STAFF POLICIES AND PRACTICES
There is no established hierarchy among us. We all receive the same salary, with the exception that new, relatively inexperienced additions to the staff are phased in over 5 years, starting at 75% of our modest full salary. All administrative and educational policy decisions are made by consensus. No decision is acted upon until all participants are at least willing "to risk it". As a result, we communally assume responsibility for our successes and failures. Policies have evolved from felt needs and, occasionally, from the need to deal with a crisis. Staff evaluation is a supportive peer exchange woven into the fabric of our daily life together. We all contribute to the analysis of problems and collaborate toward their solutions. There have been some staff changes, but our rate of turnover has been incredibly low, and several of our current staff have been with school since its inception.
MARGARET BADGER, Music Teacher
Margaret has been with NCCL since 2006. She has been teaching music since 1990. Her primary instruments are piano and voice, and most of her
instruction is one on one. In addition, she works on a variety of ensemble
projects. She maintains a private voice and piano studio and is on the faculty of the Delaware Arts Conservatory.
Margaret was born in Trondheim, Norway, but grew up primarily in the
United States. She studied music in Norway after high school, and then studied
other subjects in Russia and England, as well as at the University of Delaware. More
about Margaret.
BETTE BALDER, Administrative Director
Bette first came to NCCL as a parent. She taught enrichment classes and
substituted. before accepting a teaching position in 1986. Bette became
Administrative Director in 1992. She has a M.S. in Child Development and a B.S.
in Elementary Education, magna cum laude, with a math minor from the University
of Delaware. Bette had 11 years previous teaching experience as a second grade
teacher in public school and as a substitute teacher in many public and private
schools. More about Bette.
JOE CUTTER, Group 2 Teacher
Joe first became involved with NCCL as a parent when his two children enrolled.
He began teaching here full time in 2001. Before coming to NCCL, Joe taught 3
year-olds in a Parent Cooperative Preschool. He also has experience teaching
high school Math, 3rd-5th grade, tutoring all levels of math, leading school and
public programs at White Clay Creek State Park, and hands-on math and computer
classes to 8th and 9th grade. Joe has a M.S. in Education and a B.A. in
Mathematics. More about Joe.
DEBBIE HEGEDUS, Art Teacher
Debbie has been the Art teacher at NCCL since 1989. She has a Bachelor of Fine
Arts from the University of Delaware. Before teaching here, she taught adult Art
Education and served as Artist in Residence in New York State and Delaware.
More about Debbie.
LAURA KAHN, Spanish Teacher
Laura has a M.A. in Foreign Language Pedagogy with a concentration in Spanish
and a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature. She has taught at Upper Moreland
High School in PA and at Bishop O'Dowd High School in CA, as well as at the
Kennett Area YMCA. Laura has been with NCCL since 2007.
DEBBIE KEESE, Group 1 Teacher
Debbie graduated from the University of Delaware with a B.A. in English and
Criminal Justice. She has been the museum educator and the Director of Iron Hill
Museum of Natural History. She was also Park Naturalist at White Clay Creek
State Park where she designed and taught science, history, and environmental
education curricula for weekly home-school programs, school field trips, and
summer camps. Through the years, she conducted hundreds of classes in schools,
daycare, and adult educational settings. Debbie began teaching at NCCL in
September 2003.
More about Debbie.
KATE KERRANE, Group 4 Teacher
Kate has a B.A. in Elementary Education with a minor in Women's Studies from the
University of Delaware. She was a social worker for an agency called Independent
Living Inc. before returning to school to get her education degree. She taught
at NCCL from 1991-1997 and returned in 2006. More about Kate.
SEAN KERRANE, Group 3 Teacher
Sean Kerrane started teaching at NCCL in 1998 but has been with the school since
1993 when he worked in the child care program. He was the Child Care Director
for two years before graduating from the University of Delaware with a Bachelors
degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Native American History. Before
graduating, he won the "Student Teacher of the Year" award for Brandywine School
District. After graduating, he took a job teaching English as a second language
at La Universidad Tecnologica in Panama City, Panama. While in Panama, he also
had a chance to teach for a month in a bilingual elementary school and after
spending almost a year there, he now speaks Spanish fluently.
More about Sean
TINA MACLARY, Group 1 Teacher
Tina Maclary first became involved in NCCL as a parent. She graduated from the
University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1979 and
taught for a number of years in Cecil County Public Schools. She began teaching
Kindermusik and preschool outreach music classes for The Wilmington Music School
in 1991. She trained at the Reading Assist Institute in the summer of 2006. Most
recently she has been tutoring students with reading difficulties at Avon Grove
Charter School and privately. Tina began teaching at NCCL in 2008.
SUSILA MADHAVAN, Extended Care Director
A native of Madras, India, Susi graduated from Queen Mary's College. Before
coming to NCCL in 1997 she worked at Girls, Inc. where she directed the Before
Care program, taught health and sexuality, computer word processing and typing,
in addition to being on call even in the middle of the night. Susi has also
coordinated the Tutors Program of the University of Delaware's College of
Education.
More about Susi.
MARILYNN MAGNANI, Group 3 Teacher, Educational Director
While helping in her son's preschool, Marilynn became involved in the start-up
of NCCL in 1971. She graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor's
of Science in Education with Honors. She taught in and directed the Reading
Study center at the University of Delaware for four years. Currently, in
addition to teaching at NCCL, she is an instructor for Kathy Richardson and
Associates working to help teachers improve math education.
More about Marilynn.
RAY MAGNANI, Group 4 Teacher, Treasurer
Ray has been with NCCL since it opened in 1971. He heard about NCCL being
formed, and attended an informational meeting. He was hired as a teacher for
that first year, and has taught here ever since. Ray studied aerospace
engineering and anthropology at the University of Delaware. Ray's photographs
appear in Discover the Winterthur Garden. More
about Ray.
KELLY ORGA, Group 1 Teacher
Kelly graduated with a BS in Human Resources, Early Childhood Education, from
The University of Delaware in 1992. She received the honor “Student Teacher of
the Year,” graduated Magna Cum Laude and successfully completed the PPST and NTE
to earn her teachers’ certification the same year. Kelly taught at NCCL from
1992-1997 and returned in 2004. More about Kelly.
JANICE TOOMEY, Group 2 Teacher
Janice has a M.F.A. in Visual Art, and B.A. in American Studies and Art. She was
formerly an adjunct Professor at the University of Delaware, Goldey Beacom,
Wesley College and West Chester University, and a Child Counselor at Terry
Children's Psychiatric Center. She has 16 years previous teaching experience and
taught at NCCL from 1995-2003. For the next 4 years Janice and her husband lived
and worked in England where she taught psychology at Gloucester College. Janice
returned to NCCL in 2007. More about Janice.