Our team of certified, nurturing teachers thrive on creating a welcoming, enriched environment for students. With a play-centric curriculum that focuses on developing both social/emotional and pre-academic skills, our teachers love helping your little ones grow.
Michelle Grace
Director/Lead Teacher
As an early childhood educator and resident of Maynard, I am grateful and excited to take on the role of Director/Lead Teacher at The Community School.
My background is in the sciences where I hold a Bachelor’s in Chemistry from Vassar College and a Master’s in Cellular and Molecular Physiology from Tufts University. After a career in pharmaceutical research, life brought me to the field of Early Childhood Education.
My first position as an Assistant Teacher at a preschool in Sudbury opened my eyes to the joy and wonder of working with young children and it marked the start of my professional journey in the field. I have worked with Infants through Pre-Kindergarten aged children and, most recently, as a Director and Lead Teacher for a new and growing preschool program in Framingham.
Every day is filled with wonder and discovery alongside our youngest learners. I treasure the “small moments” with children when you see them reach a milestone or witness their excitement over a new learning experience. A favorite activity of mine is to have “amazing conversations” with my preschoolers. They are incredibly wise and insightful!
At the heart of a quality learning experience is a warm and nurturing relationship with children and a partnership with their families. To that end, I look forward to getting to know the children and families of The Community School and learning how we can best provide a strong educational foundation for your child.
Outside of my work life, you can find me spending time with my husband, Rob, and our 15-year-old son, Dmitry. We live in Maynard and have been active in the community over the years with the schools, PTO, and Cub Scouts. Our family loves to take drives up to the North Shore, find interesting lighthouse points, and explore book stores where I usually end up in the Children’s section.
Mireille Tremblay
Teacher
I come from a small town north of Quebec City, Canada. I studied to be an Animal Health Technician and worked in that field for three years, before my husband and I moved to Massachusetts in 2009. We started a family after relocating and I decided to stay home with our children for their early years. I loved that period of time so much, and knew I would miss spending time with young children, which is why I decided to become a preschool teacher.
I studied Early childhood education at Middlesex Community College, and earned my Preschool Teacher Certification in 2018.
My three children attended The Community School. This school has always had a big part in my heart, which is why I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to work here. I also love the direction that we are moving in with an emphasis on more nature play-based learning. I love to teach children about everything that surrounds us, from studying a growing seed, to touching a slimy worm, or tasting different kinds of apples. Children are amazed by everything, and that itself brings me so much joy.
Outside of work, I like to spend time with my husband Gary, our three children, Leah, Nelly and Jaycob, and our three guinea pigs. We enjoy camping, hiking and just being home, gardening or working on various projects around the house.
I hope to see The Community School continue thriving, and to be a part of it for years to come!
Maren Calzia, Ph.D.
Lead Teacher
I remember sitting at the café, which is now Serendipity, when my daughter was a baby, and watching parents pick up their children from The Community School, and thinking it was such a neat location, nestled in the heart of a downtown.
My background is in School Psychology; I received my M.Ed. and Ph.D. from UMass Amherst, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. After working in public schools for several years, I took time off from my career when my children were young, and during that time my family relocated to Maynard.
I have been connected to The Community School since 2013, when my daughter was a preschool student, and later my son. After my children moved on to elementary school, I served on the Board of Directors, and eventually became a substitute teacher at The Community School. I loved being in the classroom (and on the playground!) and working with the students, and decided to pursue my Lead Teacher certification.
When I’m not at work I enjoy spending time with my husband, Kevin, and children, Matilda and Felix. I love to listen to music, do arts and craft projects, read non-fiction, and explore new places with my family. Some of my favorite picture books are The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen and Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey because they remind me of my childhood summers spent with my grandparents in Coastal Maine.
Victoria Tabor, M.Ed.
Ms. Vicky is a former Lead Teacher at The Community School, and current volunteer and substitute teacher. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Boston University, and her M.Ed. at Antioch University in Cambridge. Vicky has thirty-five years of experience in Early Childhood Education, including twenty-seven years at The Community School. Vicky finds it exciting to work with young children because they are learning so quickly. She says, “lessons learned now, such as empathy and scientific curiosity will stay with them throughout their lifetimes.” Vicky has two grown children. She shares her home with her husband, Bob, dog, Bodie and cat, Dory. When she is not at The Community School, Vicky enjoys hiking, reading, kayaking, singing in her church choir and she has recently taken up playing the recorder. Vicky has a long list of favorite children’s books, but if she had to pick one, it’s Margaret Wise Brown’s, Runaway Bunny, because of the sense of security that it gives to children.
Community School Board of Directors
- Val Mathison, President
- Victoria Tabor
- Susan Scott
- Jennie Lwanyaga
- Jennifer Picorelli
- Scott Feldhusen
The Community School 