• Teachers
  • Specialists
  • Director
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Nancy is a Lead Teacher and comes to the Caterpillars with over 25 years of experience teaching preschoolers in parent co-ops. Nancy enjoys the curiosity and quick laughter of preschoolers. Nancy feels it is important for teachers and families to work in concert during early childhood, because the heart of a young child’s identity is with their family. In the classroom, she shares her love of books, music, and the natural world. Nancy has a BA in Modern Languages from Northeastern. She and her husband Tom live in North Cambridge and enjoy frequent visits from their two grown-up daughters.
Katie comes from a long background of working with children. She received her undergraduate degree from Lesley University and her Master's degree in Art Therapy and Counseling, with a specialization in Children, from The College of New Rochelle.  She believes in children learning through their imagination and creativity. Katie enjoys the endless possibilities of a child’s imagination. Her interests lie in art and science and she tries to incorporate both when working with children. She believes in letting children explore their worlds around them. Her favorite thing to do is help children come up with hypotheses about their surroundings and then explore possible answers through hands-on experience.  In the classroom, she shares her love and knowledge of theater, dance, art, yoga, and general silliness.
Maria comes to us after many years of working with children in lots of settings: nursery schools, family child care, large childcare centers, and in their homes. She has an MA in Child Development from Tufts University. She left the classroom to work as a nanny for a more individualized experience with children. She looks forward to returning to the classroom at CNS, where families are such an integral part of the program. Maria loves to read to children and encourage their storytelling, in many forms. She loves the sense of wonder young children have and helping them express that in creative ways. Maria views children’s healthy social and emotional development as central to their growth in all other areas of their lives. She sees supporting them with a generous dose of humor and understanding, as they navigate through their experiences, as a key part of her work.

Music

Noted Boston-area music teacher, Jeff Jam brings a mix of traditional children's songs, rhythms, and movement to his weekly classes. Using his acoustic guitar and percussion instruments, Jeff Jam has been educating and entertaining children and families for over ten years.

Yoga

Our yoga teacher, Katie, believes that body awareness and mindfulness helps the child be more aware of their feelings and strengthens their school experience. Katie’s hope is to give the children tools, in the asanas (poses) and breathing techniques, to help navigate their day. Her favorite thing about teaching yoga is when the children use their breathing hands to calm themselves down, or when they say ‘look at me, I’m doing frog pose.’ “Namaste!”
Janet Kovner is the Director at CNS. She directed the Palfrey Community Children's School, a small, parent co-operative preschool program in Watertown, from 1986-1997. Prior to coming to CNS, she directed a new backup child care center, affiliated with Brigham and Women's Hospital and managed by Partners Child Care Services. She has an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Special Education from Lesley University, and an M.S. in Environmental Studies from Antioch University New England. She enjoys observing birds, mammals, wildflowers and trees, and most other flora and fauna. On occasion, she leads natural history walks, and brings these passions to her work at CNS.