Näri Penson npenson@theschoolhousevt.org
Nari received her B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Goddard College and has been teaching at The Schoolhouse since 1983. In addition to teaching our Alphas, Näri is a multicultural educator and consultant. A founding member of Kwanzaa, Inc., a multicultural education resource group, she supervises the regional Multicultural Library at The Schoolhouse, which is open to parents and educators in the community at large.
In the Alpha classroom, Näri strives to help the Alphas gain self control, confidence and social skills and to begin to look outside of themselves at the larger world. She especially likes the contact she has with her students’ families because it minimizes the school/home split. She finds The Schoolhouse to be a very comfortable place physically, emotionally and socially.
Näri has completed graduate courses in science, reading, multiculturalism and the arts and attended several workshops on Children with Oppositional Defiant Behaviors. She is currently studying brain development and its impact on children’s learning. Outside of school, she enjoys growing flowers, pastel painting and playing in the sun throughout the year.
Joni Avrutick javrutick@theschoolhousevt.org
Joni received her Bachelor of Philosophy from Grand Valley State University, where she majored in English, and has been a certified elementary school teacher since 1976. Before coming to teach at The Schoolhouse in 1990, she worked with children in a variety of contexts, including teaching at Shaker Mountain School, directing a full-day preschool program, teaching ESL, and running afterschool and camp programs.
Joni is also a songwriter and guitarist and enjoys teaching folk music and songwriting to children. She performs regularly in the Burlington area with Gigi, a locally renowned children’s singer and songwriter. She is also a member of the Children’s Music Network and has published a book of her original songs for children. Joni has traveled extensively, most recently on an extended trip to New Zealand and South Africa, where she focused on learning about local community projects. She recently completed the Responsive Classroom Training program. Joni currently teaches our Alpha 2s and Taus.
Joni especially likes the community at The Schoolhouse and the way that parents, teachers and students all work together.
Mark Stein mstein@theschoolhousevt.org
Mark’s teaching experience began in New York, where he worked as a science and math teacher, tutor and curriculum director. Mark left New York for Vermont to embrace the rural landscape and vibrant small communities for the promise of a deeper and more meaningful lifestyle. Happily, he joined The Schoolhouse Learning Center in the fall of 2010.
Mark has the ability to magically grasp of student’s attention. He was trained at Columbia and Bank Street. Mark plays judo, paints and acts when not conducting amateur science. Mark Stein is committed to honoring each individual child as part of a caring community. Mark is also fantastic support for our five year vision because of his strengths in math and science but mostly Mark is a profound gain for our community because of his ability to integrate significant intellectualism with humanism.
Dew B. Wilde dwilde@theschoolhousevt.org
Dew graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in Philosophy and has had graduate training in Music Education. She joined The Schoolhouse afterschool staff in 1988 and became its music teacher in 1989. Dew is actively involved in multicultural, musical and leadership education, working with schools, camps, community organizations, and youth leadership programs as a teacher and coordinator. She is a skilled hand drummer and enjoys music, reading, and having fun.
Currently, Dew is the director of The Schoolhouse Afterschool Program and teaches Music at The Schoolhouse.
