Meet Our Staff & Educators
Meet all of the wonderful staff members that keep Children First a premiere educational center in Western Massachusetts. All of our team members embody and prioritize our method of allowing children to develop and learn in a happy, healthy and natural space. Through outdoor time, conflict resolution and traditional educational methods we can say with confidence our staff and teachers are the best at what they do and will leave your child with the skills, habits and knowledge they need to continue to succeed in their educational future. Scroll through the page to meet the teachers from each classroom at Children First or use the buttons below to jump to the department of your choosing.
Office Team
While our classroom teachers are the heart and soul of Children First, our Office Team are the brains that keep the wheels turning so our amazing teachers can put all of their time and energy into our students.
Heather Locklear
Executive Director • Office Team
Favorite Book 📘: Adult Book: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, Children's Book: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Favorite Quote: "Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
Rebecca (Beckie) Bergeron
Assistant Director & Support Services Coordinator • Office Team
Favorite Book 📘: The Robot and the Bluebird - David Lucas
Favorite Quote: “Some of the most wonderful people are those that don’t fit into boxes.” - Tori Amos
Heather Cruz
Business Manager • Office Team
Favorite Book 📘: The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear By: Don Wood
Favorite Quote: “You’ve always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself” – Glinda (Wizard of Oz)
Donna M. Denette
Founding Director • Office Team
Year Joined: 1999
Favorite Book 📘: oh….too many to share… most impactful for my time at CF: “The Dance of Interaction” (Jeanine Fitzgerald), “Balanced and Barefoot” (Angela Hanscom) and “Last Child in the Woods” (Richard Louv)
Favorite Quote: “If there is no wind, row.” and “Failure is not an option.”
Toddler, Pre-School & Kindergarten
Our Toddler, Pre-School & Kindergarten Team are the separating factor when it comes to Children First. With experience working with children from toddlers to 6 years old, our lead and co-teachers fully embody the vision of Children First encouraging students to explore, learn and interact to build healthy, positive habits that last throughout life.
Miss Annette
Lead Teacher • Mulberry
Year Joined: 2020
Favorite Book 📘: For a kids book, it would be “Can I Play Too?” by Mo Willems. In my spare time I am reading the Diana Gabaldon series
Favorite Quote: I’m not big on quotes. In the class I could list so many funny quotes that the kids (or teachers) have said over the years but one thing that has stuck with me is the saying “Presume competence”.
Miss Sue
Co-Teacher • Mulberry
Year Joined: 2018
Favorite Quote: It is what it is.
Miss Kimberly
Co-Teacher • Mulberry
Year Joined: 2001
Favorite Book 📘: Beautiful Disaster - Jamie McGuire
Favorite Quote: “Hope is the thing with feathers” - Emily Dickinson
Miss Natalie
Lead Teacher • Birch
Year Joined: 2024
Favorite Book 📘: Adult book: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, Children’s Book: Me First by Helen Lester
Favorite Quote: “Ob-la-di, ob-la-da Life goes on, brah La, la, how the life goes on” – The Beatles
Miss Megan
Co-Teacher • Birch
Year Joined: 2025
Miss Jess
Lead Teacher • Hickory
Year Joined: 2019
Favorite Book 📘: Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
Favorite Quote: “Do you remember your favorite teachers? They were probably the ones who wanted to learn your name; who had a warm smile; who made you feel that they were glad to be there to help you learn. No matter how old or young we are, we learn best from people who care about us. That relationship grows when teachers are friendly, respectful, and interested in us as unique human beings.” — Fred Rogers
Miss Caitlyn
Co-Teacher • Hickory
Year Joined: 2023
Favorite Book 📘: Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Favorite Quote: “When you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine.”
Miss Ashley
Lead Teacher • Evergreen
Year Joined: 2019
Favorite Book 📘: Rainbow Fish – Marcus Pfister
Favorite Quote: “The greatest gifts we can give our children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” -Maria Montessori
Miss Sarah
Co-Teacher • Evergreen
Year Joined: 2025
Favorite Book 📘: Winnie the Pooh - A.A.Milne
Favorite Quote: "You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
Miss Christie
Lead Teacher • Maple
Year Joined: 1999
Favorite Book 📘: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Favorite Quote: "The only impossible journey is the one you never begin."
Miss Justice
Co-Teacher • Maple
Year Joined: 2025
Favorite Book 📘: Giraffes can't Dance - Giles Andrea
Favorite Quote: "You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think" - A.A Milne (Winnie the Pooh)
Miss Erica
Lead Teacher • Kindergarten
Year Joined: 2004
Favorite Book 📘: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Favorite Quote: “Children cannot bounce off the walls if we take away the walls” – Erin Kenny
Miss Jocelyn
Co-Teacher • Kindergarten
Year Joined: 2020
Favorite Book 📘: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Favorite Quote: “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” — Christopher Robin
School-Age Team
Our School-Aged team carries the same prowess and skill when it comes to the mission of Children First with a more educationally forward curriculum while maintaining our learning through exploration model.
Miss Katelyn
Site-Coordinator • School-Age
Year Joined: 2020
Favorite Book 📘: Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter
Favorite Quote: “May the flowers remind us, why the rain was so necessary” – Xan Oku
Miss Jocelyn
Group Leader • School-Age
Year Joined: 2020
Favorite Book 📘: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Favorite Quote: “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” — Christopher Robin
Mister Jordyn
Group Leader • School-Age
Year Joined: 2021
Favorite Book 📘: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Favorite Quote: “Have a good time. Enjoy life. Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged. You have to keep moving. You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other, smile and just keep on rolling.” – Kobe Bryant
Miss Emily
Group Leader • School-Age
Year Joined: 2022
Favorite Book 📘: Oh, the places you’ll go! - Dr. Seuss
Favorite Quote: “When you get older, your wild heart will live for younger days.” – Avicii
