Meet the Carrot Patch Teachers!

Erin McCool Bonini, B.S., M.S. (Miss Erin)

CT-Certified K-6 Teacher

Head Classroom Teacher, Infants

Erin is a graduate of Southern Connecticut State University where she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and Psychology and her Master's Degree in Elementary Education. She has her Connecticut teaching certification for grades K through 6, and she rejoins the Patch after a year teaching in various Wallingford Public School classrooms. Prior to that, she was our much-revered Preschool teacher for three years, and she also has several years' experience at the Wallingford Family YMCA, where she served as a Head Teacher and Summer Camp Counselor. It is with great pleasure that we welcome Erin back to the Carrot Patch!

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Sarah Bozzuto, B.A., M.A. (Miss Sarah)

CT-Certified K-6 Teacher

Head Classroom Teacher, Toddlers

One of our all-time favorite head teachers has returned from teaching in the public schools! Sarah, who holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Elementary Education from SCSU, brings a wealth of experience with young children. She worked with infants through preschoolers at a local program for several years before joining the Carrot Patch staff as one of our original three teachers. Sarah now brings her boundless energy and enthusiasm back to the Patch to enliven our toddler class!

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Lauren Henderson, B.S. (Miss Lauren)

Head Classroom Teacher, Transitional Toddlers

Lauren joined the toddler program at the Patch in September 2008, having married and moved to Hamden from Tallahassee, Florida. She holds a bachelor's degree in Family and Child Sciences, and has worked with young children for several years in a number of settings, including time spent working with underprivileged kids in Costa Rica. Her soft yet firm Southern charm seems to bewitch the little ones in her care!

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Amanda Jones, B.S. (Miss Amanda)

CT-Certified K-6 Teacher

Head Classroom Teacher, Preschool

Amanda received her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education at Central Connecticut State University, and is certified to teach Kindergarten through grade 6. In addition to experience teaching at the elementary level, Amanda taught a Toddler class in a Fairfield County private day school. She has also spent summers first as a lead counselor, then later as camp director for both the Mohegan Tribe and Sacred Heart University. Her creativity, patience, and love of learning are clearly evident in her classroom!

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Audrey Meyers, B.S. (Miss Audrey)

Head Classroom Teacher, Transitional Toddlers

Audrey brings her interests in nutrition and children's recreation to the classroom, having received her bachelor's degree from SCSU in those areas. She has served as a senior camp counselor at YMCA camps Mountain Laurel in Hamden and Camp Graylock in Burlington, Vermont. She has also taught rock climbing and other active ventures to special needs children for the Wallingford Parks and Recreation Department. She spent the last year in our preschool class, and has now moved to the Transitional Toddler room.

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Kristina Russell, A.A., B.A. candidate (Miss Kristina)

Teacher, Toddlers

Kristina received her Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education at Gateway Community College. Before joining the Carrot Patch, Kristina worked for several years at the School Aged Childcare (SACC) in Branford. Kristina served as Assistant Teacher in our Preschool program for two years, then brought her warmth and energy to our Toddler program where she has been teaching for the 2009-2010 school year.

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Caitlin Dell, B.A., M.A. (Miss Caitlin)

Part-Time Classroom Teacher, Transitional Toddlers

Caitlin holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology with a concentration in Child Development and a Master's Degree in Art Therapy, both from Albertus Magnus College. She has worked with children in many settings, including as a preschool assistant at St. Francis Home for Children, as a reading specialist assistant, and as an elementary school psychology intern. Miss Caitlin, former Head Teacher in the Transitional Toddler Class, continues in a part-time role, at least until she makes a move into the therapeutic arena.

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Meghan McCool, B.A. candidate (Miss Meghan)

Part-Time Classroom Teacher, Preschool

Meghan has several years of coaching experience in girls volleyball, and has worked with our preschoolers every afternoon for several years while attending school. Meghan brings some of the same chemistry with children and maturity beyond her years that her older sister (Miss Erin) possesses. Miss Meghan works with our preschoolers part-time during the school year, and while on her summer break takes on the role of full-time Assistant Teacher with the class she has come to know so well!

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Stephanie Perrotti, B.A. candidate(Miss Stephanie)

Part-Time Classroom Teacher, Transitional Toddlers

Stephanie has nearly completed her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education at SCSU. She loves children and has been a Red Cross certified babysitter since she was 12 years old. As a "third year" at the Patch, Stephanie has proven herself an important part of the Transitional Toddler staff.

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Lauren Thiele, B.A., M.A. candidate (Miss Lauren)

Part-Time Classroom Teacher, Toddlers

Lauren has been teaching young children in various early learning programs both in Vermont and Connecticut since 1999. She is currently working toward her Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy at Quinnipiac University so she will have the opportunity to enrich children's lives in an even more profound way.

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JANICE ROMO, B.S., M.S., 6th Year Certificate in Administration (Miss Jan)

Education Consultant & Staff Developer

Jan Romo's educational career spans over 35 years. Her training background took place at both SCSU in New Haven and Bank Street College of Education in NYC. She received her B.S. & M.S. in Early Childhood Education and later her 6th Year Certification in Administration and Supervision. She has been mentored and inspired by some of our top educational leaders in the field.

Jan began her teaching career in 1970 as a first grade teacher. For nine years she enjoyed teaching both first grade and Kindergarten at the West Hills Magnet School, New Haven's first experimental program bringing Hamden and New Haven children together for instruction.

With its gradual expansion to a K-8 program, Jan's role shifted to Staff Developer where she became a 'teacher of teachers' for 13 years. She was responsible for the development and assessment of the school's core curriculum. Her active involvement with this "community of learners" brought yet another shift. She became the West Hills K-8 principal and was honored to work even more closely with all the components that affected its 700 children.

After 29 years at West Hills, she was appointed to Supervisor of Early Childhood Education, overseeing 4,000+ New Haven Pre-K and Kindergarten students. Her work broadened, yet brought her back to her Early Childhood roots. Involved with writing curriculum standards and a wide variety of School Readiness & Head Start initiatives, Jan was able to lead the city for three years in truly appreciating how important developmentally-appropriate early learning is, starting with its very youngest students--infants & toddlers.

After "retiring", Jan moved on to an adjunct professorship at SCSU, teaching "Integrated Curriculum for Pre-K & Kindergarten" and working as an educational consultant in area nursery school programs. She recently completed a two-year term as co-president of NHAEYC (the New Haven Chapter of the Association of the Education of Young Children), having formerly served two years as co-chair of the program committee.

We are lucky to have Jan as our Educational Consultant and Staff Developer, where she can work closely with the Carrot Patch staff, parents and management.