Our Teachers
Johannah Veinot, BA University of Hartford
Josh Savoy, BA University of Maine
TM Baird, BA Whitman College, MFA University of San Francisco, MA Lancester University
Victoria Sajaw
Taylor Tinker
Stefany Trautner
Amanda Stebbins
Rose Lovett, BS University of Vermont
Rose joined MVS mid 2020. Here is what she shared with our community about herself: I got my Bachelor’s of Science in Early Childhood Education from the University of Vermont, with a minor in Special Education and concentrations in American Sign Language and Human Development/Family Studies. I worked as a lead infant/toddler teacher at UVM’s Campus Children’s School for four years following my graduation. My teaching philosophy is grounded in being a social constructivist and is Reggio Emilia inspired. I am currently finishing my Master’s in Interdisciplinary Studies at UVM. In my free time I enjoy hiking, playing ukulele, and spending time with my siblings, parents, nieces and nephews. At MVS I’m looking forward to being part of a community that respects and values children, our environment, and education as essential and interwoven pieces of our world.
Asha Panici, BS University of Florida
Asha joined MVS in mid 2020. Here is what she shared with our community about herself: I’m so happy to be part of the MVS family. I first worked with children as a nanny for several years. After graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in wildlife ecology, I spent the last two years doing fieldwork and trying to understand the natural world. I found I really missed working with kids and sharing their excitement for the world around them! MVS is the perfect place to combine my love for the environment and my excitement to help children grow into capable, confident individuals. In my off time, I enjoy viewing local wildlife and exploring hiking trails—bonus points if I find any neat feathers to add to my collection!
Mike Place, BA Northern Vermont University
Mike joined MVS in spring 2020. Here is what he shared with the community about himself: Growing up in the NEK, I spent most of my time running around the woods and exploring the world around me. This translated well when I found my passion for teaching in an outdoor education company called Nature’s Classroom. I worked as a teacher there for many years until finally working my way up to being the coordinator of my own location in Andover, Connecticut. Transitioning back to my home state, Mountain Village School immediately caught my eye. I find the idea of experiential learning in an outdoor setting to be instrumental to fostering a love and appreciation for the pale blue dot we call our home. I’m grateful for the opportunity to help build this community and help our young people see the world with a bit more curiosity and even more love.
Mary Elizabeth Latch, BA Drury University & M.Ed Vanderbilt University
Mary Elizabeth joined MVS in early 2020 and is passionate about learning, teaching, reading, baking, hiking and being curious. So passionate, in fact, that she has been known to cry at beautiful mountains, touching books and a perfectly set pecan pie. Every student is different and will be ready to tack each new life challenge at a different point in time. The role of an educator is to meet each student where they are and encourage them to face those challenges head-on.
Grace Corriveau, BS University of Madison
Grace joined MVS in 2019. She is an outdoor educator from Wisconsin where she majored in Conservation Biology. She firmly believes in the power of outdoor play and the benefits that it has on the mental, emotional and physical health of all children. The outdoors provides a scene for healthy risk taking, an element that is essential for proper child development.
Mattie Hallett, BA Colby-Sawyer College
Mattie graduated from Colby-Sawyer College in 2018 with a Bachelors in Creative Writing and Art History, and she is currently working on her Masters in Early Childhood Education at Champlain College. She has been playing instruments, dancing, and involved in musical theatre since she was six years old, and plans to always take part in the music and theatre community. She grew up at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, so she has spent her life surrounded by international artists, thus explaining her college focus. Her love for helping and teaching children started at a very young age as she grew up with an in-home care provider, and taught art to children throughout her college career. She is so happy to be a part of the MVS community, and we are so glad that she’s joined us!
Tori Burke, BS University of New England
Tori joined MVS in 2018. She went to the University of New England in Maine with a goal of working at a wildlife sanctuary. After an internship at a wolf sanctuary, she moved back to Vermont and found herself working at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science as a camp instructor. With her new found love of teaching young children about the natural world, she discovered the opportunity to do "camp" all year round here at MVS! She loves watching children learn through play in nature. As their bodies and minds are constantly changing, they are able to explore the world around them. Discovering new things about their surroundings, and their own bodies with each outing. It is exciting to cultivate a deep love of nature that they will carry through their entire life just like I have.
Sarah Cardinal, BA University of Vermont, M.Ed Champlain College
Sarah joined MVS in 2017. Coming from an undergraduate background in Environmental Studies, she believes in the importance of incorporating the natural world and environmental awareness into early childhood education. She utilizes a play-based learning approach in her curriculum to support development in all domains and place an emphasis on supporting social-emotional skills, with a focus on encouraging independence in daily tasks and facilitating conflict resolution among peers. Outside of school, she has a passion for cooking with food inspired by all kinds of different cuisines. She also enjoys traveling, scuba diving in the ocean (not so much Lake Champlain...), spending time outside, and cuddling with her cats!
Jennifer Wedge, BA Simmons College
Jennifer joined MVS in the summer of 2014. She is a licensed preschool teacher in the state of Vermont. She spent 20 years teaching preschool in Massachusetts before moving to Vermont to be closer to families. Jennifer maintains kindness as the core of her curriculum with all children.
Megan Stapleton, MEd Champlain College
Megan joined MVS in the fall of 2015. Megan leads our infant care program. She has spent time teaching in Cambodia before coming back to Vermont to earn her master's from Champlain College in Early Childhood Education. She is committed to establishing respectful and caring relationships with every small child that she cares for.
Sarah Tousignant, MEd UVM, Founder & Director
Sarah spent her undergraduate years coaching skiing at Stowe, rowing for the crew team, and majoring in psychology at the University of Vermont. After college she spent time working with Children's Integrated Services in Early Childhood and Family Mental Health. She then pursued a master's degree in early childhood special education. In 2011 Sarah and her husband, Nick, opened Mountain Village School with a commitment to providing high quality care and education for the children of Vermont.
Nick Crandall, BA Whitman College, Director of Finance and Administration
Josh Savoy, BA University of Maine
TM Baird, BA Whitman College, MFA University of San Francisco, MA Lancester University
Victoria Sajaw
Taylor Tinker
Stefany Trautner
Amanda Stebbins
Rose Lovett, BS University of Vermont
Rose joined MVS mid 2020. Here is what she shared with our community about herself: I got my Bachelor’s of Science in Early Childhood Education from the University of Vermont, with a minor in Special Education and concentrations in American Sign Language and Human Development/Family Studies. I worked as a lead infant/toddler teacher at UVM’s Campus Children’s School for four years following my graduation. My teaching philosophy is grounded in being a social constructivist and is Reggio Emilia inspired. I am currently finishing my Master’s in Interdisciplinary Studies at UVM. In my free time I enjoy hiking, playing ukulele, and spending time with my siblings, parents, nieces and nephews. At MVS I’m looking forward to being part of a community that respects and values children, our environment, and education as essential and interwoven pieces of our world.
Asha Panici, BS University of Florida
Asha joined MVS in mid 2020. Here is what she shared with our community about herself: I’m so happy to be part of the MVS family. I first worked with children as a nanny for several years. After graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in wildlife ecology, I spent the last two years doing fieldwork and trying to understand the natural world. I found I really missed working with kids and sharing their excitement for the world around them! MVS is the perfect place to combine my love for the environment and my excitement to help children grow into capable, confident individuals. In my off time, I enjoy viewing local wildlife and exploring hiking trails—bonus points if I find any neat feathers to add to my collection!
Mike Place, BA Northern Vermont University
Mike joined MVS in spring 2020. Here is what he shared with the community about himself: Growing up in the NEK, I spent most of my time running around the woods and exploring the world around me. This translated well when I found my passion for teaching in an outdoor education company called Nature’s Classroom. I worked as a teacher there for many years until finally working my way up to being the coordinator of my own location in Andover, Connecticut. Transitioning back to my home state, Mountain Village School immediately caught my eye. I find the idea of experiential learning in an outdoor setting to be instrumental to fostering a love and appreciation for the pale blue dot we call our home. I’m grateful for the opportunity to help build this community and help our young people see the world with a bit more curiosity and even more love.
Mary Elizabeth Latch, BA Drury University & M.Ed Vanderbilt University
Mary Elizabeth joined MVS in early 2020 and is passionate about learning, teaching, reading, baking, hiking and being curious. So passionate, in fact, that she has been known to cry at beautiful mountains, touching books and a perfectly set pecan pie. Every student is different and will be ready to tack each new life challenge at a different point in time. The role of an educator is to meet each student where they are and encourage them to face those challenges head-on.
Grace Corriveau, BS University of Madison
Grace joined MVS in 2019. She is an outdoor educator from Wisconsin where she majored in Conservation Biology. She firmly believes in the power of outdoor play and the benefits that it has on the mental, emotional and physical health of all children. The outdoors provides a scene for healthy risk taking, an element that is essential for proper child development.
Mattie Hallett, BA Colby-Sawyer College
Mattie graduated from Colby-Sawyer College in 2018 with a Bachelors in Creative Writing and Art History, and she is currently working on her Masters in Early Childhood Education at Champlain College. She has been playing instruments, dancing, and involved in musical theatre since she was six years old, and plans to always take part in the music and theatre community. She grew up at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, so she has spent her life surrounded by international artists, thus explaining her college focus. Her love for helping and teaching children started at a very young age as she grew up with an in-home care provider, and taught art to children throughout her college career. She is so happy to be a part of the MVS community, and we are so glad that she’s joined us!
Tori Burke, BS University of New England
Tori joined MVS in 2018. She went to the University of New England in Maine with a goal of working at a wildlife sanctuary. After an internship at a wolf sanctuary, she moved back to Vermont and found herself working at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science as a camp instructor. With her new found love of teaching young children about the natural world, she discovered the opportunity to do "camp" all year round here at MVS! She loves watching children learn through play in nature. As their bodies and minds are constantly changing, they are able to explore the world around them. Discovering new things about their surroundings, and their own bodies with each outing. It is exciting to cultivate a deep love of nature that they will carry through their entire life just like I have.
Sarah Cardinal, BA University of Vermont, M.Ed Champlain College
Sarah joined MVS in 2017. Coming from an undergraduate background in Environmental Studies, she believes in the importance of incorporating the natural world and environmental awareness into early childhood education. She utilizes a play-based learning approach in her curriculum to support development in all domains and place an emphasis on supporting social-emotional skills, with a focus on encouraging independence in daily tasks and facilitating conflict resolution among peers. Outside of school, she has a passion for cooking with food inspired by all kinds of different cuisines. She also enjoys traveling, scuba diving in the ocean (not so much Lake Champlain...), spending time outside, and cuddling with her cats!
Jennifer Wedge, BA Simmons College
Jennifer joined MVS in the summer of 2014. She is a licensed preschool teacher in the state of Vermont. She spent 20 years teaching preschool in Massachusetts before moving to Vermont to be closer to families. Jennifer maintains kindness as the core of her curriculum with all children.
Megan Stapleton, MEd Champlain College
Megan joined MVS in the fall of 2015. Megan leads our infant care program. She has spent time teaching in Cambodia before coming back to Vermont to earn her master's from Champlain College in Early Childhood Education. She is committed to establishing respectful and caring relationships with every small child that she cares for.
Sarah Tousignant, MEd UVM, Founder & Director
Sarah spent her undergraduate years coaching skiing at Stowe, rowing for the crew team, and majoring in psychology at the University of Vermont. After college she spent time working with Children's Integrated Services in Early Childhood and Family Mental Health. She then pursued a master's degree in early childhood special education. In 2011 Sarah and her husband, Nick, opened Mountain Village School with a commitment to providing high quality care and education for the children of Vermont.
Nick Crandall, BA Whitman College, Director of Finance and Administration
