Chickadee Childcare
Western Avenue

Alex has been in the childcare field for  15 years.  She started out as a teacher and gained experience with all care room ages while working with the forest model schools of Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and Woldorf inspiration.  She soon started administrative work as a curriculum director, just prior to joining Chickadee.  Alex's favorite part of this setting is experiencing development and expanding each child's individuality.  In free time she loves to hike with her dogs or head up the mountain to snowboard.

Taylor is a South Portland High School graduate of 2020. She is currently attending the University of Southern Maine with the hope to apply her Social & Behavioral Sciences major to the classroom. She looks forward to seeing the kids' personalities evolve and flourish as they transition from one room to another.

Favorite Book: Where The Wild Things Are

by Maurice Sendak

After traveling to many different places, Katija returned to Maine and graduated with a degree in psychology.  She has worked with a huge range of children from infants to elementary age.  She loves working with families while teaching kindness to all.

Favorite book: The Giving Tree

by Shel Silverstein

Bio coming soon

Claire recently relocated from Florida and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in social work.  She has a strong passion for working with children and enjoys spending her days supporting their growth and development. In her free time, Claire enjoys being outdoors, exploring local restaurants, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Paola is originally from Maracaibo, Venezuela, and now lives in South Portland with her daughter. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Social Communication and brings over two and a half years of classroom experience in early childhood education, including Montessori-inspired teaching practices.  She loves watching children grow, learn, and express their creativity.   Paola also has extensive experience caring for children from a very young age.  As a bilingual educator, she also enjoys sharing Spanish through songs, stories, games, and everyday conversations.  Outside of the classroom, Paola enjoys spending time with her daughter, trying new restaurants, going to the beach, swimming, and making the most of Maine's beautiful outdoors. She is excited to be part of Chickadee and loves building special connections with children and their families.

Sydney grew up in Freeport, in the home her grandfather built, and has always found inspiration in both art and nature. Over the past 15 years, she has gained experience working with children in various roles. She has served as a location floater at all three DaVinci Experience sites, a Lead Toddler Teacher at Blue Cactus Preschool and Children’s Learning Adventure in Maricopa, AZ, and a summer camp counselor for the Bath YMCA. She has also worked as a Floating Assistant Teacher at Beansprouts Early Learning Childcare Center in Freeport. Additionally, she has volunteered as a Teacher’s Assistant with Pre-K and Kindergarten students at Morse Street School and Durham Elementary School, as well as a Sunday School Teacher at Pathway Vineyard Church in Brunswick.

Mariah comes to Chickadee with about five years of childcare experience, primarily supporting children with learning differences, primarily ASD. Becoming a parent herself has made her passion for working with children even stronger.

She loves to help children learn, grow, and reach their milestones while encouraging their confidence and celebrating their accomplishments.

In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and their 2 dogs. They like to spend their time enjoying hiking/trails outside or on the boat on the lake.

Ryan is currently pursuing a degree in Elementary Education at the University of Maine.  She is passionate about fostering a love of reading and storytelling in young learners and enjoys helping children discover the joy that books can bring. Her favorite part of teaching is encouraging children's love of books and helping their imaginations grow through stories. Outside of the classroom, Ryan is an avid reader and enthusiastic hiker. She also enjoys learning new creative skills and is currently teaching herself embroidery.

Sophie has lived her entire life in Maine. She grew up and currently resides in Windham.  Sophie has worked in childcare since she was 16.  She graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a degree in Education.  She began her professional career teaching middle and high school, but recently transitioned to early childhood. Her favorite type of teaching is hands-on and experiential, especially outdoors.

Katie just moved back into the area from Waterville. She previously worked with older children in a school setting but has since decided to work with younger children in a daycare environment. She loves working with children and is currently studying psychology online. She loves going to the beach and spending time with her cats on the weekends.  She is very excited to join the team at Chickadee!

Lisa is originally from Philadelphia and has lived in Maine for more than 20 years.  She is the proud mother of three and grandmother to six, her pride and joy.  Lisa has always loved working with children and enjoys watching them learn, grow, and develop their unique personalities.   With several years of childcare experience, she is excited to join the Chickadee team.  Lisa hopes to open her own children's program one day and continue making a positive impact on young children and their families.

Eliana has worked with children for more than eight years and is passionate about creating engaging, art-based learning experiences. She enjoys weaving creativity into everyday activities and believes art is a meaningful way for children to explore, learn, and express themselves.  Her favorite part of working with children is having conversations with them and watching their creativity grow alongside their academic understanding.  Eliana is excited to join the Chickadee team and looks forward to supporting children as they learn, grow, and thrive.

Gloria is excited to join the Chickadee community as a Pre-K teacher. Originally from South Portland, Maine, she moved to Boston to attend college and recently returned home. She has experience working with children across a variety of early childhood age groups, including serving as a kindergarten aide, where she supported children's learning and social-emotional development. Gloria earned her bachelor's degree in Educational Studies with a concentration in Elementary Education from Emmanuel College. She is passionate about creating a warm, nurturing classroom where children feel supported, confident, and excited to learn. She looks forward to getting to know each child and celebrating their growth throughout the year.

Adriana has lived in South Portland her entire life and is the youngest of three sisters.  She is a parent to a school-aged daughter and a proud cat owner.  Adriana completed CNA training and worked as a CNA for one year before the pandemic.  She later transitioned into early childhood education and has been working in the field for the past four years.

Christy has been in the childcare field since the summer of 2024. She’s been a preschool teacher for the past few years in Falmouth, and now she’s a floating teacher here in South Portland. Her favorite teaching type is hands on including many art projects and most importantly being outside! She graduated from Gray New Gloucester High School as an IB candidate and high honors student in 2024. She’s going to the University of Maine in Orono as a college athlete playing Lacrosse and she’s going for a double major in Biology, Pre-Med. She grew up and currently lives on a farm in Gray, Maine with all different kinds of animals!