Vanessa Cid (she/her/hers)

Founder and Lead Teacher

Vanessa is a DEEC Certified Lead Preschool Teacher and has been an early childhood educator in the Boston area for more than 15 years. She's taught in the Boston Public Schools, the Eliot-Pearson Children's School at Tufts University, and The Advent School. She believes that a strong social-emotional understanding is the foundation to all learning. She strives to create an educational experience that fosters a child's growing sense of self. In addition to her Lead Teacher Certification, she holds a Masters Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Boston and has a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Child and Adolescent Intervention from The Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis. 

In her spare time, Vanessa enjoys writing, reading, watching movies, attending theater, and traveling when she gets the opportunity. She lives in Cambridge, MA with her partner and their Australian "Cuddle" Dog. 

Patrick Shea (he/him/his)

Assistant Teacher

Patrick is a DEEC Certified Preschool Teacher and has been an early childhood educator for the last three years, teaching at the Tobin Children's School in Natick. He takes a child-centered approach to teaching and believes play is the cornerstone of learning for young children. He loves the excitement, curiosity, and fun that children bring with them every day. He has a B.A. in Psychology and an M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning from Drew University.

In his spare time, Patrick enjoys listening to music and podcasts, watching sports, and finding and cooking new recipes after a trip to the farmer’s market. He loves spending time outdoors and hopes to one day visit all the dog-friendly national parks with his dog and his partner.