Pamela - Appletree Founder
Her deep farming roots are an integral part of the basis of Appletree School. Due to her own farming experience, she promotes opportunities that engage young people in outdoor activities and raises awareness about local farming and the natural world around us. Additionally, Pamela's ingenuity and resourcefulness are coupled with a sense of play and enthusiasm which she brings to her interactions with both children, parents and staff.
Pamela enjoys family time with her two grown daughters, spending time in downeast Maine, tending gardens and hard work. She is very proud of Appletree School!
AMY - Assistant Director
Amy has been a teacher at Appletree School since 2003. Growing up in Freeport, she spent many years working with children in the community and decided to focus on early childhood education, graduating with an Early Childhood Degree.
Amy loves being part of the multi aged program that Appletree offers. She believes the multi aged classroom helps nurture childrens flexibility, social emotional development and friendships. She also loves the philosophy of having the outdoor classroom accessible for children to explore in, create in and work in. The outdoor setting and natural environment at Appletree brings so much curiosity and wonder to young children.
Carrie - Director
Carrie has over 40 years of early childhood experience. Starting her career at The Children’s Museum, Carrie continued her work at The University of Southern Maine and University of New England as both Head Teacher and college instructor to student teachers. Carrie has taught in a variety of settings from the Head Start classroom to Parent Cooperatives.
Carrie is both a teacher and a student. Carrie works with children and families in the spirit of the "Reggio" Way, respecting and nurturing their interests. She listens, reflects and uses the environment as a tool for teaching and lengthening a child's natural curiosity.
Carrie believes Appletree School is the ideal school for both the teacher and young children. It is here that children will be surrounded by beauty and new experiences. The physical setting naturally peaks the imagination and wonder in Maine seasons and love of the outdoors. The outdoor educational environment is important to Carrie, where she is able to foster the love of nature, learning and building healthy character and relationships with young children.
Maggie
Maggie grew up in Western Massachusetts and has lived in Maine for 3 years. Maggie developed her love for outdoor, nature-based education while working at a Waldorf program in Hadley, MA. For over 15 years, she has worked with children ranging from ages 0-15 and has always prioritized cultivating and encouraging the joys of nature and play.
Maggie has always been a lover of the natural world, especially animals. Outside of teaching, she loves to take long walks and look for all of the wildlife that Maine has to
Amy brings spanish into the curriculum as well as mixing literacy with cooking and exploring recipes with our "Cooking with a Book” days. She believes immersing children in rich learning experiences is important in early childhood. Amy lives in Portland with her husband Geoff and their 2 children Caleb and Chloe, who attended Appletree School through their preschool years.
Phyllis
deep appreciation for nature and wildlife into the classroom. She believes that working with children offers a unique opportunity to reconnect with our inner child, reminding us of the pure, authentic human experiences we once had. With a passion for both art and nature, Phyllis is committed to helping young learners explore and grow in ways that are both fun and meaningful.
Our child-centered program is built by our experienced teachers to fit the ever-changing developmental, emotional, and academic needs of our students. We have the gift of our outdoor classrooms, as well as bright and engaging indoor learning spaces. Our independent status invites creativity and joy into our curriculum, allowing us to focus on the arts, science, literacy, math and the whole child through a play and nature based curriculum.
The teachers at Appletree School in Cape Elizabeth, Maine favor an experiential, hands-on approach to teaching preschool, believing that this is the best way to meet the needs of body, mind and spirit.
Phyllis is from the Passamaquoddy Reservation in Indian Township, Maine, and has a strong connection to the land and its cultural heritage. After studying at the University of Maine in Orono, Phyllis taught at the Leadership School with Kieve-Wavus Education in Midcoast Maine, where she focused on outdoor education and social and emotional learning. She also spent four summers as an art director and teacher in Southampton, NY, where she fostered creativity and expression in campers.
Phyllis is a dedicated educator who brings a
Melissa is originally from central Maryland where she grew up with an everlasting love for nature and the arts. Melissa’s first job as a preschool teacher was at the same preschool she attended as a child, which was also an outdoor educational environment. She is excited to have returned to a similar setting at Appletree among the beautiful nature and wildlife of Maine.
Melissa
Melissa believes young children thrive the most when they’re exploring the world around them, and are able to express themselves authentically through different styles of art. She enjoys cultivating the curiosity and creativity of the kids at Appletree!
Sara is often your first point of contact, and she welcomes your inquiries. As a parent to three adult Appletree alumni and a former teaching assistant, Sara holds a deep connection to the school. Her children still credit much of their love of nature to the years spent in the outdoor spaces at Appletree.
Sara believes in collaboration, openness and thoughtful observation as the base to building a solid community of teachers, young learners and family members. She has a heartfelt connection to the ocean in all sesons, enjoys cooking for others and growing a wild and adventurous garden during our spectacular Maine summers.
Nikki
Nikki grew up in New Hampshire and moved to the Portland area 8 years ago. She graduated from Keene State College with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and Antioch University with a certificate as an Autism specialist. Nikki has been a dedicated preschool teacher since high school and has a heart full of warmth and compassion. With two energetic boys of her own, she brings a deep understanding of child development to the classroom.
Nikki has always enjoyed the outdoors. Her absolute favorite places to be are at the beach with her boys or at her family camp in the White Mountains. She enjoys hiking, biking, camping and exploring all the wonderful landmarks. Nikki is very excited to be working within the Appletree community where she can continue to grow and learn as an educator!
offer, including outdoor cats! She is also an Ultimate Frisbee player and a printmaker and loves to share these skills/passions with kiddos.
Through developing and leading programs for all ages, Maggie honed the skills to encourage children to freely explore and learn about the world around them. She believes that children can grow beautiful skills and understandings from interacting with nature and each other. She is thrilled to further grow as an educator within the supportive, creative and encouraging community that is Appletree!
Jessie
Jessie grew up in rural Vermont and spent her childhood playing in nature and hiking all over New England (including in Acadia National Park- one of her favorite places!).
Jessie earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Vermont, where she studied Communication Sciences and Disorders as well as Special Education. Since graduating, she has worked in various schools and summer camps in Vermont, with children ages 3-12. She believes that compassion and patience are key when working with children, and
loves to see their personalities grow and expand over the school year as they get comfortable and gain confidence. She also appreciates the way that nature supports children's emotional well-being and creativity, and is looking forward to helping cultivate the relationship between the children and nature. She enjoyes being immersed in nature at Appletree, and especially looks forward to snowy days!
Traca
Traca comes to Appletree from a long time yoga and meditation background (which is still alive and well). She grew up in Maine, loving exploring the natural world around her home and found yoga and meditation early on as a way to connect even more deeply with herself and the world around her. Traca has an undergrad degree in art from California State University Northridge and a Master's Degree in Yoga Studies from Loyola Marymount University. Her master's thesis was titled Mindful Nature and chronicled a program she co created with her professor, in which the curriculum supports folks in feeling more connected to
the natural world and each other through practices in nature. She has spent many years as a 'Mindfulness Expert' and volunteer with a humanitarian organization called iACT which has refugee led social emotional/play based pre-school programs and also soccer programs for folks displaced by war. She has spent time in Eastern Chad working with displaced populations from Sudan, in Cameroon, Armenia etc. She believes strongly in the power of play and nature and is so happy to be sharing with and learning from the wonderful teachers, students and families at Appletree.
Traca has two grown children who she still loves playing outside with!
Greer
Greer was born in Keene NH and raised in Western Connecticut. Her connection to Maine comes from spending summers with her family on Long Island in Harpswell. This off-grid, only accessible by boat, summer home afforded her the opportunity to develop a deep respect and love for the environment. The woods and water were her playground. Summers were spent foraging, building fairy houses, and swimming. Her love for Maine led her to attend the University of Maine, Farmington where she earned a BA degree in Outdoor Recreation and Management.
She has a passion for working with children and has been a ski instructor for the past 5 years teaching ages 3-16 how to ski. She also spent time with Safe Passages (Camino Seguro), working in Guatemala City assisting children learn English and other skills to help them escape the cycle of poverty. Greer loves all outdoor activities and spending time in nature while hiking, kayaking and paddleboarding. She loves travel and hiked the El Camino through Spain this past spring. Her adventurous spirit has taken her to the Netherlands, Germany, Israel, France and several other countries.
Sara
