Over the past 19 years, Joni has worked with children in preschool through grade five in Maine, Germany, Japan, and Massachusetts.  Passionate about using the Arts to enhance and enrich educational experiences for diverse learning styles and abilities, she incorporates them regularly.  She is thrilled to be working at NLS where educating the whole child – challenging the head, nurturing the heart, and using the hands- all with love and support, are at the center.  “The atmosphere at the Lighthouse School is truly magical – warm, joyous, calm, and full of meaningful experiences.”  -Joni She enjoys providing hands-on age appropriate experiences and working at a school where project-based education is valued.

Joni moved to Nantucket in 2006.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their children.  She also appreciates exploring nature, baking, reading, and creating art.

“By creating learning environments where creativity is part of human intelligence, where social skills are essential for learning, where dance, music and all the arts are integral to the identity of student, classroom, and school, we create an academic balance that is truly healthy – a balance based on the harmony of body, mind, spirit, and community.  In such an environment, students can walk in beauty on their paths to being powerful human beings, active citizens, and responsible contributors to the ongoing creative unfolding of life on this planet.”

-Nick Page
(educator, composer, conductor, and author)

508-228-0427 jamaral@nantucketlighthouseschool.org

Responsive Classroom Training

Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Training

Sunbridge Institue Intensive

Alana Cullen graduated from Salve Regina University with a B.A. in English Communications and Anthropology. She has worked with children for over 20 years. Becoming a Nantucket Lighthouse School parent in 2013, Alana fell in love with the Lighthouse school community and philosophy of educating the whole child, while weaving arts and nature into everyday life and learning. Alana immensely enjoys teaching Small School, and you'll often hear her proclaim, "They're the most important years!" She aims to "do small things with great love." Alana and her husband, Marcus, enjoy biking and swimming with their two sons. In her free time, Alana enjoys yoga, gardening, and reading.

acullen@nantucketlighthouseschool.org

Relevant Experience:

Responsive Classroom Training
Columbia University’s Teachers College Reading Institute
Columbia University’s Teachers College Graphic Novel Institute
Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Training

Jillian Fraker is a teacher, writer, and surfer. Jillian joined the team of educators at Nantucket Lighthouse School in 2019. She is drawn to the school's commitment to educating the whole child. Jillian is thrilled to weave curriculum into exciting hands-on projects that honor the beauty of nature and celebrate the joy of learning. Jillian was born and raised on Nantucket and returned to the island after finishing her master's degree in creative writing at The New School in New York City.

Allison grew up in Northern New Jersey and studied at Vassar College, in the lush Hudson Valley of New York, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. At Vassar, Allison found her passion for the natural world while working at a local farm dedicated to community, education, and food justice.

After graduating in 2014, Allison traveled to Nantucket for the first time, to teach environmental education at the Maria Mitchell Association and quickly fell in love with the magic of the island community! She actually learned about the Lighthouse School through several of my campers singing the Morning Poem! As Allison learned more, she became enamored with the integrated curriculum and “head, heart, hand” philosophy.

Allison balances her passions for creative education, teaching at the Lighthouse School, and caring for plants at Surfing Hydrangea nursery in the summer. In her free time, Allison loves being outside- running and exploring the island’s endless beauty; or at home-  reading, cooking, and creating art with friends.

508-228-0427 agayo@nantucketlighthouseschool.org

Relevant Experience:

Sunbridge Institute Training

Responsive Classroom Training

15 years experience in education

Beth Gennaro graduated from Gettysburg College in 2000 with a degree in Classical Studies.  She then went on to get her Master’s in Education from Fitchburg State University in 2010 along with her Massachusetts Teaching license in Early Childhood Education.   She had worked in both Sudbury Public School Systems and Nantucket Public School Systems since 2001.  Beth is mother to 3 children, all of whom attended Nantucket Lighthouse School.  It was when her oldest child first started at the Nantucket Lighthouse School in 2011 that Beth was introduced to the Lighthouse School philosophy and fell in love with the ‘head, hands and heart’ approach.  She has joyously joined the Lighthouse educators as a Small School teacher and loves being a part of such an exceptional community.  In her spare time Beth enjoys exploring nature, gardening and cooking while spending time with her children.

cgennaro@nantucketlighthouseschool.org

Relevant Experience:

Certified Childbirth Educator, Lamaze Method

Whole Brain Teaching for Challenging Kids. on-line course

Bootstrap Workshop: Using Python to teach Algebra via coding.

Responsive Classroom Seminar

A.A.N. Pottery courses. Kiln available to fire student work.

CreateCodeLoad—creative coding via scratch.mit.edu

Sunbridge Foundations of Waldorf Education webinar

Sunbridge Institute. Approaching Grade One

After college Meg moved to Nantucket and worked as an EMT, lab tech and Childbirth Educator. She taught Science at Nantucket Christian Academy. She homeschooled her six children in all subjects for over 20 years. She has an enormous garden and a passion for music, playing both guitar and flute. She loves teaching her students to write computer programs.  Meg is thrilled to be working with your kids to discover the wonders of mathematics and the beauty of science. Her current favorite number, also a favorite of the ancient Chaldeans, is 360.

508-228-0427 mglidden@nantucketlighthouseschool.org

Russ and his wife Marian, author and founding chef of Nantucket’s Straight Wharf Restaurant, spend summers at their home in Shawkemo. There “he” grows and “she” cooks from a vast vegetable garden. Morash occasionally contributes columns in the Inquirer and Mirror on gardening as well as monthly items for the magazine “Nantucket Today.”

Experienced gardener with a strong connection and appreciation of nature and all living beings complimented by a wonderful kind and open relationship with teaching children.

With a degree in Business Administration from Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island, Carol worked for Pacific Bank and Nantucket Bank for twenty years. It was not until 2015, when she received her Teacher Certification from Cape Cod Community College in 2015, that she started working for Nantucket Public Schools, and most recently, Small Friends of Nantucket. In August of 2020, Carol joined Nantucket Lighthouse School as Extended Day Teacher.

Carol has two children and has lived on Nantucket for 32 years. She is active in the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce and Petticoat Row Women in Business on Nantucket.

Extension 1012

Barbara started working for Nantucket Lighthouse School in January of 2014 and has since then enjoyed being part of the school community in various capacities.

In her leisure time, Barbara enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and pursues her joy for photography.

508-228-0427 Extension 1025 bzachary@nantucketlighthouseschool.org