Sweet pea Teachers

Payton Stapley joins us with several years of previous licensed childcare experience. She has worked with all ages including infants/toddlers but she brings to our preschool age groups her calm and natural nurturing ways as an early childhood educator. She is working to continue her career within the field as well and we are grateful to have her joining our team of exceptional caregivers at Sweet Pea. 

"Speak to your children as if the are the wisest, kindest, most beautiful and magical humans on earth, for what they believe is what they will become." -Brooke Hampton

Alexis Heney is passionate about ECE and nature based education. She is currently enrolled at Great Bay Community College, working towards her degree in early childhood education. We're looking forward to having her learn and grow with us at Sweet Pea Childcare.

“We not only respect babies, we demonstrate our respect every time we interact with them. Respecting a child means treating even the youngest infant as a unique human being, not as an object.” -Magda Gerber

Aubrie Murdock is joining us with over 2 years of experience with ECE. She previously has done in-home care for families and worked in licensed facilities. She has a true passion for the healthy growth and development of each of the children that will pass through her classroom. 

Her ability to understand and connect with children has been a wonderful addition to our team of caregivers. She is also working towards her degree in ECE and we are excited to have her as a part of our team while she develops her career as an educator.

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” -John Muir

Mercedez Sanchez loves art and shares the same value of nature based play and being outdoors with our little ones. She has two younger brothers and previously worked as a nanny/sitter for family and friends of various ages. We are excited to welcome her to our team of exceptional caregivers and to have her grow in this career with us at Sweet Pea!

"Children are not things to molded, but people to be unfolded." -Jessica Lair

Shannon Donahue joins us after recently  working as a behavioral health professional in the public school system.

Shannon has her Bachelors in psychology with a concentration on childhood and adolescence and over 10 years of experience working with children. She also has a 3 year old daughterwho willbe joining us here at Sweet Pea for care!

"Development is a series of rebirths." -Maria Montessori

Darcy Christian has been with Sweet Pea for 2 years. She studied child development and was first exposed to the methods of Montessori Education in college.  Darcy earned her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and continued on with running the Sterling School of Dance for children- through the Beverly, MA, YMCA.

Darcy also worked at an Eliot based childcare until she had her lovely daughter, Calista, who often join us at sweet pea after school. Darcy recently completed 2 Montessori teacher training courses through the Age of Montessori program.

"Speak to your children as if the are the wisest, kindest, most beautiful and magical humans on earth, for what they believe is what they will become."

 -Brooke Hampton

Trinity Morse, has  experience with all ages, and brings to us her previous experience of working in a licensed childcare program as a Toddler Teacher. We appreciate her passion and enthusiasm for early childhood education and her ability to communicate/understand the young child has been a wonderful addition to our programs' team of teachers! 

We're also looking forward to having her learn and grow with us in her career as an early childhood educator. 

"It takes a big hear to shape little minds." 

-Unknown

Gracee Jordan brings to us her passion for the young child and her love of nature. Along with previous direct care experience she has been a swim instructor for children of various ages and a lifeguard. She also holds her CNA certification and in the past has worked in a nursing home caring for their residents.

We are looking forward to having her grow as an early childhood educator with us here at Sweet Pea! 

“A child’s life is like a piece of paper on which every person leaves a mark.”
-Chinese Proverb

Gina Casio (left) has been a part of the sweet pea community for over a year as a substitute teacher but has now taken on the role of a consistent weekly float, working with all ages daily. She has many years of previous childcare center experience and 3 children of her own. She has a natural nurturing way that we are so lucky to have here with us at Sweet Pea. 

Aista Olmstead (right) is thrilled to be joining sweet pea as a substitute! She graduated from the University of New Hampshire with her undergrad in family studies and her graduate degree in elementary education . She lived and worked in Portsmouth New Hampshire teaching 2nd grade at Dondero elementary. She then got married, moved to San Diego and has had two kids! Her son is four years old and her daughter is two years old. She’s excited to get back into a teaching role after having the privilege of staying home raising her two kiddos. 

"The child gives us a beautiful lesson-that in order to form and maintain our intelligence, we must

use our hands." -Maria Montessori

Amanda Donovan (left) works with all ages. She has had a lifelong career as an educator and specifically brings to us her many years of experience as a Montessori Teacher. She has such a natural gift with children, it shows when she walks in the room and we are grateful to have her fun, spirited personality and ECE expertise as part of our program.

Lisa Sabato (right) joins us as a substitute, working with all ages and in all groups. She has many previous years of early childhood care experience in various licensed childcare centers. Her enthusiasm and passion for the healthy growth and development.

P.S. ask her about Grover!! 

"In order to help our children heal, we must understand and address the differences in their brain, body, biology, and beliefs."         

-Dr. Karyn Purvis

Nicole Riley (left) has 7 years of previous licensed childcare center experience working with all ages in the program. She brings to us her love of the young child also has a 9 year old son of her own. We are so happy to have her join us as a substitute teacher. 

Brianna Small (right) has been a part of Sweet Pea for almost 2 years now.  She brings us her expertise in childcare with seven years of experience working in various child care programs and is also a behavioral health professional. She worked as the head of the childcare program at her church as well, with mixed ages and created weekly lesson plans to share with her community of families there.  

She also has two sons in elementary school and is an Eliot local! 

“Children are not things to be molded, but are people to be unfolded.”
— Jess Lair 

Dani Bernstein has previously worked as a tutor, a coach, and a babysitter and has a love for working with children of all ages! Dani wants to bring good into the wold by creating a positive impact on children’s lives (direct quote) and is super excited to be joining the Sweet Pea team as a Substitute Teacher. Dani is also an artist and works with a variety of mediums. 

“Play is the highest form of research.”
-Albert Einstein