Faculty & Staff

Tiffany Uttam

Director of School

tiffany@fairwindlearningcenter.com

Tiffany Uttam is the Director and Founder of Fairwind Learning Center. She has been in the Early Childhood field for over twenty years. She is a passionate, dedicated educator who develops nurturing relationships with her students and families. She has a Master’s Degree in Reading Instruction and Curriculum Development from Lesley University, a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Colby-Sawyer College, and holds a Massachusetts Professional Teaching License (Pre K-3). Tiffany has worked as a Lead Kindergarten and Preschool teacher in various private schools and has been a literacy and math tutor for students from K- Grade 3.

Tiffany brings excitement, energy, and her caring nature to help students feel confident and reach their full potential. Tiffany takes time to build relationships with each of her students so she can better understand who they are as individuals and learn ways to make each child feel special and valued. Tiffany strives to create a dynamic, joyful learning atmosphere that supports students and respects their individual uniqueness. She believes that an environment that encourages academic, social, personal, creative, and physical development gives every student the opportunity to succeed and reach their full potential. Tiffany has lived in Marblehead since 2000 with her husband and two boys who attend schools in Marblehead. She loves to spend time with her family skiing, biking, hiking, and playing with her black lab, Molly.

Anne attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she earned a degree in Early Childhood Education and Human Services. She feels very lucky to be able to work in such a bright beautiful school and loves the connections she makes with the children and their families. Anne has worked in the medical field for most of her professional life, first as an administrative assistant at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and later as a medical transcriptionist and biller at a busy North Shore medical practice for 22 years. She has two wonderful children, a son who lives in Playa del Carmen, Mexico and a daughter who attends Boston University. She is an avid badminton player and enjoys photography.

She is passionate about helping children develop self-confidence and a love of learning. She also believes in fostering a partnership with parents and enjoys celebrating student’s successes with their families. Kathy and her husband have lived in Marblehead for over 10 years and have two sons who attend Marblehead public schools. She enjoys boating, tennis, skiing, knitting, reading and cooking with her family. She loves teaching within Marblehead’s community and having the opportunity to see students grow over the years.

Gail Rowe

Preschool I Lead Teacher

gail@fairwindlearningcenter.com

Gail Rowe has worked at Fairwind for the past three years. She has developed and Lead both our Preschool I and Toddler programs, and worked as a substitute teacher the year prior. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood and Special Education as well as an Associate’s Degree in Infant/Toddler Care. She worked with young children and their families in an early intervention program while pursuing her degree. Gail spent several years teaching in the Lynn Public School system at the Pre-K level and volunteers as a religious education teacher in Marblehead.

While Jean has loved being part of the classroom environment, she originally received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Connecticut in Allied Health Sciences, and worked for several years at Massachusetts General Hospital. Jean is a certified preschool teacher and continues to pursue her professional development in early childhood education. She believes that providing a nurturing environment for children to discover and explore are essential to their success and happiness. Jean feels that the most wonderful part of being an early education teacher is helping to foster a child’s joy in learning.

Deanna Grinnell

Preschool I Assistant Teacher

Deanna Grinnell is excited to be joining the Preschool I team as an Assistant Teacher after working as a long-term substitute in Fairwind’s Preschool II classroom last year. She holds her Bachelors’ degree in Economics/Business from Lafayette College, but realized her true passion for helping others and earned a Masters’ degree in Counseling and Psychological Services in 2016. Deanna worked several years in the mental health field at Lahey Health and Salem State Health Center while earning her degree. Before joining Fairwind, Deanna earned her CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching Adults) through Cambridge University and enjoyed teaching English to adults from all over the world. Deanna is also a certified yoga teacher and has taught in several local studios.

Deanna is looking forward to expanding her educational career as she pursues her teacher certification in Early Childhood Education. Deanna loves working with young children and enjoys creating unique relationships built on trust and understanding so that each student can learn and grow in a safe and supportive environment. Deanna believes that utilizing a strength-based approach with an emphasis on social-emotional development provides each student the opportunity to thrive and succeed.

Sophie Roch Piersol

Preschool II LeadTeacher

sophie@fairwindlearningcenter.com

Sophie Piersol has worked as the Lead teacher in our Preschool II program for the past four years. She discovered her passion for teaching when she started taking care of children over 20 years ago. Sophie holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and is a certified teacher. Sophie has worked as a preschool teacher in local learning centers and was the owner and director of her in-home French preschool, “Un Jardin d’Enfants.”

In the classroom, Sophie encourages exploration, creativity, and respect for one another. She believes that children learn actively by having hands-on experiences with their surroundings. In her classroom, learning is supported through consistent daily routines that reflect and build upon the children’s ideas and interests. Her philosophy has always been “play to learn and learn to play.” Sophie understands the importance and value of involving parents in her classroom where families will have opportunities to share their unique knowledge and create positive relationships.

Britte Roossien

Preschool II Assistant Teacher

Britte Roossien joined the Preschool II team last year as an assistant teacher and also helped develop and run our 2018 Summer program. She attended the University of New Hampshire and Oklahoma State University and holds her Bachelors Degree in Communications and continues to pursue her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. She realized her passion for Early Childhood Education after stepping away from the corporate world to be at home with her two children.

After becoming licensed in Massachusetts by the Department of Early Education and Care, Britte founded "Tater Tots" Family Daycare. As owner and lead provider, she spent seven years caring for infants, toddlers, preschool, and school aged children, delivering age appropriate curriculum that was both challenging and fun. Britte was the Director of the Junior Tennis Camp program at Nahant Country Club and was also awarded by the Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce, the Nahant town pride award in recognition of her corporation, 01908 INC, which is a volunteer organization she founded that works to benefit local underfunded community groups. As an educator, Britte takes a hands-on approach to learning and enjoys getting messy. She believes in creating a classroom environment where children feel safe to build upon their skills and to learn through exploration, and exposure to new concepts. Britte is a lover of the outdoors and athletics and can often be found on a tennis court, lacrosse or soccer field, coaching children or at the beach surfing or paddling.

Lydia Gilman

Transitional Kindergarten Lead Teacher

lydia@fairwindlearningcenter.com

Lydia Gilman will be leading our Transitional Kindergarten program for the second year. She holds her Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education and is currently completing her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and Creative Arts at Lesley University. Previously, Lydia taught at Tower School in the Pre-Kindergarten classroom for six years and also worked as a special education paraprofessional in the Beverly School District. Lydia loves teaching this age group and witnessing the children’s genuine curiosity as they learn, grow, and explore. She readily uses her training in the Responsive Classroom approach to create a joyful and engaging classroom community with an emphasis on social-emotional learning to build students’ academic skills.

Judy Sands

Transitional Kindergarten Full-Time Assistant Teacher

Judy holds her Bachelors degree in Early Childhood and Special Education from the University of Hartford. Judy has extensive teaching experience and has worked in various school settings for over 20 years. She has spent the last 12 years working as a Kindergarten paraprofessional at the North Beverly Elementary School. In addition, Judy worked as a Preschool teaching assistant for several years and is a private literacy and reading tutor.

Jill Gridley

Transitional Kindergarten Part-Time Assistant Teacher

Jill has been a part of Fairwind for the past four years. She joined our Transitional Kindergarten program last year as an assistant teacher and worked the years prior as a Preschool II assistant teacher. Jill is a certified teacher through Massachusetts Early Education and Care and continues to pursue her professional development in the teaching field. She is a native of England and has lived and raised her two children in Marblehead for over twenty five years.

Jill was a registered nurse in England and holds a degree in occupational therapy. Throughout her clinical experience, she provided pediatric health care for neurological and developmental disorders. Her passion for early childhood education was realized during her varied clinical experiences. Jill believes in a holistic approach to support each child to reach his or her full potential in play, friendship, and exploration. During her free time Jill loves to travel, play badminton, practice yoga, kayak, hike, and garden.