All of our teachers are licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, have extensive training in early childhood, and many hold advanced graduates degrees of study in Early Childhood Education or a closely related field. Our experienced teachers combine their understanding of child development with their observations and the interests of children, to develop their emergent curriculum. Teachers prepare thoughtful learning environments that invite children to make further discoveries, generate new ideas, experiment, and make meaning of the children’s learning within the context of their play.

We invest in, value, and support our teachers, by providing a full benefit package which includes employer contributions to health, dental, and a simple IRA account. We offer a competitive salary, generous paid time off, built in planning and documentation time, and ongoing professional development to attract and retain experienced, well qualified teachers.

 

Shannon Nelson Pope, M.A. Ed. | Founder/Executive Director

Shannon is an educational consultant and the Founder and Executive Director of Stony Brook School, which follows an emergent, play-based curriculum for preschool aged children and is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach. She has a master’s degree in Innovative Early Childhood Education from the University of Colorado, Denver and the Boulder Journey School and holds over 20 years of experience working with children and their families. 

Shannon is passionate about play pedagogy, and believes in its power to engage both children and adults alike in meaningful, engaging, and contextual learning experiences. She is dedicated to providing innovative classroom environments that recognize and support children's individual learning approaches and development, while honoring their hundred languages. 

She is the proud mama to her creative and energetic 10 year old daughter, whom she and her husband are homeschooling. She attributes her passion and understanding of the need to support children’s unique learning styles to her daughter, who she credits to having been her greatest teacher.

 

Diane Rollo, M.S. Child Development and Curriculum | Director of Education

Diane has dedicated over 30 years of her career to working with children, teachers, and families. Having been introduced to the Reggio Emilia approach while receiving her master’s degree in Child Development and Curriculum at Wheelock College, Diane was one of the first delegates  from the U.S. to visit the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. She held intimate conversations with the founders, teachers and pedagogistas and later became part of the Early Childhood Exchange, a group of educators committed to sharing Reggio best practices with schools, bringing the 100 Languages of Children exhibit to Boston’s City Hall. These life experiences helped shape her educational philosophy- Children come to us as powerful capable beings ready to learn and explore their ideas. Teachers are the facilitators and collaborators of the learning process, making intentional decisions regarding the learning environment and experiences for children. Creating partnerships with families is critical to the collaborative learning process and success of any program.

Dance is another great passion for her, as Diane has had the opportunity to study and perform with Boston Ballet and other companies. She credits dance as having also influenced her work with children, understanding first hand, the important role movement plays in fostering creativity, critical thinking skills, and emotional regulation.

 

Alexis Jones, M.A. Ed | Director of Admissions

Alexis received both her undergraduate and master’s degrees from Boston University, majoring in Developmental Psychology and Early Childhood Education. She has worked with preschool aged children for the past 10 years and has recently been promoted to our leadership team at Stony Brook School as our Director of Admissions. Alexis attributes her own love for learning and motivation for teaching to the playful learning experiences she received in a Montessori school as a child.

Alexis appreciates the perspective children offer -  how they view the world with a fresh pair of eyes and how they approach problems in non-traditional and often more effective ways. The idea that “children are capable human beings that can shape their own learning experiences” resonates strongly with Alexis, which has influenced her desire to work in a Reggio inspired school. She feels it is important for children to know how powerful they are, and aims to nurture their independence, curiosity, and confidence through their learning experiences.

 

Genie Blasingame, M.S. Behavioral Therapy | Support Teacher

Genie has a master’s degree in Behavioral Therapy and is a compassionate educator specializing in working with children with autism spectrum disorder and neurodivergences for the past 7 years. She is currently working towards obtaining a Certificate in Advanced Graduate Study in Expressive Arts Therapy at Lesley University and loves to heal, teach, and inspire children through the creative process. Genie is  inspired by the arts-based and play-based inquiry that the Reggio Emilia model provides and believes children are intelligent, perceptive and capable. Genie believes the Reggio Emilia approach encourages and nurtures these qualities and says she is “proud to be a part of school that engages in the creative process,” because “it is necessary not only for growth but healing.” 

During her spare time Genie loves making art and spending time with animals of any kind. She has 3 wonderful cats, is also a dog trainer and walker, and  absolutely love farm animals!

 

Sally Weinstein, B.A. | Lead Teacher

Sally holds a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Special Education from the University of Vermont, where much of her studies were focused around the Reggio Emilia approach to education. She has taught in a variety of early childhood settings including public, private, and home settings. Sally appreciates how child-centered the Reggio Emilia approach is and feels connected to the ideal of seeing children as capable and competent human beings.  She believes children are able to guide their own learning processes, which helps them build a love and curiosity about learning that does not always occur in other approaches to education. Having grown up in Vermont, Sally holds a appreciation for nature, which is something that she feels passionate about cultivating in her teaching practice as well.

 

Yah-Yah Wright | Support Teacher

Yah-Yah moved to Boston from Miami in 2013 to attend Boston Arts Academy to pursue his earlier dream of becoming a professional musician. Throughout his time in high school and college he was given opportunities to work with children of all ages through programs such as Hyde Square Task Force, City Spotlights, and the YMCA, which is what eventually inspired him to want to become an early childhood educator. One of the many things he loves about working with children is seeing how creative they can be, and he appreciates the opportunity to help nurture and grow their sense of imagination and inventiveness. Yah-Yah credits his work with children to understanding the importance of honoring your own inner child and learning to channel it in ways that help build a positive environment for yourself and those around you.