About Our Teachers
At Our School, your child will be known.
Our student/teacher ratio is among the smallest in the area. Your child will have a meaningful one-on-one contact with caring educators each and every day.
Owner
Colleen Snyder
After earning a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education at the University of Maine in Farmington, I raised my four children in Iowa City, Iowa, Upstate New York, Hancock Point, Maine and County Wicklow, Ireland before I returned to Scarborough Maine to live just a few miles from where I grew up in South Portland. I fell in love with teaching in college during my internship at the university nursery school. Soon after, I lived in England as an exchange student, and taught kindergarten through third grade, in a small country school in a farming village outside Winchester.
From my first days of teaching at Our School in 1996 I have considered it a great privilege to inspire self confidence in children and to encourage them to believe in themselves so they love to learn, and are eager to embrace the wonders of their world. The time we share writing our first letters, making snow angels, nurturing baby chicks, or witnessing caterpillars transform into butterflies is all designed to spark children’s creativity in a family atmosphere so they can develop the patience and trust to interact comfortably with their classmates and will grow up to become self reliant, responsible and compassionate individuals who will make the world better in their own way.
teacher
Kara Fletcher
I was fortunate to join the Our School community in 2018. My degree in Early Childhood Education has brought me to an array of different jobs working with children over the past 25 years. I worked with troubled and disadvantaged kids in Alaska, Vermont and Maine. I also worked as a preschool teacher in Alaska and here in Scarborough at Willoughby Woods. My care giving qualities brought me to the other end of the spectrum where I have worked privately with the elderly population for the past 15 years. Raising 3 kids of my own has taught me so much about myself. I have three teenagers who are my pride and joy! I am known for having a playful and positive energy with a constant smile on my face. When I have free time I wish most to be in the outdoors during any season. I love to hike, ski, kayak, garden, paddle board, travel and camp.
I believe that the early childhood years should be a time where children’s curiosity, imagination and creativity are nurtured. I want to awaken their sense of wonder about nature and the world around them. Fostering compassion and respect for one another and all living things is a priority to me. I care deeply that children believe in themselves, their individuality and unique gifts.
Teacher
Kristy Capponi
I am so excited to be part of the teaching team at Our School. I am a Scarborough resident and have two children, both graduates of Our School! I fell in love with this school as a parent and appreciate the sense of community, nurturing environment and play based learning that my children experienced here. I have a BS degree in Young Child and Family Studies and a Masters degree in Elementary Education. I have ten years of teaching experience with the majority in preschool and kindergarten. I have a passion for emergent literacy and curriculum development. Early education is a precious time in a child's life where learning takes place through discovery and exploration. As an educator it is my goal to establish a community of active learners while fostering curiosity, creativity and a love of learning. I believe that the classroom community should be a safe, warm and supportive environment in which each child is recognized as a unique individual with equal opportunity for growth and success. When I'm not teaching I enjoy reading at the beach, yoga, paddle boarding and trying new recipes for my family. I look forward to meeting you!