Meet The Participants

Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union consists of five Elementary Schools, two Middle Schools, two High Schools, and one Technical Career Center from 5 rural towns; Bakersfield, Enosburg, Berkshire, Montgomery, and Richford.

The Early Childhood Program provides education services to 92 three and four year olds, encouraging the children to make positive choices. tHe techrs facilitate interaction between children to teach them to solve problems independently.

Apprentice Christine Rondeau joined the training program in April of 2009.  She has 2 children of her own and has volunteered in the schools in a variety of ways.  Christine is excited to be a part of the Apprentice program. She “loves being able to take classes again at CCV…” Christine hopes to learn such things such as how to communicate better to children and their families, and better understand needs of those children with disabilities.  

Mentor Tracy Viens is guiding Christine Rondeau through the on-the-job training as an apprentice.  Tracy has a degree in Elementary Education/ Deaf Education from Flagler College in Florida.   She has been a teacher for nine + years and in early childhood for 3 + years.  She also has 18 hours of coursework completed from University of Vermont in Early Childhood Education.  She believes that children and families will benefit “by having the most qualified people for the job.  As a parent, I would want only the most qualified and motivated people taking care of my child.”

Apprentice Jessica Lahue is a mother of two and realized that she enjoyed working with children and valued the joy they bring into the lives of many.  She decided to begin to take steps of furthering her education and has hopes of eventually earning her degree in early childhood education.  She signed up for the Apprentice Program in April of 2009 and is being mentored by Bärbel Paradis. “The Apprenticeship Program will benefit me as well as the families, because I will be able to use what I learn to serve them better.”

Mentor Bärbel Paradis has a BA from Johnson State College in K-6 Education.  Bärbel comes to the Program with extensive experience, some of which includes positions at the NE Supervisory Union such as a Lead Teacher, a Special Educator, a Classroom Paraprofessional for the Early Childhood Program and the Head Start Combination Option, a Playschool Teacher, a home visitor, a Speech and Language Assistant, and an Individual Assistant.  She has attended many workshops and supports the program in part because she herself had a mentor in her early teaching years and highly valued that experience.  “It is an honor for me to be a mentor to someone else and I am hoping to be as much help to the apprentice as my mentor was to me.”