In January of 2024, our Director of Education, Michelle Goulet was named as one of 20 Outstanding Early Childhood Leaders, Advocates, and Change Makers in the State of Maine by Maine Association for the Education of Young Children.
U.S. Air Force Veteran, Education Director and Head of School, Michelle recently won the Maine and New England Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year for the State of Maine in 2023. Michelle graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a Bachelor’s in Health Science and served eight years in the United States Air Force as an Aerospace Medic. She opened the nature school in 2009 and has been dedicated to continuous professional development that supports Reggio inspired, nature based environments for young children.
Michelle’s vision is to provide a nature-based program in early childhood education and is deeply inspired by the “Reggio Emilia Approach.” She participated in a graduate study with the University Of Farmington in March of 2019, which provided graduate students theory and practical international experience including visits to preschools in Reggio Emilia Italy, presentations by pedagogistas, atelieristas, and teachers on the history, identity, and principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach. She had a remarkable opportunity to visit the Loris Malaguzzi International Center to view current exhibitions, and discussions with professors about Reggio-related theory and practice in their own settings, and since then has become even more passionate about fostering and delivering nature-based education and Reggio inspired environments for young children.
Her mission is to inspire students to become lifelong learners in an ever-changing world. Through the use of technology, field explorations, and engaging lesson plans, she wants to inspire them to become world-citizens that are ecologically conscientious, culturally sensitive, and passionately inquisitive. Furthermore, she aims to foster an environment of nurturing care, a classroom of unconditional love and acceptance while holding strong to a belief in personal responsibility.
Miss Liz has been at KGE since January 2018. Her past 4 years being a part of this teaching team have been wonderful and she’s learned so much from her fellow educators and especially the kiddos. Miss Liz has successfully completed her education pathway to obtaining the Child Development Associate.
Before working here at Kidz Go Eco Miss Liz worked with children ages 5-14 at Standish Recreation as a summer camp counselor and an after school counselor.
After, working six years for OfficeDepot in their distribution center in Portland, Liz decided that she wanted to be working with children, and is so glad that she made the transition.
My name is Miss Emily! I am an educator in Nature 3! I started working at Kidz Go Eco as an intern back in September. I’m from Wrentham, Massachusetts and moved to Maine to study psychology at University of New England. After my internship, I discovered my passion for teaching early childhood education, and Miss Michelle was so wonderful to offer me a position. Some fun facts about me: I’ve been playing tennis for the last 8 years; I own quite a few animals: a dog named Coco, a cat named Skout, and two ferrets named Cayde and Azura.
Jackie came to KGE after finishing her internship as a Recreational Therapist at NeuroRestorative in Standish, Maine. At NeuroRestorative, she worked throughout the community with clients who have suffered from brain injuries. Jackie and two of the Recreational Therapists hiked Mount Katahdin with four participants who were physically able to train for this exciting challenge this past year. Jackie received her Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies in 2023 from the University of Southern Maine. She discovered her passion for working with children as a Behavioral Health Professional at Black Bear Support Services while in college. She assisted those children with developing new socialization opportunities, while encouraging their love of being outside, and achieving individual goals.
Jackie loves spending time with her dog, Cabella, traveling, hiking, swimming, skiing, or just being outside. She hopes to encourage kids to continue to learn and grow with the outdoors!
Miss Diane was born and brought up in Brockton, Massachusetts. She graduated from Brockton High School and Chamberlayne Jr. College, Boston. She has three grown children: Kristin, Timothy and Patrick, and she has three grandchildren: Josetta (Josie) 13, Declan 10, and Tadhg 7. She enjoys spending time with her family and she loves to cook Italian food. During the warmer months she finds joy in walking the beach, swimming and spending time in nature. Some of her greatest joys is going to watch her grandkids play soccer and sledding. She enjoys working with children and she adores their honesty and humor. She worked in the Portland Schools as an Ed Tech for over 30 years, and retired in 2020.
In fall of 2020, Kaela began her journey at kidz go eco as a psychology intern from the University of New England. This internship opportunity convinced her that she has a passion for teaching preschool-aged children. She loves that she can interact creatively with the kids and develop activities that will allow them to freely learn in an outdoor environment. Some of her favorite things to do with the kiddos is go on trail walks and use a variety of methods for art activities. Since graduating in May 2021 with a BA in Psychology, Kaela has chosen to pursue a Master’s in Early Childhood Education (M.Ed.), which she begins in September 2022.
In Kaela’s spare time, she loves singing, playing video games both alone and with buddies, spending time with family and pets, and going to the beach. She also loves to watch the hummingbirds and bumblebees flourish in her garden!
Kaitlyn graduated from the University of Maine in May 2023 with a Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education. She is certified to teach children K-3. Kaitlyn grew up right here in sunny Saco Maine, and has worked as a summer camp councilor, daycare aid for work study during her time at university, a BHP in the summer of 2020, and has recently completed her student teaching experience. She has a passion for working with young children and providing them with a collaborative and respectful learning environment. She is excited to be with us for our summer camp this year and to learn more about how nature can be incorporated in the classroom!
During her free time Kaitlyn loves exploring the outdoors going on nature walks, walks on the beach collecting rocks and seaglass treasures, and has recently started to teach herself how to crochet!
Grace graduated from Thornton Academy in 2020. While Grace was in high school, she gained experience nurturing young children in many environments, including summer camp, after school care, dance class, and in the classroom. Grace is currently working towards a degree in English at the University of Southern Maine.
When Grace is not working, she enjoys playing video games, dancing, listening to music, playing with her dog, Callie, and making crafts. She is excited to have the opportunity to work in an educational environment, and to learn from and guide the students at Kidz Go Eco!
Brenna is originally from Winthrop, Massachusetts where she grew up babysitting, teaching younger children acting and drama courses, and exploring the outdoors. She obtained a degree in both Special Education and Visual Arts at Wheelock College. She is licensed in Special Education, Mild to Moderate disabilities, PreK-8. At Wheelock, she had the opportunity to work for Jumpstart by helping children with their kindergarten readiness, as well as student teaching in a Fourth Grade classroom in the Boston Public Schools system. Before graduating, she also had a Practicum experience at The Cotting School, in Lexington, Massachusetts where she worked with Middle School students with varying levels of ability. Brenna grew up spending her summers in the pines of YMCA Camp Woodstock in Connecticut, as a camper, counselor, art teacher, and unit manager. After 14 years there, this is what really sparked her interest in nature based education!
After graduating from college, Brenna joined the United States Peace Corps where she was a Education Volunteer, responsible for teaching English and training local teachers, in Rwanda. In Rwanda, which is called The Land of 1000 Hills, Brenna enjoyed hiking and exploring her surroundings in her free time. On one of these hikes she met her now husband, Habimana. After Peace Corps, Brenna and her husband moved to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, where she worked as a First Grade teacher and a Lower Primary Montessori Teacher with children ages 5-9.
Brenna has since been raising her 1 year old baby boy, Mucyo, and making the move from Rwanda to Maine. She is very excited to explore Maine more especially as she loves hiking in the forest and reading on the beach. She enjoys trying new recipes, playing board games, and spending time with family. She is so excited to combine all her different experiences into teaching children at Kidz Go Eco!
Judy graduated from Keene State College in N.H. with a Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education and a minor in English. She’s certified to teach K-8, and have experience teaching pre-k, kindergarten, first and second grade, a fifth/sixth multi-age and as a special education educational technician. She has worked with children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and behavioral challenges.
She believes all children are capable of learning and possess great potential, gifts and abilities. I believe in social justice and establishing a learning environment which fosters equity, equality, peaceful conflict resolution and inclusivity. She loves embracing cultural diversity and providing authentic learning experiences which celebrate our families’ origins and traditions.
Her favorite book genres are ones that focus on moral lessons and social emotional learnings. She loves spending time walking in nature, writing, reading, and enjoy life sciences. One of her hopes and dreams is to publish children’s books and travel to more countries!
Hannah is from South Portland, Maine, where she worked as a camp counselor, after-school care provider, and nanny for several years. Through those experiences and spending time involved in the 4-H Ecology Explorers program, Hannah developed a love for environmental studies and encouraging children to learn more about the ecosystems we each play an active role in.
Hannah graduated with her bachelors degree in 2023 from the University of Southern Maine. There she studied environmental planning, environmental policy, and holistic health. She continues to study herbalism and holistic health in her free time.
Hannah is passionate about helping students foster a deep love and understanding of the natural world. Her goal is to infuse excitement about creative expression into all we forge together at Kidz Go Eco.
Meggie is a local Mainer who grew up curious and always outside. She graduated from Biddeford High School in 2022 and attends the University of Maine at Farmington. She has been working in a leadership youth organization since 2015. She has lived in Maine her whole life and was fortunate to be raised with a love of the outdoors and Nature. She’s passionate about educating children, and helping them to explore the world around us.
As the proverb illustrates, it takes a village to raise a child and for a small independent school it takes the thoughtful efforts and creative resources of the community to educate the village’s children.We are deeply grateful for your willingness to support our nature school, whether monetary, contributions of classroom supplies/equipment/furniture, kind words of encouragement, lifting our educators spirits with a special thank you, or your own unique offering. Your donation makes a difference and with your generosity and thoughtfulness, kidz go eco is a very special place for all the children that attend our school. We want to thank you for all your in kind support!
