Growing up outside of Rochester, New York Jessica earned her B.S. degree in Geology from the University at Buffalo. She taught Intro to Geology labs at the University of Vermont for a year and then moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where she worked as a consulting geologist.  She then moved with her family to Denver, Colorado for several years before returning to Vermont.  In 2017, she attended Champlain College’s Teacher Apprenticeship Program at Champlain College, where she became licensed in middle and high school science.  She taught high school science for 6 years, while earning her Masters in Education from Upper Valley Educators Institute.

Jessica hopes to share her curiosity with her students and engage in figuring out our natural world.  As Neil Degrasse Tyson says, “What you know is not as important as how you think.”  Students will focus on building their scientific skills in order to answer questions about phenomena in their world. It is her goal for her students to make educated and informed decisions in order to have a positive impact within their community that considers their place in the natural world.  

Outside the classroom Jessica enjoys spending time with her family going to soccer games, concerts, skiing, swimming, and hiking with their dog Lenny. She also enjoys basketball, baking, gardening, reading, puzzles, and trivia.

Meredith was born and raised in Roxbury, Vermont. She earned her BA in Education with a concentration in English from State University of New York at New Paltz. Meredith moved to sunny San Diego after college, but she eventually ventured back to Vermont to be closer to family and launch a teaching career in her home state. She started teaching high school in 2008, and in 2014, Meredith got a MA degree in English from Southern New Hampshire University. She has taught in the classroom for twelve years, both at the high school and middle school level.

Meredith believes in the power of stories: the stories we tell others and ourselves, the stories we write, and of course, the stories we read. She aims to create a safe and open environment, with the hope that students discover their voices, express themselves with confidence, and develop the skills to carve out their place in their communities. 

She loves spending time with her family and friends and her playful dog, Gusty. When she's not teaching (or reading or writing), she enjoys yoga, gardening, hiking and running. 

Jodie was born and raised in New York but her love of the outdoors brought her to Vermont where she earned her B.S. in English and teaching from St. Michaels College. After graduating she spent five years combining her desire to travel with teaching in the outdoors.  In the summers she worked as a guide in the Canadian Rockies living with and mentoring adolescents through some epic adventures.  Each fall she returned to Vermont to teach English at Mt. Mansfield Winter Academy where she also worked as a head ski coach. Later, she decided to pursue her Masters in Special Education at St. Michaels College and set some more permanent roots. 

Jodie joined the Harwood community in 1998 and is proud to call the middle school home.  She truly loves teaching this age group and enjoys supporting both students and families through this tumultuous time.  

When not at school, she can be found mountain biking, backcountry skiing and hiking with her dog, camping with her family or paddling on some body of water.   

"People may forget what you do or say, but they will never forget how you make them feel." It is not just my favorite quote spoken by Maya Angelou, but a way of life for me. 

I am a sports photographer, pickleball player, music and art lover, and blessed to have an amazing son and supportive partner in crime! Let's make this year filled with great memories, strong teams, and thriving students!