Becca Kelly, Program Director

Becca Kelly has worked at Growing Places since 2004, teaching Preschool and PreK for 18 years before becoming the Program Director. She has her BS in elementary education from Plymouth State College, and has over 20 years of experience in early childhood. Becca lives in Dover with her husband Nick, daughter Allison and their dog Huey. She loves cooking, gardening and spending time with family and friends. Becca loves working with the high caliber of teachers at Growing Places, and also loves the opportunity she has had to really get to know families at the center over the years. Becca enjoys facilitating outdoor play and sensory experiences for the children, and offers very process oriented art activities in her classroom. But her favorite part about working at Growing Places is watching children develop during their younger years while exploring the world around them.

 

Sarah Allen, PreK Teacher    

Sarah started working at Growing Places as a teacher’s aide in 2009. After receiving her Master’s in Education from the University of New Hampshire in 2011, she joined our team as a full time PreK teacher. Since then, Sarah has taught in all three classrooms at Woodside and has also worked with our school aged children running TimberNook programming. Sarah values learning opportunities that bring children outside to learn, problem solve and play. She also loves to bring the benefits of yoga into her classroom. Sarah lives in Newmarket with her her husband Jake, daughters Lucy and Zoe, stepson Ian, and cat Big Lou.  She enjoys her free time by going for hikes and walks in the woods, Paddling her kayak, and practicing yoga.

 

 

Emily Kluun, PreK Teacher

Born in Chicago and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, Emily Kluun first came to Durham in 1999 to attend UNH as a marine biology student. She began working for Growing Places the following spring as a teacher aide, and discovered a love for working with young children. Two years later, Emily joined Growing Places full time as an infant teacher. In the time that Emily has worked at GP she has worked with every age group that Growing Places serves. When not working in the classroom, Emily also serves as our Marketing and Outreach Coordinator. Along with the incredible children and families that she gets to meet, Emily says that her favorite thing about her job is the opportunity to see children experience joy through learning. “I love watching the wonder and amazement in a child’s eyes when they accomplish or learn something new!” Emily has a very calm, happy demeanor in the classroom and her leadership abilities as well as her great sense of humor help children feel safe and secure in her presence. Emily lives in Dover with her Husband Chris, and enjoys cooking, spending time with family and friends, and being outdoors, especially near the ocean.