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Leadership

Since our founding in 1980, Bridge School has been a teacher run school.  Jen Grilly is the Head of School. Jen is also the Older Home Center (see below).

Home Center Teachers

Bridge School's lead teachers are called Home Center Teachers. Jen, Nikki and Angus are the Home Center Teachers. Home Center Teachers teach the core subjects, and have a multi-grade community advisory group called a “Home Center”. Unlike a traditional school, the Home Center does not define which language arts, math, science, and enrichment classes a student is in--these groups are based on student readiness in these topics.

There is one Younger Home Center (grades K-1) one Middle Home Center (grades 2-3) and one Older Home Center (grades 4-6) . The Home Center teacher is their primary mentor for social-emotional growth. Home Center Teachers develop deep and lasting bonds with children and their families because children remain in a Home Center for multiple years.

Teachers

Nikki Juvan (click for bio) is the Younger Home Center teacher.

Diane Hare (click for bio) teaches Language Arts and Math. Diane is also our Reading Specialist, and provides one-on-one and small group reading instruction. 

Angus Barstow (click for bio), class of 2003, teaches Math, Explorations and Arts. He is also the After-school Program Director.

Josh Hummel is an art and older home center explorations teacher as well as the Bananas After-School Program Director. Josh lives in Middlebury and enjoys trail running, creating nature art, and experimental baking. He is a professional hobbyist outdoor photographer supporting several organizations with outdoor-based initiatives. Combined, Josh has taught 6 summers of camp programming from adventure sports to arts and crafts and is in progress of earning his teaching license in Art K-12 through Champlain College's Teacher Apprenticeship Program.

Preschool Teachers

To learn more about our Beginners Preschool teachers, please visit Beginners Preschool

Volunteers

Bridge School has an active and committed group of parent volunteers, who teach Explorations and Arts courses, work with classes on a daily or weekly basis and also substitute for teachers.

We benefit so greatly from our volunteers' generous offers of knowledge and time and treasure this role at Bridge School. Our community is rich with committed Volunteers with talent and an interest in sharing.

Volunteer positions are vital to the diversity and expertise we value at Bridge School.

Board

The Board is responsible for fund raising, maintenance of buildings and grounds, publicity and support of the school's mission. The Board, in concert with the Staff, does long-range planning for the future of the School. The Board and the Staff create the annual School budget. The Board accepts suggestions, requests and issues raised by parents and community members. The Board of Directors is made up of 8-11 members drawn from the staff, parents and community.

Current Board members are:

President, Margaret Carerra-Bly (click for bio)
margaretcarrerably@gmail.com

Vice President, Phoebe Vaughan
phoebev@gmail.com

Treasurer, Noah Graham (click for bio)
ngraham@middlebury.edu

Secretary, Sarah Schumacher
snschumacher@

Jill Quackenbush
jillquack@gmail.com

Ryan McCue (click for bio)
rmccue@gmail.com

Margot Smithson
margot.smithson@gmail.com

Ellie de Villiers
ellie@elviento.co.za

Jill Quackenbush
jillquack@gmail.com

Jenne Morton
Jennemorton@gmail.com

Dylan Voorhees
dylan.voorhees@gmail.com

The Board meets first Thursday of the month. For an updated schedule, please contact the board secretary. Decisions of the Board are reached by consensus. New members are invited by the sitting Board. Bridge School is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.