Jess joins CRS from Haynes Elementary School in Sudbury where she served as both a third and fourth-grade teacher. Jess prides herself on helping students build independence, deepen academic thinking, and strengthen their social skills. She believes that students learn best when they feel safe, understood, and supported, and that effective classroom management begins with helping children regulate their emotions so they are ready to learn. Jess is looking forward to joining the second-grade team, where she will help students grapple with complex ideas and rise to meaningful challenges by providing appropriate scaffolding, encouragement, and the confidence to learn from mistakes.
Sarah served as a substitute teacher for CRS in the 2025-2026 school year. She joins our community from Dexter-Southfield, where she was a coach and teacher for various grades for 13 years. In her classroom, Sarah creates hands-on learning experiences, helps students find literature that fosters curiosity and reflection, and encourages connections among the community and to the real world. Sarah is looking forward to collaborating with the firstgrade team, sharing ideas, and implementing strategies that reach and support every student.
Katie joins Charles River School from the Wellesley Public Schools, where she spent many years teaching kindergarten. She is excited for the opportunity to work with first graders. As an educator, Katie finds great joy and purpose in helping students explore big ideas across subjects while allowing their curiosity to guide discovery. She values imagination, connection, and deep exploration and looks forward to bringing those qualities to her partnership with her co-teacher and the first-grade team.
Jen joined CRS in 1996. With nearly three decades of experience teaching, Jen has taught sixth grade, fifth grade, and first and second grades at CRS. Her experience prior to CRS includes teaching preschool at Kent Community Nursery School in Connecticut, Kindergarten at Bright Horizons, and first and sixth grade at Belmont Day School. Jen received her bachelor’s degree in child development from the University of Connecticut, and her master’s in Education for Grades 1-6 from Lesley College. Jen loves to sing and spend time outdoors either at the beach, or hiking.
The interdisciplinary focus at CRS is especially meaningful for students to engage deeply and have agency in their learning.
Before joining the CRS in the spring of 2022, Sarah was a first-grade lead teacher at Schofield Elementary School in Wellesley, where she developed curriculum in math, science, reading, writing, and phonics. She previously worked as the middle school pilot program intern at Open Circle where she conducted research on the SEL needs of middle school students. Outside of CRS, Sarah works as a dance instructor for both kids and adults. She loves to incorporate physical movement and creativity into traditional classroom settings. Sarah earned a BA in Geosciences and a Teacher Certification Program for Elementary Education from Wellesley College. She recently completed the Learning and Teaching Master’s Program at Harvard Graduate School of Education, earning her master’s in May 2022.
I love and appreciate the flexibility to design my own curriculum and the supportive, exciting community. It is truly awesome to witness the pride and confidence our students display when they graduate from CRS in the eighth grade.
Julie joined Charles River School in 2006, and has been teaching French since 1992. At CRS, she enjoys sharing her passion for the language, culture, and cuisine of the Francophone world with her elementary and middle school students. Prior to CRS, Julie taught at Kimball Union Academy, a secondary school in New Hampshire, where she chaired the world languages department and coached field hockey. She began her teaching career at the Wyndcroft School in Pennsylvania and was eager to return to a middle school classroom when she joined the middle school team at CRS. Julie earned her bachelor’s degree from Bates College, spending a year abroad studying at the Université de Strasbourg, and her master’s degree from the École française at Middlebury College.
There is a sense of community here that is unlike any other school. I find joy in noticing students helping each other both in and out of the classroom. Children of all grades have deep conversations with adults in many different ways – from academic to social. The atmosphere is cheerful and studious and reflective of the school values and mission statement. CRS is committed to honoring the joy in childhood and does it well.
Jamie joined Charles River School in 2021 as a third grade teacher. Prior to coming to CRS, she taught fifth grade at Buckingham, Browne & Nichols in Cambridge, MA. In addition to teaching, Jamie served as a supervising practitioner guiding and evaluating graduate student teachers as part of the Lesley University Collaborative Internship Program. She also worked at Clyde F. Brown Elementary School in Millis, MA as a substitute teacher and curriculum designer for the emergent STEAM program. Jamie is passionate about cultivating curiosity in her students and helping them see themselves as empowered learners. Jamie earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and Marketing from Boston College, and her Master of Education degree for Elementary Education from Lesley University.
I love the sense of community and family that is CRS. I feel at home here. CRS is a school in which every member of faculty and staff will have an impact on the development of your child throughout their time here. It takes a village to raise a child, and CRS does it right.
Paul joined Charles River School in 2016, coming to CRS from Shady Hill School in Cambridge where he worked as the Assistant Director of Athletics. Paul has a deep love for athletics and believes that participation helps students develop both socially and academically, and forges character; he also views athletics as a tool for reinforcing school values. Paul earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and physical education and his master’s in education in exercise physiology from the University of Maine, where received the Presidential Academic Achievement Award. He is also a four-time America East Scholar-Athlete.
Charles River School is amazing for a music teacher because the arts are valued, and thoroughly integrated into the curriculum. We are all a team teaching the students together, and I have the time, support, resources, and excitement to do incredible projects with all of my classes. I am so lucky to work here!
Mica joined CRS in 2006, and is the Director of Performing and Visual Arts. In this role, she teaches general music, electives, and Multi-Arts classes, directs the fourth- through eighth-grade CRS Chorus and runs both the Assemblies program and the after-school music lessons program. Prior to CRS, Mica worked as a musical director at Artbarn Community Theater in Brookline for 17 years and taught private piano lessons. She was also a performing singer/songwriter of folk and rock music in and around New England, and produced two CDs before deciding to teach children to be rock stars instead! Mica earned her bachelor’s degree from the New England Conservatory of Music in jazz piano performance and her Master’s in Music Education from the online Longy School of Music in 2026.
