Meet the Staff!

Megan Vespa Godfrey

Megan Godfrey has been working at Annette's Preschool for over 6 years now and holds the role of Preschool Director and Protective Service Provider here at Annette's Preschool: The Smart Start Academy! She graduated Essex High School with honors and as a participant of the Essex Big/Little Program where she first developed her love for working with children. She attended Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York where she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor's Degree in both Elementary Education and Special Education with a minor in Psychology. Upon college graduation in December of 2006, Megan was hired at Annette's Preschool as a Lead Teacher in the Infant/Toddler Program, as well as the Schoolage Director in the Clubhouse for both afterschool care as well as Summer Camp. Throughout several of these years, Megan also taught special morning classes to explore sensory and large motor skills. As Director, Megan continues to create partnerships and strengthen accreditations that support the nationwide initiative of quality early education. Megan has been pursuing her Vermont teaching license and hopes to begin the process towards her Master's Degree in the near future. She loves working and playing with children, and finds their energy and kind nature to be inspiring. Megan currently lives in Underhill, Vermont with her husband and three dogs.

Angela Record

Angela Record is the Assistant Director/Office Manager here at Annette’s Preschool. She has been employed at Annette’s Preschool for 10 years. During her time in the Infant Room, she earned her CDA, which is a nationally recognized credential for Early Childhood Educators. After being Lead Teacher in the Infant Program for 8 years, she has moved into the position of Assistant Director. Communication and organization are just two of her strengths, which she hopes will benefit all of the Annette’s Preschool Community. She lives in Bristol with her 3 children ages 15, 12, and 9.

Maria Tenney-Lawyer

Maria has been working here at Annette's Preschool for the last 4 years, all of which she has been the lead teacher of our Pre-Kindergarten Program! She was also the Preschool Director for a year of her time here at our school, in which she reformed and improved our school greatly! Maria received her Bachelor's of Science in Elementary Education in 2005. Since her graduation she has become a Protective Service Provider for the center and has helped coordinate the Pre-K Partnership through grant writing and training. In addition, Maria has recently obtained her Early Education Endorsement towards her Vermont State Teaching License. Maria has been a wonderful host for our family and community events, such as Literacy Nights and Open Houses. Maria lives in Huntington with her husband and dog, Cabella.

Julie Haaijema

Julie Haaijema began working at Annette’s Preschool in the fall of 2011 as a teacher in the Preschool Program, and has brought an immense amount of passion and best practice to our school. In 2005, she earned an Associate’s Degree in Business from Castleton State College and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Art with a minor in Art History in 2007. After traveling and working for a few years, Julie discovered that all of her endeavors happily involved children, so she returned to Castleton in 2010 for Masters-level Education courses to earn her Vermont State teaching license in Elementary Education (K-6). She has been working and volunteering with children for many years as an aunt, a nanny, a tutor, a student teacher in first grade, and a Sunday school teacher. Julie’s various teaching experiences have uncovered a love of working with younger students, and she now plans to pursue an additional endorsement in Early Education. Julie also works as a mentor for the Building Blocks for Literacy program that promotes preliteracy skills to preschool-age children and uses these activities and skills regularly in the classroom. We are blessed and honored to have Julie as a part of our team!

Maeghan Bennett

Maeghan Bennett's passion for children began with her first babysitting job when she was just 13, and since then her passion has blossomed into an exciting and rewarding career in early education. Aside from babysitting, she has also pursued many other child-care related experiences during her high school years; she was a mentor, a member of the “Big Sister” program, and an afterschool buddy. Also during this time, Maeghan began working with a small, local preschool where she worked as an assistant teacher for four years while attending college. In 2007, Maeghan began working for Annette's Preschool as a summer assistant teacher, and then as a floater and afterschool assistant teacher. In 2008, she received her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Vermont and began teaching full-time in the Older Toddler's Room! Since then, Maeghan’s classroom has transformed into an enriching Preschool Program classroom that largely focuses on kindergarten readiness and enrichment. Maeghan has obtained her K-6 Vermont teaching license, and in the near future hopes to continue her education by taking college courses in the evenings to work towards her Master's Degree in Social Work or Child Psychology.

Ashley Durand

Ashley has always loved being around children and realized that she should pursue her passion of children after going to business school at the University of South Alabama and not getting much inner fulfillment out of it. She quickly decided to move back home to Vermont and started substituting at Bristol Elementary. She became a full time educational assistant with children grades K-6 with behavioral and special needs for four and a half years. In this time, she realized her passion for the younger years and found herself working at Annette’s Preschool. She quickly found her niche in the Toddler and Preschool classrooms and has done an absolutely phenomenal job preparing the children socially, emotionally, and cognitively for their future. She expects to obtain her Child Development Associate Degree in 2013, as she has already begun the heavy course load and completed several of the classes with stellar grades.

Lindsay LePage

Lindsay has been a member of the Annette's Preschool staff since the summer of 2002. In that time, Lindsay has worked with the Infant/Toddler, Preschool, and School Age Programs. Lindsay graduated High School in 2002, and received a two year certificate at the Burlington Technical Center in the Human Services Program. After her graduation, Lindsay attended CCV and achieved her Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education in 2005. Lindsay is an important asset to our school, as she has been active in raising money and supporting children that attend with special needs. Lindsay lives in Essex Jct. with her husband, Matthew.

Emily Pogue

Emily first began her work here as a part-time substitute while completing college at UVM. In 2011, she graduated from UVM with honors and an English Major. Her passion for working with children came as a result of her bi-lingual background throughout this education. Emily is fluent in Spanish; taking Spanish classes since grade school and continuing through college. In 2011 & 2012, Emily had the opportunity to work as a in the Dominican Republic as a teacher of children ages 8-15. This experience, in combination with her experience substituting in the Preschool Program here at Annette’s Preschool, has flourished her love of children. The staff and Director here at the Preschool, were honored when Emily expressed her interest in a full-time teaching position, and she was immediately hired after her 2012 summer teaching job in the DR. She loves the high energy of the Jaguar Classroom and enjoys running and playing outside with the children in their natural world. On weekends, Emily works as a Personal Care Assistant for a child with Cerebral Palsy, and finds his positive attitude to be inspiring. Her work and passion for children of all ages has influenced her future goals, as Emily hopes to obtain her Ph.D in Child Development, and work all around the world for Doctors Without Borders. She lives in Burlington, Vermont with her cat, Barnaby (who visits from time to time as well!).

Pamela Bissonnette

Pam has been worked and educated little minds for over 10 years now, and has graced us with her knowledge and kind nature for the past year here at Annette's Preschool! Pam received her Child Development Associates Certification in 2007, and continues to attend workshops and seminars monthly. She has worked with all ages and has recently found her niche in the Toddler Program, “They bring so much curiosity and joy into my day!” Pam lives right here in Hinesburg with her husband and three children; Brittany, age 15, Max, age 12, and Cooper, age 8.

Rhonda Morrow

Rhonda has been working here at Annette's for about two years now in the Infant/Toddler Program! Prior to her employment here, Rhonda worked at the Play & Learn C enter in Lancaster, New Hampshire for five years where she helped with ages from 6 weeks to 8 years! During this time Rhonda enrolled in two lengthy courses on Infant & Toddler Development and Health, Safety, and Nutrition. Rhonda's expertise and experience have been such a valuable asset to our Older Toddler classroom where she has connected with each and every child. Rhonda lives in Bristol with her daughter, April.

Khari Lizotte

Khari Lizotte is the newest member of our teaching team here at Annette’s Preschool, acting as Lead Teacher in our Mobile Infant Program. Khari graduated from the University of Vermont in 2008 with a Bachelor’s Degree is Early Childhood Education, concentrating on Communication Science and Special Education. Shortly after graduating, Khari worked at the UVM Campus Children’s Center and as a nanny for several years. Upon hiring here at the Preschool in 2012, Khari’s teaching philosophy of teaching is reflected every day in her classroom. She believes that all children, even the very youngest ones, are unique, capable, competent, and curious. She has worked so hard to passionately create environments and education opportunities that value the children’s interests – environments that are highly social and allow for exploration. Her little ones are given the opportunity to explore and experience their world through sensory, media investigations, and play every single day here at Annette’s Preschool. Khari has brought her joy and passion for creativity and the arts to our center, which can be seen in both her curriculum and her photography throughout the school. She has already captured countless moments of joy, wonder, learning, and discovery and we hope to that she continues to capture many more!

Amy Heath

Amy has been working here at Annette’s for about two years teaching in our Mobile Infant Program. She has always had a passion for working with children. She started babysitting at the age of 12; she was active in such activities as Big/Little Program as well as an internship at one of the local elementary schools. She graduated from CCV in 2009 with an Associate’s Degree and is continuing to further education at Johnson State College starting in Fall of 2012. Amy resides in Bristol with her husband and three children.

Tanya Girard

Tanya Girard has been in the field of early childhood education for over three years now, working with children from the ages of 6 weeks to 12 years of age. She previously worked in a center in the state of New Hampshire where she achieved her Lead Teaching Credential and became proficient in the field of special education. Recently however, while receiving employment at our center, Tanya has found her niche in the nursery working with infants, ages 6 weeks to 1 year. She has lots of experience with infant development and Baby Sign Language, which she has been implementing this with her co-teacher Samantha. Tanya loves to get messy and be silly with the babies! She is the proud mother of two children; a six and nine year old daughter that both attend HCS and our After School Program here at the Clubhouse. She recently moved to Hinesburg, and has been such a wonderful and nurturing addition to our program!

Samantha Kelley

Samantha Kelley is one of our newer assets to Annette’s Preschool, and her instinctual caring nature and love for working with children has made her such a valuable member of our school. She has worked in childcare for about 4 years now, and was hired at Annette’s Preschool in January of 2012. Starting as a substitute teacher she had the opportunity to work with the Infant, Toddler, and Preschool classrooms. Gravitating towards the Infant Program, we instantly scooped her up as the permanent Teaching Assistant in our young Infant classroom. Samantha is enrolled in college where she is majoring in Early Childhood Education and also continues to attend educational workshops. We are so excited to help her build her career, experience, and education here at Annette’s Preschool!

Skyler Perkins

Skyler Perkins joined our After School Program called the Clubhouse in 2012, and has been such a fun asset to our program! Skyler grew up in Chittenden County and eventually went to UVM.  There he majored in Global Studies and minored in Community and International Development and Spanish. Through these studies he took some related education courses and gained an appreciation for the importance of supporting the next generation.   At the same time Skyler has been coaching soccer and skiing for the last 6 years and has spent three years in various after school programs.  Skyler loves to run around with the kids and help them build forts in the wood, and serves as an excellent role model for all of the children here in the Clubhouse.

Tenzin Sherab

Tenzin Sherab has been enriching the Clubhouse After School Program since the Fall of 2012 as our After School Assistant Teacher. He has been working alongside with Skyler Perkins, also a teacher in the Clubhouse, who is a good friend of his. Sherab is originally from Northern India and grew up in Burlington, Vermont. He has gone through the King Street Youth Center in Burlington, Vermont when he was younger and was a recipient of the Roxane Leopold scholarship. He attended Burlington College for three and a half years for Human Service. Currently, Sherab is in the final phase of his four years at Burlington College and is hoping to gain some ideas for his degree project for school with his experience here at the Clubhouse! He has worked at the Baird Center for Children and Families as a substitute residential counselor. He found it to be challenging work, but immensely rewarding as he learned how tough the circumstances were for many of those children. He enjoys being outdoors, playing basketball, going hiking, photography, and learning more about world cultures and music. His patience, creativity, and positive outlook has been such an amazing attribute to the children and staff here at The Clubhouse!