Annie is in her first year of teaching first grade after receiving her Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education from UNH this spring. Annie received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Vermont in Environmental Studies in 2008 and taught at a developmental preschool prior to entering graduate school.

Annie was drawn to teaching by her love of child development and the dynamic nature of the classroom. As Annie says, "Every day is different. You never know what to expect." Annie loves bringing her creativity to the classroom and making her students' time in first grade memorable. Annie fell in love with DCS during her first visit to the school. "From the front office in, everyone was so welcoming and nice. I loved walking down the halls and seeing all of the student work displayed. It was clear that creativity was valued here."

Annie currently lives in Concord, the town she grew up in. Outside of school, she works at her father's ice cream store, Arnie's, scooping her favorite food. Annie enjoys going to the ocean, riding her bike, and spending time with her family, especially her young niece and nephew. Welcome, Annie! We're glad to have you!

Every play you attend, every movie you see was made with the help of many behind the scenes people. Face it, we can‘t all be Angelina Jolie, or be married to Brad Pitt. These behind the scenes people are usually the life-blood of an event or of a business.

DCS has many such behind the scenes people, one of whom is Debbie Boisvert, our present technology coordinator. For the past 14 years she has transformed DCS into a 21st century educational environment. Much of the technology we have now came through her tireless grant writing efforts. In her 14 year tenure as tech coordinator DCS has become networked, has acquired multiple labs, laptop carts, interactive whiteboards and so much more.

Deb started at The George B White School 24 years ago, having moved to NH with her husband, Dick, from Ohio after receiving her BA in History in Wisconsin and her MA in Education from Ohio State. She taught 4th grade and multiage 4/5 and 5/6 grade classrooms for 10 years and has also served as part time assistant principal and grant manager. During an interview for a job in Deerfield, she felt a perfect match with the school�es philosophy and her own. She knew it was the perfect place for her own two children. Both of her sons graduated from DCS.

Deb feels that, "working with kids on challenging projects energizes me and I love to plan with teachers." Since technology is always changing and she loves to learn new things, Deb has found her perfect nitch. She loves "to make things possible that we never dreamed could happen at DCS".

Deb has been recognized with the NHSTE Technology Impact Award in 2006 validating her hard work here at DCS.

What does she do in her �\spare time.? Deb taught preservice teachers at UNH�es Live, Learn, and Teach program for five summers. She is an active community member in Deerfield through the Deerfield Heritage Commission, the Deerfield SwapShop and is on the board and Founding member of Forumhome.org. She loves spending time on projects with her archaeologist husband, traveling, knitting, gardening and playing with new tech gizmos!

Technology skills at DCS will continue to grow for both teachers and students as long as Deb Boisvert remains behind the scenes for us! Thanks, Deb!

Jerrica first came to DCS as an 8th grade student in 1992, when her family moved to Deerfield. She went on to attain her B.A. in Psychology and a Master's Degree in Special Edcuation at UNH. Jerrica came back to DCS in 2001 as a paraeducator, and in 2003, took a postition as a Special Educator and Case Manager.

Jerrica believes that all students can learn alongside their peers and can contribute back to their community. Her students describe her as "a teacher who helps kids solve social problems in a fun and creative way" and a "master of organization".

In her spare time, you can find Jerrica at her parents' farm in Deerfield, either cleaning stalls or riding her dressage horse, Kazimeras. When not at the farm, she enjoys spending time at her home (also in Deerfield) with her adorable Corgi, Peanut, and cats, Odie, Pumpkin and Graison.

Judy Daigle is a first grade teacher at Deerfield Community School. She began her teaching at D.C.S. in 1997 as a Reading Recovery teacher. Reading Recovery is an early intervention program for struggling readers and writers. She continued with this job until a first grade position became available in 2001. She has been there ever since.

Judy enjoys first graders because of their honesty and their excitement about learning new things. Children learn so many things in their first grade year. Before coming to D.C.S., Judy worked at Mt. Delight Preschool with three and four year olds. She lives in Deerfield with her husband, Al, and has a grown daughter and son who attended D.C.S. years ago. One of her favorite pastimes is camping during the summer in the White Mountains.

She has accumulated many funny stories over the years of teaching and says that a sense of humor is an absolute must.

Kristen Davis, DCS's very own kindergarten through third grade literacy specialist, calls New Hampshire her home. She says that there is just something about New Hampshire that always calls her back. Maybe it's because she loves being in the woods, experiencing the colorful fall days, driving a winding road, or being able to drive to such places as the ocean, Boston, or the mountains in about an hour. She's a born and raised Rhode Island girl and has made her home in such places as Missouri, Texas, California, and even Grenada!

Kristen holds a Bachelor's Degree in early childhood education from the University of Rhode Island, and a Master's Degree in Education with a Reading and Writing Specialist Certification from Cal State, Fullerton. Her broad range of experience as an educator for 21 years includes stints as a classroom teacher in preschool, first, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grades before coming to Deerfield to continue her career as a literacy specialist.

Kristen has worked with kids since she was 13 and began babysitting. She says that it's that experience that drew her to teaching and continues to motivate her. "As a teacher, every day can be different, every year is different. I never get bored. There is always something new to learn about or a challenge in meeting the needs of a struggling learner," says Kristen. "Meet the needs before you teach the child." It's something she always has in the back of her mind when she's trying to find the best ways to make sure a child is ready to learn.

When she's not working or carting her daughter to and from gymnastics practice, Kristen enjoys reading a good book, the sunshine on her face, and the sounds of waves hitting the shore (spoken as a true Rhode Island native!). Traveling, camping, kayaking, and hiking also rank among the top ten in family fun!

Kristen shares her Candia, New Hampshire home with her husband Mike, her ten year-old daughter Erin, and her Chihuahua Jack. She's lived there for five years now… the longest she's lived in one place since leaving her home when she ventured off to college.

So when you're looking for a good book, a great learning idea to use in your classroom or with your children, or you want some good traveling tips, see Kristen!

Jess Dickey just loves it when kids discover that they can do something they thought they couldn’t. Jess is in her fifth year of teaching art at DCS. Watching students grow and figure out who they are as artists is just one of the many reasons she looks forward to coming to work each day. Jess interned at DCS during the spring of 1999 and fell in love with the sense of community found at our school. She has taught all grade levels and is constantly amazed with how young most students are when they discover who they are as artists.

Jess lives in Portsmouth with her two sons. Spending time with her family and practicing yoga are two of her favorite things to do. Jess has been practicing yoga for ten years; she currently teaches Ashtanga (a style of yoga) in Portsmouth. This summer Jess will attend a five day yoga teacher’s training and a four day yoga/ music festival in Vermont. Her goal is to bring more yoga into the classroom.

The easel in front her classroom invites all amazing artists to come in and get right to work – children read the note of welcome and enter with a smile – these students truly are amazing – so is their art teacher!

If you have had the chance to observe Shannon Doherty interacting with young children, you would know she is a natural teacher. Shannon recognizes the strengths in children and demonstrates respect for who they are as learners. Shannon especially loves kindergarten, "I love watching children's growth, and during kindergarten there are so many milestones and first times when children first realize they can do it". Last year Shannon worked as a dual certification intern here at DCS. She worked in kindergarten to complete her Masters in Education, as well as a special education intern to complete her Special Education Certification from UNH.

Shannon has a strong sense of family and she brings that value into her work. Shannon strives to connect with her students and their families often helping children and families have a positive beginning to school. Shannon now lives in Newmarket with her cat Henry, and her dog Lucy who are often the main characters in stories that she shares with children. She loves to read, and always has a good mystery novel going.

Shannon will readily admit that she is not a hearty New Englander and always thought she would go south. After her intern year in Deerfield, Shannon admits she loves the children and families in Deerfield, and found the genuine support from her team and other staff members made Deerfield her school of choice.

Whether Shannon is working alongside children, attending level meetings, consulting with teachers, or being a liaison between families and school, Shannon is at her best working with children, and Deerfield is lucky to have Shannon as their newest Special Education Case Manager.

After a ten year career in banking, Rod had an opportunity to pursue the more rewarding endeavor as a teacher. Rod has two degrees from UNH, a BA in Economics and BS in Mathematics: Middle School Education. Rod began teaching at DCS in August 2001.

Rod has been teaching 8th grade math for 9 years and this year he's also teaching 7th grade math. Rod says, " It is fascinating to see the similarities and differences between the two grades. There are so many things that make DCS a great place to work, like the way we look at the whole child, celebrate each other's strengths and talents, and challenge ourselves to be the best we can be."

Rod absolutely loves the DCS magnet program. He's been advising the Social Activism magnet for ten years. "It's a joy, seeing students caring about making a difference in the world, is really what it's all about."

Rod also enjoys coaching and playing soccer. He's been coaching soccer for 13 years and holds a coaching D-license from the NHSA. "I want all players to see and feel why soccer is called the beautiful game. Coaching gives me an opportunity to get to know students outside the classroom."

Rod lives in Nottingham with his wife, Angela and has two sons, Robby and Cam.

Matt has been teaching in Deerfield for 24 years. He began his career at the George B. White Building as an intern in Mr. Yergeau's 6th grade class. Matt holds a Bachelor of Science in biology and Master of Arts in Teaching, both from UNH. He holds a K-8 teaching certification as well as a 5-9 certification in science. Matt has worn many different hats in his time here such as founding and coaching the cross-country program and track program. He has taught grades 5, 6, 7 and 8. For the past seven years he has been teaching 2nd grade.

One of Matt's favorite things about teaching is watching children grow both socially and academically. He loves to witness those moments when he can see that his students “get it”. He also enjoys making learning engaging through hands-on activities such as rock tumbling. Matt always makes time in his classroom to teach and model the importance of caring for one another. “A safe, caring community is the foundation upon which good quality lessons are built.” Matt lives in Barrington, NH with his wife and two young children. In his spare time he enjoys hiking, picnicking, playing with his children and trips to the beach.

Mrs. Margaret Flinton graduated from UNH with a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy. Before joining the staff at DCS, Margaret worked as an OT in North Carolina, New York, the United Kingdom, and then she settled in Exeter NH , where she worked for seven years.

After the birth of her second child, Margaret took time to be a stay at home mom for her two busy boys. During that time, Margaret was trained as a Pilates instructor.

At an Occupation Therapy conference in the spring of 2010, Margaret met Pat Rose. Mrs. Rose suggested that Margaret apply for the vacant OT position here at DCS. Margaret was impressed with the professionalism and dedication of the staff to the students of DCS, and eagerly joined the team. Margaret feels that the teachers at DCS provide the students with an engaging learning environment.

In her spare time, Margaret enjoys spending time with her boys, Cooper age eight, and Shea, age six. The family stays active by hiking, skiing, and playing lots of hockey. Margaret and her family currently live in Nottingham, NH.

Gloria James began her teaching career in 1977 as a second grade teacher for 8 years in Litchfield, NH. Although she thoroughly enjoyed her time there, she decided to become a stay-at-home Mom for the next few years to raise her children. Mrs. James eventually ventured into the business world for 6 years before returning to the gratifying experience of teaching children. In 2003, Mrs. James joined the staff at DCS as a special education teacher for 1st and 2nd graders. During her time at DCS, Mrs. James acquired her Master's degree in special education as well as special certification in the area of learning disabilities. She is currently a special education teacher and case manager for grades two and three.

Mrs. James has traveled to Europe twice, where she had the opportunity to discover all the unique diversities and charm of seven countries. She has also traveled across the US, Canada and into Mexico.

Mrs. James lives in Fremont, NH with her husband, Bill, her daughter, Kathryn and two spoiled cats, Frank and Jesse. Her son, Peter, lives in San Francisco. Mrs. James enjoys her summer months in Maine relaxing, reading and rejuvenating on beautiful Sebago Lake.

Susan has taken an interesting path to become one of the Deerfield Community School’s Speech and Language Pathologists. Growing up in upstate New York, she attended Potsdam State College as an undergraduate, earning a BA in Psychology. After moving to New Hampshire, Susan continued her education in Business earning an MBA at New Hampshire College (known as SNHU today). She worked a variety of roles in the software technology field for about 15 years. When the tech industry became more unstable, Susan decided to take advantage of the opportunity to pursue a new career. A long time interest in sign language and child development led to an MS in Communication Disorders from the University of New Hampshire. As a speech pathologist, Susan came to DCS to help out with the extended year program during July of 2007.

Although she was already part of another school system, she accepted an opportunity to transfer to DCS because she felt the staff, environment, and school philosophy were better aligned with her own interests. “DCS is such a team orientated school - everyone is always so welcoming, supportive and caring, not only with the staff and students but actively throughout the community.” Of course Susan considers her most important job to be Mom of two very active teenage boys. She claims to be a professional “bench warmer” and cheerleader attending their multi-season sporting events throughout the year. When she is not driving kids to the next game, practice or social event, Susan enjoys staying active outside. Biking, hiking, tennis, and walking at the ocean are a few of her favorites. She also believes cooking with family and friends, getting lost in a book, and occasional napping are equally important hobbies to maintain!!

Gail Korth joined the Staff at DCS in the Fall of 2002 as a Speech-Language Pathologist, and works with students in Grades 4-8. She earned a B.A. in Psychology from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. Deciding on a change of career, she worked in the office of Bic Pen, who provided a tuition reimbursement package, allowing her to earn her M.S. degree in Communication Disorders from Southern Connecticut State University. While there, she received a VA traineeship, and interned at the Veteran’s Hospital in West Haven, CT.

Mrs. Korth worked for 11 years at the Special Needs Center, in Bridgeport, CT, six of them as the Supervisor of Speech and Language, providing Augmentative and Alternative Communication services to children Birth to Three, the Middle and High School Populations and the adult Supported Employment program., leaving there to focus more on her two young children. After leaving the Special Needs Center, she spent a brief time providing acute care at the Rehabilitation Center in Bridgeport, CT and filled a long term sub position in the Stratford Public Schools. She then worked independently providing speech and language services to home health services, two high schools, area group homes and nursing homes. When her husband got a job in New Hampshire in 1997, the family relocated. She worked in the Barrington schools prior to coming to DCS.

Mrs. Korth loves to travel. In fact, she has climbed a glacier in Iceland, hot air ballooned in Switzerland, swum in the Caspian Sea and toured Persepolis in Iran, snorkeled in the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Mexico and Hawaii and climbed a pyramid and went parasailing in Cancun. When at home, she enjoys doing crosswords and reading on her boat at sunset. She lives in Barrington with her husband Jim. Her daughter, Lisa, is graduating from Johnson State College this May with degrees in English and Secondary Education. Her son, Jeremy, is a sophomore at Franklin Pierce University where he is majoring in European History and Theater, with hopes of teaching at the college level. She has two cats, Violet and Casey and two turtles, Isabelle and Shelly. Mrs. Korth is also the associate lay leader at her church.

Meet Christine Lariviere, an unassuming expert at Deerfield Community School! Christine teaches literacy as part of our early intervention team. Her career includes 8 years as a first grade teacher and 12 years teaching Reading Recovery, a specialized reading intervention program. For the past three years, she has been teaching Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) to first and second graders. With this deep knowledge in how children develop in literacy, Chris is a wonderful resource for DCS students.

Currently working with kindergarten and first grade students who may need a little extra support to reach the wonderful world of literacy, Christine focuses her teaching on making it easier for the beginning reader who might become discouraged by a daily struggle to learn. “It is a pure joy to watch as they master each skill, begin to think of themselves as a reader and look forward to the new book of the day.

Christine became an educator, partly due to the example of her father who left high school after the Depression to begin working. Many years later, he returned to night school to complete his diploma. This instilled the importance of education in Christine and led her to teaching.

Chris has 3 grown children who chose 3 very different paths in life. One is a free spirited rock climber with a degree in technical design. One is a teacher and part time marathon runner! The third is a marine engineer who spends a good portion of his time out at sea!

Christine lives with her husband in Windham, NH. Her spare time always includes a good book, of course! Weather permitting, Chris finds a long walk and gardening enjoyable as well. Lately, she has been doing a quite of bit of planning…She and her husband are quite excited for their son’s wedding next year! She is also planning her second trip to California to visit her daughter. Maybe she’ll try her hand at rock climbing!

Sue Laskowsky has been quite a versatile staff member at the Deerfield Community School for six years. Sue worked at DCS as a paraprofessional in Kindergarten for three years. Realizing she wanted her own classroom, Sue then went back to school to obtain her Master's degree, all the while interning in the first grade at Deerfield Community School. All that hard work paid off, and Sue became a Kindergarten teacher at DCS two years ago.

Sue is passionate about her career and her students. It's very evident that she genuinely loves what she does. When asked of her students, Sue says they love to learn and have wonderful imaginations. "I just want kids to be able to be who they are," says Sue. Recognizing the importance of technology in the classroom, Sue applied and was selected for a Science & Technology grant to implement more computers, laptops and a smart board into her classroom. "The students love technology," says Sue. "They catch on so quickly and it makes things exciting."

On top of being a valued teacher, Sue also coaches Cross Country, and is a DCS parent. The Kindergarteners that Sue taught in her first year are now finishing sixth grade. "It's been amazing watching them grow!" she said. Thanks for all you do, Sue!

Although Elizabeth LePage found her first full time teaching position at Deerfield Community School in 2008 as Preschool Teacher and Special Educator, she came with a wealth of experience. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science, Bachelor of Science in both Elementary and Special Education from Keene State College. This makes her a valuable resource and she has worked as a special educator with preschoolers in Pembroke and Allenstown, and also worked in the Concord Developmental Preschool.

"When the position opened in Deerfield, I was excited about the opportunity to teach full-time in a preschool classroom. I couldn't be happier- I feel that DCS is an excellent school community to be a part of. Our staff has so many knowledgeable and supportive professionals, and the environment is positive!"

Why preschool? As she says, "I love working with preschool-aged children and watching them grow every day. We experience so many 'firsts'- the first time a child knows their name, can write their letters, makes a friend, or can reach another developmental milestone. I love that I can be a classroom teacher and special educator, all in one job! "

Elizabeth grew up and attended school in Pembroke, where her parents live and where her mom is a teacher. Elizabeth loves spending time with her family and fiancé. As she says, "they keep me grounded!" Her biggest outside-of-school project is planning my wedding, which will take place at the end of this summer. She enjoys spending time outside skiing, snowshoeing, kayaking, and camping, and visiting different places in New England and seeing all kinds of things!

After ten years teaching Kindergarten at DCS, Karen Mason is in her first year of teaching first grade. “I love it. It’s really exciting seeing the students build on knowledge they gained in Kindergarten. They are making incredible connections in both literacy and mathematics.” It’s easy to see from Karen’s cheerful classroom, proudly decorated with student work, that she loves teaching. “I think that if you really love working with children, you find joy with whatever age group you spend time with. Every grade has its own unique and wonderful qualities.”

Before joining the Deerfield Community School staff, Karen taught for seven years at the Mount Delight preschool. “That was a wonderful environment. I had autonomy to teach to the specific interests of each class. In Kindergarten and now in first grade, I certainly have more curriculum expectations, but I still have flexibility in how I teach.” This creativity is seen in her classroom, from the bright displays of how plants grow, to the comfortable corners for students to cuddle with a book and read.

Karen grew up in Meredith and comes from a family of four children, all of whom are educators. She and her husband have two children of her own; a married son who lives in Manchester and a daughter who recently graduated from college. “I stayed at home with my children until my youngest was in preschool.” Karen has changed from full time mom to full time teacher. The friendly red tail fox that keeps watch over her classroom would say, “Her students are very fortunate to have Mrs. Mason as their teacher.”

After Liz completed her internship in the 2004-2005 school year here at DCS, she was hired as the 7th grade literacy teacher. Liz continued on in this role, until this school year, where she was ready for a new challenge working as a 7th and 8th grade literacy teacher. At UNH, she earned both her Bachelor's degree in English Teaching and her Master's degree in Education. Liz is a certified English Teacher for grades 5-12, with a status of Highly Qualified. In the last seven years,

Liz has become an integral part of the DCS staff. She is a mentor, a coach for a professional Critical Friends Group, and advises the student government. Liz says, “My favorite thing about my job is facilitating reading groups. I get to know the students better because we work in small groups, where they sometimes feel more comfortable sharing thoughts and opinions.” Liz enjoys organizing and running the school Spelling Bee, as well as ordering student planners for grades 5-8.

Several of Liz's family members have attended and graduated from DCS, including her husband and oldest son. She loves the staff and students of DCS, and some of her closest friends are her colleagues. Liz lives in Raymond with her husband and four children. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, running, hiking, and camping with her family. She is currently training for a triathlon.

Tom Marino is about to complete his third year at DCS. Tom teaches 6th and 7th grade social studies and some literacy as well. What he likes best about working at DCS is the sense of community. He feels like he always gets a high level of support from parents and community members. Tom's favorite subject to teach is Geography because it shapes our lives and the lives of people in the past. In his own trav els, Tom's favorite place he has visited is Turkey because it is a crossroads of many cultures. One day he hopes to visit San Marino, Italy.

Tom also coaches track and basketball at DCS. Outside of school, Tom enjoys hanging out with his dog, Duke, hiking and being outdoors, as well as watching sporting events. Tom also plays Deerfield Recreation softball. He is currently very busy planning his upcoming wedding with his fiancee in October, 2011. Tom is a great teacher, coach, colleague, and all around nice guy...we at DCS are lucky to have him!

Linda Mommsen first came to DCS as a sixth grade teacher in 2002, however she has been teaching since 1998. Linda earned her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the Whittemore School of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire where she majored in Busi ness Administration. Linda worked in the banking industry for over ten years where she served in various branch management positions such as Marketing/Training Officer, Branch Manager/Business Development Manager, and a United Way Loaned Executive. Although she enjoyed the challenge of the business world, after having children, Linda realized that the banking industry was not her calling. It was after she had her children she decided to look at career alternatives that would better suit her enthusiastic, yet compassionate side. Linda thought she might like to pursue nursing, teaching, or maybe would enjoy being a lawyer. After weighing the pros and cons of her choices, Linda chose to begin her career move toward education and worked to earn her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Notre Dame.

Linda has two daughters, one is a sophomore at Coe Brown, and the other is a senior at UNH, majoring in Business Administration. She enjoys spending time with her girls, and her two cats, Mr. Moody and Honey. With their busy lives and hectic schedules, Linda enjoys any time that she can get with her girls and values every moment spent together. Linda loves the outdoors. In the summer it would be hard to find her at home. You would be more likely to find Linda in her kayak paddling around Pleasant Lake or out at her favorite ocean spot, Odione State Park. Linda enjoys hiking, playing the guitar, anything related to math and/or numbers, and is always up for a new adventure. Linda brings this enthusiasm for life and adventure into her classroom each and every day. Her students would surely tell you that they have fun with their learning.

When asked what keeps Linda enthusiastic and energized, she said, “It is the best feeling in the world to know that you have made a difference.”

Sherri Nelson is in her 22 year at teaching at DCS! She always knew she wanted to work with children. She was in her senior year at UNH, working for her undergraduate degree in communication disorders ( to become Speech Language Pathologist) when she took an education course. She new immediately that being a teacher was her calling. So she went back to school right away and received her masters in education from UNH. DCS was her first job after graduating and she has worked here ever since. In her own words, " I can't imagine working anywhere else."

It might be 22 years since she started teaching but she does it with the passion and energy of a eager new teacher. She has taught both third and forth grades here at DCS, spending most her time teaching in third. Sherri possess an incredible skill to engage and inspire her students to learn. In third grade, she often teaches the same topics year to year but does so in a way that seems like she is discovering new ideas alongside her students. She comes to school each day with her whole being vested in making each and every one of her students an active member of her class and their school. When asked what makes DCS a place a teacher is willing to work for 22 years, she replies " the parents and staff work together to make this the best learning environment for the children".

When not busy at school , Sherri is busy at home with her three boys. Two attend high school at Coe Brown and one is a seventh grader here at DCS. The family unit is further blessed by their many pets. She has 3 dogs, a lizard, 2 birds and a five foot snake! The family enjoys being outside, especially at the lake. In the summer Sherri takes her energy to gardening. If she decides to sit down, you will find her sitting in her chair at the waters edge, reading a book.

O'Donnell

Ellen completed her special education internship at DCS in 2000 and was then hired as a middle school science teacher. She currently teaches 7th and 8th grade science and is an 8th grade Magnet Advisor, working on environmental projects. Ellen also is an adjunct faculty member at UNH, teaching a science methods course to prospective teachers.

Ellen says, she works hard to try and make my students independent learners. The most gratifying thing is to see students asking good questions and showing a deeper understanding of the material.

Having three areas of teaching certifications and four degrees (BS, BA, MS, Med), Ellen has proven to be a wonderful resource for the staff and students! Ellen applied for and won a $90,000 grant for the school to build a green building at DCS. It will include a classroom for teaching students all about sustainable issues, and an area to compost kitchen waste. It will also have an attached greenhouse so our students can learn about plant life and growing food. This plan is currently in the process of waiting for school board approval and hopefully the project will start late this spring.

Ellen lives in Deerfield with her family and all four of her sons attended DCS. She loves the outdoors, hiking, and gardening!

It is appropriate to highlight Kira Peasley during the week of Science Fair. She began teaching science at DCS during the 2000-2001 school year. She taught 8th grade her first 10 years here, but for the last two years, has taught in the 6th -7th grades. She earned a B.S. degree in Zoology and Marine Biology from UNH, with a minor in Education. She has always had a passion for science, particularly Marine Biology. Between college and grad school, she did some traveling, playing, and worked a retail job. Mrs. Peasley accepted a position as an environmental education teacher for Nature’s Classroom, which offers students an experience similar to that which our 6th graders experience when they attend Ecology School. She then traveled around the United States, camping and exploring our National Parks.

Upon her return, Mrs. Peasley decided to teach in the public schools, having always worked with children, from babysitting, to being a camp counselor, to working for Nature’s Classroom, although she credits her job in retail as helping her overcome her shyness and allowing her to open up to larger groups of students. She’s always known she wanted to be a teacher ever since she was a little girl. Mrs. Peasley accepted a position as a para-educator in Epping while she earned her M.S. in Secondary Science Education from UNH. She interned in the Oyster River school district. Upon completion of her internship, she received two offers, but knew that Deerfield was where she wanted to work, because she felt welcome and comfortable the minute she walked into the school. She felt, and still feels, the sense of community that DCS offers.

Mrs. Peasley lives in Rochester with her husband and 5 year-old daughter, Samantha. She loves living in New Hampshire because of the four seasons (yes, even winter). She loves nature and the outdoors and makes sure to spend time each season exploring the beautiful mountains and lakes of NH. She enjoys reading, knitting, painting, and figure skating, and has performed in a figure skating show. After learning to knit from some colleagues here at DCS, Mrs. Peasley began knitting scarves and baby caps for homeless shelters. This year, she also sent knitted baby caps to hospitals in Afghanistan through CURE International.

Sarah first came to DCS as a 3rd grade intern with Nancy Shute in 1999 and has not left our school since. She officially had her own 1st grade classroom in 2000 and in 2006 began teaching 3rd grade, where she still remains. Sarah earned her undergraduate degree in English from both Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the University of New Hampshire where she majored in English. Sarah continued her education at the University of New Hampshire and worked to earn her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education.

Sarah has one daughter, Emma, who is almost six years old, and two sons, Sammy, who is two and one-half years old, and Russell, who is eight years old. Emma is in kindergarten and takes tap and jazz dance lessons. Russell is a third grader at Chester Academy and is involved in Cub Scouts. Sammy, a toddler, is curious about everything…… In her free time, Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband, John, and her immediate and extended family. Sarah’’s many interests and hobbies include quilting, scrapbooking, walking, hiking, swimming, reading and baking. The family also includes two guinea pigs, and about twenty chickens.

Why teaching? Sarah loves to learn and considers herself a lifelong learner. She wants to pass along that passion to her students. When asked why she has only worked at Deerfield Community School, Sarah said that she appreciates the strong sense of community that exists here. She also appreciates being able to teach experientially because she feels as though that really helps kids to enjoy their own learning.

Pat Rose has been working at DCS for 15 years as the school Occupational Therapist and has been a part of SAU 53 since 1984. She was originally from Watertown, New York and graduated from the University of New Hampshire with her B.S. in Occupational Therapy. Pat worked at a medical center in Syracuse, NY upon graduating, then at a children's hospital in Newington Connecticut. She married a New Hampshire native she met while at UNH which brought her back to the state for good. She worked at Easter Seals, then for a consortium of four towns to develop a special needs preschool as part of the new special education law 94-142. Through her years working in the public school system, Pat has worked to help integrate students with challenges together with their same age classmates from preschool to eighth grade.

Pat knew she wanted to be an O.T. since she was a junior in high school thanks to the Health Careers Club. She loved the idea of using activities to help people be independent. She likes being able to share different ideas and ways to teach children with the staff at DCS and enjoys being a part of a variety of teams that work together to help children be successful at learning and being a friend. She feels that DCS is a good fit for an O.T., due to its philosophy of looking at children as individuals and determining what works best for them. Pat enjoys knitting, kayaking, fishing and outdoor activities, especially when at her camp in Nash Stream Forest. She has a son, a daughter and a grand dog.

Mrs. Lynsey Rowe is in her 13th year as a DCS teacher. She has taught 5th grade for eleven years. She also spent two years teaching 6th grade. Mrs. Rowe loves teaching 5th grade, especially since it is a big transition year for students. “They come to 5th grade so young and by the time they leave they have grown up so much. They are really ready for middle school,” Mrs. Rowe says.

Mrs. Rowe attended the University of New Hampshire where she earned a degree in psychology and a Masters in Education. In addition to teaching 5th Grade, Mrs. Rowe served as co-chair of DCS’s school accreditation team and participates in a teacher book discussion group.

Her favorite subject to teach is social studies. She especially enjoys teaching American history, especially since so much Revolutionary War history hap- pened nearby. “When we go to Boston in the spring, the students get to see the places where a lot of important events happened. They get to see the graves of some historical figures that we’ve talked and read about." When she was a child, Mrs. Rowe’s favorite subject was math. “It was a struggle for me, but I enjoyed figuring it out. I loved logic problems and puzzles.” This helps her to relate to her students who struggle with math.

Mrs. Rowe was born in England and moved to Florida and then, Connecticut when she was young. Her family moved to Londonderry, New Hampshire when she was in the 5th grade. She has lived here ever since. She now lives in Roches- ter with her husband and her dog and cat. In her free time, she likes to play with her dog and take him for walks.

Sue Sanborn is a second grade teacher at Deerfield Community School. She has taught second grade for eleven years and enjoys teaching young children because of their honesty, enthusiasm and love for learning.Sue began as a paraprofessional. Her undergraduate degree was in behavioral science. She went back to school to earn her masters in teaching from Notre Dame College and worked as a special educator before coming to second grade.

Sue goes to the gym every morning before school and is participating in her twelfth 5K race. She has three grown children and three grandchildren. She babysits her grandchildren whenever she can.

Sue thinks teachers at DCS have the benefits of a wonderful community. She says teachers take pride and ownership in what they do at our school.

Mrs. Schonwald is Deerfield’s school librarian. She has been at DCS since 2004 but has worked as a librarian for the last 14 years. Before joining the staff here at DCS, she was the children and youth librarian at the Barrington Public Library.

Mrs. Schonwald attended the University of Rhode Island where she got a graduate degree in Library Science. She also earned a graduate degree in Creative Writing from UNH. Before becoming a librarian she worked as a writer/editor for the UNH publications office and she did freelance writing for local NH magazines.

In addition to maintaining a wonderful library at DCS and working with students at all grade levels, Mrs. Schonwald organizes and runs several yearly events such as the book fairs, author visits, and reading challenges. She also is a part of the middle school team as a 7th grade advisor. She continually updates our school library with the most current, useful resources, and does a great job integrating technology into her library lessons. The library is equipped with an interactive white board and digital projector which both get a lot of use. Also, in recent years she put the entire library catalog online.

One of her favorite things about being a school librarian is trying to hook kids up with the right book and help get them excited about reading. In fact, she LOVES this part of her job. Of course she reads herself. Her favorite genre is fantasy. Mrs. Schonwald loves working with the great community of staff and students in Deerfield. Outside of DCS, Mrs. Schonwald enjoys outdoor activities. She enjoys kayaking, hiking and biking, among others. She lives in Barrington with her husband and she has two daugh- ters; one a recent college graduate and one who is going to college this fall.

Stop by the library and say “hi” to Mrs. Schonwald!

Nick St. Germain joined Deerfield Community School this year as a 6th and 7th grade mathematics teacher. Nick has earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics Education from Plymouth State College and his Masters in Education in curriculum and assessment from the University of Pheonix. Currently in his 9th year of teaching, Nick has spent the first part of his career teaching middle school algebra and pre-algebra with the Bedford School District. His decision to become part of the DCS community was largely based on the importance he places on a community based school system with a passion for education, something he saw embodied here in Deerfield. He was also drawn to the growing technology he saw being used here and the opportunity to teach closer to home.

With a growing family, Nick has good reason to want to shorten his commute! Originally from Hooksett, NH, Nick currently lives in Pittsfield, the proud father of a vibrant 3 year old son with another on the way. He and his wife thoroughly enjoy being parents. “Like teaching, parenting is one of the toughest jobs with the most rewards.” His family lives in a newly constructed home, a project on which Nick worked as contractor, as a manager of his family’s home construction business. In the little free time he has left, Nick enjoys coaching sports, playing basketball and ice hockey, and almost any other outdoor activity, such as hunting, fishing, hiking and snow shoeing. Welcome to DCS Nick!

Edith Tatulis came to DCS as an intern in 1986 and never left. She says she stayed in Deerfield because of “the evident culture the minute you walked into the building.” Edith currently teaches fifth grade, but has also taught 6th and 7th grade self contained classrooms and 7th and 8th grade science. She is certified in elementary science and secondary science and has a Masters in Education. She was the UNH Teacher in Residence for the 2006/2007 school year, where she supervised interns and taught courses at UNH. She continues to teach a social studies methods course at UNH Manchester, one semester a year.

Edith says she loves the way kids give so much back. “I feel like they energize me and teach me a lot in return.” In addition she says, “I love that each child is a puzzle to be figured out so you can best help him or her.” She also loves working with the DCS dedicated staff and many of the Deerfield residents who have always been supportive of teachers’ efforts.

NH American History Teacher of the Year Award from DCS on Vimeo.

Edith deservedly won the New Hampshire Social Studies Teacher of the Year award last year, no doubt due to the rich environment she creates in her classroom which supports yet challenges each of her students.

She lives in Candia and is married with three children. She loves the outdoors, reading, baking and spending time with her family.

Our Special Education Coordinator, Deb came to DCS in 2009. She transitioned into this position, after working as a Special Education Case Manager for 7th grade in 2009-10. Working as a case manager gave her insight into the special education department here at DCS and knowledge about the software and databases we use. Deb has earned a masters degree in Supervision/Administration and has certifications in general special education, special education administration, and administration.

Deb enjoys problem solving the variety of tasks involved in administration work and her working with the entire DCS staff. She hopes to offer guidance to families, inform educators about curriculum, and to challenge herself to stay current with the changing education laws.

After working as a principal for 13 years, Deb wanted to move closer to the seacoast and to her children. Both Deb’s son and daughter followed in her footsteps and are now educators in N.H. She has lived in Epping for three years, with her husband Brad and dog Molly. Deb enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her grandchildren.

Kathy Whittaker earned a BA, Magna Cum Laude at UNH Manchester with a major in Psychology and a minor in Education. She worked as a telephone operator for 15 years. When her daughter was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder and a learning disability, she decided to continue her education to be able to help her daughter and other children like her. She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Special Education at UNH Durham. She holds certificates in General Special Education, Learning Disabilities and Emotional Handicaps.

Kathy spent her first year of teaching at Timberlane Regional Middle School, working with 24 Emotionally Handicapped students. She came to DCS in 2001. She has been a Special Educator in grades 2, 3, 4 and 5, and will work in grade 6 next year. She held the position of Special Education Coordinator at DCS for three years.

Kathy lives with her husband, Collie and her cat, Chester in Sandown. Her 37 year old son, Collie lives in Newton and has two daughters, aged four and two. Her 29 year old daughter lives in Hampstead and has a one year old daughter and a son on the way.

Kathy enjoys swimming, reading, walking and playing with her grand children. She and her family have been camping all over the east coast and as far west as the Mississippi. They have also traveled in Canada and Hawaii. Kathy would like to add Italy and the Mediterranean coast to her list of travels.

Judy Williams is a special education case manager at DCS. She has been a DCS educator for seven years. Her favorite part of her job is teaching social skills to students, as well as helping some students develop their executive function skills. She particularly enjoys hosting social skills groups.

Mrs. Williams holds several college degrees. She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Maine- Orono in psychology, a master’s degree from Boston University in Special Education, and a CAGS degree from Leslie College in counseling psychology. She also has held certifications in marriage and family therapy and clinical mental health. Before joining the DCS staff, Mrs. Williams was a clinical director of a mental health facility and a director of an alternative high school.

Mrs. Williams has been a Deerfield resident for twenty nine years. She has two daughters, Laura and Natalia, who are both former DCS stu- dents and are currently residing in Boulder, Colorado. In her free time, Judy enjoys figure skating and training and eventing her two horses. She also spends her free moments designing her and her husband’s future home.

During the summer months, Mrs. Williams manages an equine boarding facility, which currently houses fourteen horses. A lot of her summer is spent riding and training horses. Mrs. Williams also plans on traveling to France and is currently learning to speak French.

Russell comes to DCS with 12 years of teaching experience as a Health and Life Studies teacher at the high school level. He holds both a B.S and MEd in Health Education with a focus on Personal Approaches to Transformation for Health and Healing. He is currently teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Health and Wellness at DCS.

Russell is a practicing Creativity and Meaning Coach and has been honored during his career not only once but twice as having been named in "Who's Who Among America's Teachers." He enjoys studying acting and anything related to selfexpression. He also loves riding his motorcycle, safely of course! Russell currently resides in Hooksett with his wife Becky.

"That which hinders your task is your task." – Sanford Meisner, is a quote Russell is particularly fond of. Deerfield's commitments to its children, the opportunities for professional and personal growth are what attracted him to DCS. He is honored and thrilled to be here!!!!