical Jounalism, Colorado State University
MH, Humanities, University of Colorado

Brief Biography
Having spent my childhood in Vermont, I spent the next 30+ years living in Colorado and California. As an educator and counselor, I have worked with a variety of students in many different subject areas. From teaching ELL to kindergartners on a California Indian reservation to AP French/Spanish with teens at a suburban high school, from Foreign Language Methodology to graduate students at the University of Denver to Spanish/French at Bellwether, I have had a great career in education. In my work as a tour guide, I have also traveled extensively. I've been to Asia, Europe, Central/South America, and Africa, but have always felt the most connection to Latin America (thanks to my Spanish studies) and Quebec (thanks again to my French studies as well as my family origins/ethnicity). Since my May 2010 return to Vermont, I've remained active as a teacher, writer, and counselor/life coach.

Inspirational Quote
"On ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux" (One only sees well with the heart. That which is essential is invisible to the eye) I love this quote from The Little Prince. It reminds me to always follow my heart and to never judge a book-or a person!-by the outside appearance. It also reminds me of the beauty in all of us that is only experienced when we go beyond the surface and share who we truly are!

Best Bellwether Moment
I have actually had a series of 'best Bellwether moments'. Singing of colors and body parts with preschoolers and Primary, playing twister with the Spanish alphabet/numbers in Elementary II, working with my many 'teacher assistants' as I prep in the library, seeing 'my' kids in school and all over town and being greeted with 'hola, Nico'-all of these are moments I cherish!

Melanie Davis (2010)

Lisa Guerrero (2009)

Education
BS, Early Childhood Education, Champlain College
Masters Candidate, Early Childhood Education, Champlain College

Brief Biography
I have played many roles in my life and, like loyal friends, my energy and smile have been with me through them all. The abbreviated list* of people I have been (or have attempted to be) is as follows in no particular order: mother of twins; wife; student; teacher; mentor; coach; presenter; baker; waitress; stand-up comic; dancer; member of the Board; advocate; dog sitter; special educator; fund raiser; artist; publicist; business owner; committee member; book seller; singer; baker; fitness instructor; director; friend; marathon runner; enrichment specialist; writer…
*please note that this list does not include the two weeks when I attempted to join the "real world" as a 9-5er in an accountant firm = BAD news.

Interests & Hobbies
Guitar, drums, creative writing, human development, singing, dancing, graphic design, dogs, outdoors, studying, and general trouble making.

Inspirational Quote
"Be daring. Be different. Be impractical. Be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play it safers, the creatures of common place, the slaves of ordinary." - Cecil Beaton

Sarah Lubold (2011)

Education
BA, English Literature, Minor in Ecological Agriculture, University of Vermont
MA candidate, TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), St. Michael's College

Brief Biography
Born and raised in Braintree, Vermont. As an only child, I grew up exploring the woods surrounding my home and reading countless fantasy and science fiction novels including J.R.R. Tolkien, Nancy Farmers & Ray Bradbury.

Interests & Hobbies
Creating new memories and traditions, felted knitting, self-sufficiency, growing food, vegan/vegetarian cooking, traveling, reading quirky stories, sharing experiences with others.

Inspirational Quote
"The light which puts out our eyes is darkness to us. Only that day dawns to which we are awake. There is more day to dawn. The sun is but a morning star." --Walden, H.D. Thoreau

Best Bellwether Moment
Each day yields "best moments" to take onward.

Annie Noel (2010)

Education
BS, Elementary Education, Wheelock College
HomeSchool, Stay at Home Mom, School: at times, wished there was one!

Brief Biography
Education was a part of my life. It surrounded us because my dad worked in private schools and we grew up on school campuses. After college, I married Bill and taught for 10 years then became a stay-at-home-mom. I have two sons, Will (age 22) and Sam (age 16). I'm returning to teaching by finding Bellwether!

Interests & Hobbies
Reading/literacy, gardens/birds, crafts, volunteering (friends of the library, local school committees)

Inspirational Quote
"Listen to advice and accept instruction and in the end you will be wise." --proverbs 19:20

Highlights
Helped bring "Millie" the bookmobile to town

Best Bellwether Moment
The dump trucks hidden in the tree because a group of children didn't want another group to fill up the hole they were digging.

Throughout the year our staff participates in professional development aimed at growing and refining our teaching talents as well as affirming our commitment to holistic education. The quality of a Bellwether student's experience depends largely on the knowledge, skills, experience and health of our teachers. Naturally, the quality of our school depends on the professional growth of our teachers and how their knowledge is implemented in their programs and shared with colleagues.

We honor the whole teacher and his/her growth socially, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, physically. Our teachers are the model of inquiry, curiosity, persistence and willingness to take risks - it is imperative that their health as a whole person is honored and supported. Our professional development cultivates a teacher's sensitivity, creativity, spontaneity, responsibility, compassion, and sense of wonder. We encourage teachers to nurture their own inner growth through reflection, discussion, collaboration and journaling.