The Teaching Team, the Heartbeat of Our Program!
Our teaching team consists of caring and skilled early childhood professionals who have a variety of education and experience. E.J.’s employs Vermont licensed teachers, teachers with 4-year education degrees, teachers with 4-year field related degrees, teachers with master's degrees, certified VCCICC Vermont State Apprentices, teachers with CDA’s, teachers with technical program Early Childhood certifications, Teachstone CLASS certified assessors, and Northern Lights registered instructors. As a program focused on leadership in our community, we pride ourselves on our involvement in organizations and activities which impact the children and families we serve, and the community at large. We have Ambassadors in the Let's Grow Kids organization, we attend Early Childhood Day at the Legislature, annual Rally for Kids, annual Kindergarten Conferences, various field related conferences and ACT 166 Early Learning Partner meetings. We organize and sponsor professional development opportunities for early education programs in our area, we work collaboratively with other local program Directors in the Leaders Bridging the Divide partnership, and we sit on invitation only pilot programs that work to benefit the field of Early Education. We proudly display teacher photos and biographies in the front entry which detail each teacher’s education and experience. These are available for parents to review whenever they wish. E.J.’s requires a minimum of 30 hours yearly of on-going professional development and a commitment to furthering education and skills in the field of ECE. Teachers at E.J.’s meet and exceed qualifications as specified by the State of Vermont, and all teachers have approved Vt. State background checks including finger print clearance. Teachers are certified in infant, child, and adult CPR and First Aid as well as Medication Administration. E.J.'s is a VT. state Protective Service Provider and teachers at E.J.’s are required to complete 6 hours of Basic Specialized Care training with additional Advanced Specialized Care training annually. Teachers are also required to participate in personal leadership courses addressing the growth of professional communication skills, DISC temperament profile training, non-violent communication and more. E.J.’s is a sponsor for the Vermont State Apprenticeship Program in the field of ECE, and a teaching facility for the students and interns of Center for Technology Essex who are enrolled in the ECE program. E.J.’s celebrates the teaching team as the very heartbeat of the program, and strives to nurture connected, positive relationships with the teaching team. The program is very fortunate to have many long-term, highly qualified and dedicated teachers working for our team.
HEARTBEAT is defined as: the vital center or driving impulse; an animating or vital unifying force; the person or thing that is most important in forming the character of a place, organization, etc. and giving it energy; the very pulse of the heart.
OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
At E.J.'s, we believe that we are all leaders in our program! Within this framework of leadership, each learning community within the program has a Team Leader that helps to guide that group of children and teachers towards excellence.
Main Office Team:
Laurel Pelkey-Morin, Owner/Administrator (26 years)
Courtney Bessette, Co-Director of Operations (23 years)
Hillary Gorby, Co-Director of Operations (18 years)
Jessica Lavee, Program Director of Education (18 years)
Infant Team Leader:
Lindy Dykema, Program Supervisor (14 years)
Young Toddler Team Leader:
Jessica Lavee, Program Director of Education (18 years)
Older Toddler Team Leader:
Amanda Fialkievicz, Program Supervisor (2 years)
Preschool Team Leaders:
Robin Dion, VT Licensed Teacher (4 years)
Hillary Gorby, Co-Director of Operations (18 years)
Our teaching team consists of caring and skilled early childhood professionals who have a variety of education and experience. E.J.’s employs Vermont licensed teachers, teachers with 4-year education degrees, teachers with 4-year field related degrees, teachers with master's degrees, certified VCCICC Vermont State Apprentices, teachers with CDA’s, teachers with technical program Early Childhood certifications, Teachstone CLASS certified assessors, and Northern Lights registered instructors. As a program focused on leadership in our community, we pride ourselves on our involvement in organizations and activities which impact the children and families we serve, and the community at large. We have Ambassadors in the Let's Grow Kids organization, we attend Early Childhood Day at the Legislature, annual Rally for Kids, annual Kindergarten Conferences, various field related conferences and ACT 166 Early Learning Partner meetings. We organize and sponsor professional development opportunities for early education programs in our area, we work collaboratively with other local program Directors in the Leaders Bridging the Divide partnership, and we sit on invitation only pilot programs that work to benefit the field of Early Education. We proudly display teacher photos and biographies in the front entry which detail each teacher’s education and experience. These are available for parents to review whenever they wish. E.J.’s requires a minimum of 30 hours yearly of on-going professional development and a commitment to furthering education and skills in the field of ECE. Teachers at E.J.’s meet and exceed qualifications as specified by the State of Vermont, and all teachers have approved Vt. State background checks including finger print clearance. Teachers are certified in infant, child, and adult CPR and First Aid as well as Medication Administration. E.J.'s is a VT. state Protective Service Provider and teachers at E.J.’s are required to complete 6 hours of Basic Specialized Care training with additional Advanced Specialized Care training annually. Teachers are also required to participate in personal leadership courses addressing the growth of professional communication skills, DISC temperament profile training, non-violent communication and more. E.J.’s is a sponsor for the Vermont State Apprenticeship Program in the field of ECE, and a teaching facility for the students and interns of Center for Technology Essex who are enrolled in the ECE program. E.J.’s celebrates the teaching team as the very heartbeat of the program, and strives to nurture connected, positive relationships with the teaching team. The program is very fortunate to have many long-term, highly qualified and dedicated teachers working for our team.
HEARTBEAT is defined as: the vital center or driving impulse; an animating or vital unifying force; the person or thing that is most important in forming the character of a place, organization, etc. and giving it energy; the very pulse of the heart.
OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
At E.J.'s, we believe that we are all leaders in our program! Within this framework of leadership, each learning community within the program has a Team Leader that helps to guide that group of children and teachers towards excellence.
Main Office Team:
Laurel Pelkey-Morin, Owner/Administrator (26 years)
Courtney Bessette, Co-Director of Operations (23 years)
Hillary Gorby, Co-Director of Operations (18 years)
Jessica Lavee, Program Director of Education (18 years)
Infant Team Leader:
Lindy Dykema, Program Supervisor (14 years)
Young Toddler Team Leader:
Jessica Lavee, Program Director of Education (18 years)
Older Toddler Team Leader:
Amanda Fialkievicz, Program Supervisor (2 years)
Preschool Team Leaders:
Robin Dion, VT Licensed Teacher (4 years)
Hillary Gorby, Co-Director of Operations (18 years)
