JULIE O'COIN
Head Teacher
Julie has been with the Mindess Extended Day for 8 years. She previously worked at the Mindess during the day as an ESP with the RISE Program. Over the years she has worked with kids of all ages, from toddlers to coaching 16s club volleyball. Being a part of the Mindess Extended Day has meant so much to Julie and she is excited for another year in the Head Teacher role.
TAYLER BODIO
Director
Prior to joining us in Ashland, she was the Program Manager in Milford for their Community School Use Program. She has vast experience managing community programs, including Extended Day, adult and children’s recreational and educational programs, town-sponsored sports teams, and much more! Her unique insight into Extended Day programming excites us. She started working as an aide in high school and continued through the ranks ultimately leading her to the Director position here.
Tayler graduated from Framingham State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology. In past years, she has continued her education through the Massachusetts Recreation and Park Association. Currently, she expands her knowledge base by attending the Network of Extended Day Directors meetings.
On the weekends, you can find her outside enjoying time with her dog, Benny and her family. She also enjoys trying new restaurants, testing new recipes, and taking fitness classes of all kinds.
MS. IZEN
Teacher
Ms. Izen will be joining us once again for 5 days at Mindess EDP! She will be joining us later in the afternoons, as she spends her school day at the Ashland Middle School as lead teacher for the RISE Program.
MS. WALKER
Teacher
Ms. Walker has been committed to fostering student growth and advocating for their needs since she came to Ashland Public Schools. She teaches with compassion and sprinkles a touch of fun in every learning experience while she supports students in an inclusion classroom as an ESP during the day. We are fortunate to have her returning for another fun filled year at the Mindess!
MS. FONTAINE
Teacher
By day, Ms. Fontaine works at Mindess as the beloved Music Teacher. By afternoon, her brightness lights up EDP! This will be her fourth year with us.
Away from school, she enjoys getaways to see family, reading new books, and playing with her little pack of furbabies : Remy, Bandit, and Osito!
MS. PLICHTA
Teacher
During the day, Ms. Pichta serves as the wonderful Wellness teacher at Mindess. Although her schedule changes from week to week, we can count on her to bring the laughs every day! She keeps everyone, students and staff, ready to tackle the afternoon and be their best selves.
MS. Z
Teacher
We are so excited to welcome back Ms. Z to Mindess EDP! She joined us during the spring of the '23-'24 school year and will be returning to the Mindess EDP for another year. Ms. Z brings creative new activities every week and we can't wait to see what she has in store for the year!
MS. JESS
Teacher
Ms. Jess has become an essential part of our afternoons. She works 5 days a week with us, and even though it is only for the first hour of the day, we can always count on her to keep us moving. During the day, Ms. Jess works as an ESP assisting students in inclusion settings.
MS. KEARNEY
Teacher
Ms. Kearney jumped into Mindess EDP with us last year and we are delighted to have her back! She brings top notch organizational and communication skills, as well as her 'fun vibes.' During the day she assists students in different classrooms as an ESP at Mindess.
MR. HEGGS
Teacher
EDP does not run without the help of our High School Aides. We are even more fortunate when they return to us while pursuing their college degrees. Mr. Heggs will be returning to our Mindess program for another year as a teacher among the staff! We are so happy that he has decided to return while going to school at Framingham State close by.
MS. SHADRA
Teacher
We are so excited to have Ms. Shadra joining us for another year at Mindess EDP! She previously worked at the Pittaway school years ago, and we are so lucky to have her rejoin Ashland Public Schools with us. Ms. Shadra will also be with us 5 days a week!
MR. PLICHTA
Teacher
Last year we were lucky enough to welcome Mr. Plichta as a teacher during our afternoons at Mindess EDP. He will be returning part time to us this year, which makes us very lucky to have him!
MS. HORAN
Teacher
Even though Ms. Horan works with us one afternoon a week, she is always willing to help when we are in need. From low-staffed afternoons, to our special events like Gold Rush and Variety Show, she is always there when we need her most! During the school day, Ms. Horan works as an ESP assisting students throughout the day in classroom settings.
MS. BAKHET
Substitute Teacher
Mindess EDP is so fortunate to have accumulated staff over the past year, however, many of them work in the school during the day and cannot always get to us right away. Thanks to Ms. Bahket, we are able to keep functioning and keep our students in the norm. She fills in when needed and is a huge help during our Parent-Teacher Conference half days. We'd be lost without her support!
MS. BAR
Substitute Teacher
Mindess EDP is so fortunate to have accumulated staff over the past year, however, many of them work in the school during the day and cannot always get to us right away. Thanks to Ms. Bar, we are able to keep functioning and keep our students in the norm. She fills in when needed and is a huge help during our Parent-Teacher Conference half days. We'd be lost without her support!