Meet the NHTI Child and Family Development Center Staff
The Director is responsible for the daily operations of the Center, the development of policies and procedures, and the ongoing supervision of staff and Center performance. The Director works with staff in terms of curriculum development, staff training and professional development, and continued overall improvement.
There is a Lead Teacher in each classroom. Their role is to lead the teaching team in terms of classroom management & curriculum planning, and oversee communication with families.
Each classroom team also has an Assistant Teacher and a Teacher's Aide. They work as part of the team in terms of curriculum planning, interactions with children, and classroom management.
Throughout the school year, several ECE student teachers come to CFDC for their practicum placements. They work under the supervision of the Lead Teachers and Director, implementing activities, learning to interact in a meaningful and supportive manner, and connecting theory to practice. In addition, Work Study students occasionally work here, filling an important role as teachers' supports. Usually, they are also in the ECE program, but occasionally we also enjoy students from the Nursing or Human Services departments.
Director's Office
Lisa Ranfos has worked in the field of Early Childhood Education for over 15 years in various roles including infant teacher, preschool teacher, Kindergarten teacher, Director and Mentor, and college instructor. She has a BA in early childhood education and is in the midst of her Master's from Wheelock College.
"Working in this setting is a dream come true. I love spending time in the classroom to support teachers with observations and documentation they may be working on. I also enjoy forming relationships with the children and families that are enrolled in the program. I believe when the director is visible to families, it creates an open relationship that creates a whole community."
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Carrie Dupell
Lead Teacher Infant Room NH Credential Lead Teacher Level III Associate's Degree in ECE, NHTI |
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"Every day brings new experiences in the lives of young children, I feel fortunate to be able to be a part of each child's life as they develop and learn. At CFDC, I strive to provide a nurturing and developmentally appropriate environment for the children and students."
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Beryl MacCormack
Assistant Teacher, Infant Room NH Credential Lead Teacher Level I Associate's degree in Education, NHTI |
Beryl also has a background in Visual Arts, and has taught kindergarten as well as younger children."I have always had a passion for children. The wonderment and curiosity of young minds has always amazed me. I have enjoyed working in an environment where the focus is on teaching using emergent curriculum. I came from a background where the facilitator is the teacher and it is nice to see children educating adults as much if not more than the adults are educating the children. The focus here is on the 'process' rather then the 'product' so each child is respected for their efforts and abilities. To me, education is about having fun while learning during the best time of your life."
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Lea Foley
Assistant Teacher, Infant Room |
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"What do I love about working with Infants and Toddlers?... encouraging the excitement for learning"Like little scientists whose new discoveries make everyday fascinating, infants and toddlers learn through playing. Whether they are using their senses or their cognitive skills, children develop their understanding of themselves and the world around them through direct interaction. At the Child & Family Development Center at NHTI, children are the center of learning. Caregivers facilitate and encourage developmentally appropriate learning everyday. Through extensive documentation and interaction, the Center is able to create a learning environment that is specific to the needs of its children."
... committing all my energy to the child
... recognizing that every moment is a teachable moment
... most of all, the smiles and laughter, giggles and camaraderie of
children at play
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| The Preschool Team |
Lori Warner
Lead Teacher, Preschool Room
NH Credential Lead Teacher Level III
Associate's Degree in ECE, NHTI
"I thrive on the 'Ah-has' that the early care and education field has to offer, both as a reflective professional and as an educator of young children. To be a participant in the wonders of mud, or to be in on the cutting edge of curriculum development, early childhood education is a challenging and satisfying career choice for me. The CFDC is a place that respects children and childhood, advocates for 'best practices,' and supports teachers in their role as researcher in the quest to make a tangible difference in the field of ECE and in children's lives."
Katie Lugg
Preschool Teacher Assistant
NH Credential: Lead Teacher Level II
Associate's Degree in ECE, NHTI
"Working in ECE helps me to see how children learn and grow. I enjoy seeing them discover things for the first time. I like working at the NHTI Lab School because I can show incoming ECE students a positive learning environment for young children."
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Bonnie Morin
Teacher Assistant, Preschool Room Associate's Degree student in ECE, NHCTC Laconia Bonnie has a background in music, and has worked with preschool children for many years. She joins us from another lab school in the Laconia area where she lives with her family. |
Kathy Caruso
Student Intern
NH Credential: Lead Teacher I
ECE student, NHTI
Kathy fills the important end-of-day support role in both the infant and family rooms. She is working on her Associate degree in ECE at NHTI."Being part of the CFDC's teaching team is a great experience for a beginning teacher. The staff has so much to offer with their various educated backgrounds. It is a rewarding gift for me to be an active participant in creating an enriched learning environment for young children."
Andrea Foster
Lead Teacher, Family Room
Karen Felch
Teacher Assistant, Family Room
NH Credential: Lead Teacher Level III
Associate's Degree in ECE, NHCTC Manchester
"I enjoy working at the Child and Family Development Center because it is hands-on learning with the children each and every day."
Floaters
Lisha Colby
Assistant Teacher, Floater
NH Credential
Associate's degree, Rivier College
"My motivation comes from doing music and movement with children of all ages. Music and movement helps with tasks such as transition time and allows children to express themselves as individuals while learning and having fun."
Cassandra Kowalik
Assistant Teacher, Floater
Bachelor's Degree in Speech Pathology, Bloomsburg University, PA
Graduate student at UNH
"There is nothing more rewarding than watching children learn and grow by experiencing the world around them. I love to watch each child develop into the unique person they are. Seeing a child smile makes me want to smile back."