Jessie Blake
Director and Head Teacher
This is Jessie’s 13th year in education. She is passionate about students fueling their natural curiosity and finding their own answers and solutions to problems. Her teaching style enables students to experience the joy in learning, gain deep understandings of topics and complete work that is meaningful. Jessie was born and raised in Vermont and lives in Essex Junction. In her free time, she loves exploring outdoors and dancing.
julia bianconi
Math Teacher
Julia completed her formal teaching education at Saint Michael’s College and fell in love with the area. So much so that after teaching for several years out of state, she and her husband (and cat) decided to move back for good. Julia loves teaching math to all students. She also loves spending time with her cat, eating delicious Vermont food, crafting, and playing video games.
ariela paulsen
Language Arts and Visual Arts Teacher
Ariela grew up in Essex, VT and has a degree in art education. She has taught middle school art classes at the Davis Studios, and more recently taught the interdisciplinary academics at YouthBuild, an alternative high school program in Burlington. Her teaching style fuses student interests, academic content, and community engagement through the arts. In her free time, Ari loves to paint birds, make music, and immerse herself in nature.
2023-2024 Board Members:
Eliza Kramer
Kerry Walker
Rebecca Roose
Jessie Blake