About

A place to play to learn, and grow to love learning

Woodside School and Community Resource Center, Inc. is a nonprofit and nondiscriminatory educational organization located in Plymouth.

Woodside School was founded in 2001, as an interactive learning environment for young children to develop an understanding of the larger meanings of life and the importance of stewardship.

Goals emphasize respecting children's learning through interaction with other children, adults, and the environment; empowering families to meet the needs of their children; creating ongoing support systems within the community, and strengthening the community's ability to best serve families.

Programs at Woodside are based on developmentally appropriate practices as described by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and draw from current literature, research, and models such as Reggio Emilia and Highscope, that focus on child development and family systems.

The innovative focus on environment, family, and community involvement helps to establish Woodside as a model program. It is distinguished by the commitment of the founders to collaborate with other early childhood professionals, parents, community members, and with organizations that serve children who are at risk and/or with special needs, such as the Plymouth Coordinated Family and Community Network Council.

Our Teachers

The learning environment is organized by teachers who have B.S., B.A., and M.S degrees in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, and Early Intervention, Certification in Parenting Education and Support, and MA Department of Early Education and Care (DEEC) Lead Teacher Certification

Nancy Stearns

Founder/Director, Group 3 Teacher
Nancy is co-founder of Woodside with Patricia Adams and Maureen Recke. Nancy has a BS in Child Development from University of Maine with graduate work in Human Development and Family Studies, becoming certified as an Early Elementary Teacher in Maine and Massachusetts in 1971. She added her EEC Certification in 1980, and became further certified as a Parenting Educator in 1997. She has worked as a teacher in the early education field for over 52 years and brings a tremendous wealth of experience and knowledge. She lives here in Plymouth near her three grown children. She has taught all of her 7 grandchildren directly as they have come through Woodside.

Laura Flynn

Assistant Director, Group 1 Teacher
Laura has been present as a board member during the founding of Woodside and both her boys attended the school from Playgroups through the Kindergarten program. She is a Certified Developmental Specialist with a BS in Child Psychology from Harvard University and a Masters of Science from Wheelock in Early Intervention (Special Needs). She worked as a Developmental Specialist for 12 years with the Kennedy-Donovan Early Intervention Center providing both direct services and helping families develop and implement their IFSP/IEPs. She has been with Woodside as an EEC Certified Lead Teacher/Assistant Director since 2013. She lives here in Plymouth with her husband and two sons.

Alyssa Borey

Group 1 Teacher
Alyssa is a former Woodside parent who officially joined us as a staff member in 2021 as a EEC Certified Lead Teacher. She has significant experience in this type of environment, having worked at multiple sites with Bright Horizons both here in Massachusetts and in Pennsylvania. Alyssa has a BS in Psychology from University of Massachusetts, Amherst and brings both her expertise and joy for life to her work. She currently lives in Middleboro with her husband and two children.Alyssa has a BS in Psychology from UMass, Amherst. She currently lives in Middleboro with her husband and two children.

Anathea Viscariello

Group 1 Teacher
Anathea joined Woodside in 2013 and has been an EEC Certified Lead Teacher with Laura Flynn in Group 1 for more than 8 years. She has a BA in Communications from Regis College, and brings tremendous experience and skill in family dynamics and child development. Also a former Woodside parent, she lives here in Plymouth with her husband and three grown children.

Laura Wagner

Group 1 Teacher
Laura is a EEC Certified Lead Teacher with four children, her youngest a current Woodside student. She has a BS in Early Childhood Education/Communication Disorders from the University of Vermont, and is trained in the Reggio Emilia philosophy. She lives here in Plymouth with her husband and children.

Allison Bither

Group 2 Teacher
Allison began her teaching career back in high school as Nancy Stearns’s student teacher and taught here at Woodside for many years after receiving her BS in Education from Bridgewater State University. She expanded upon her career and experience by working as an EEC Certified Lead Teacher in the Integrated Preschool Program for Duxbury Public Schools for 9 years. We were thrilled to welcome Allison back to Woodside in 2022 as both a staff member and a current parent, and value her expertise and perspectives. She lives here in Plymouth with her husband and daughter.

Stacey Roberts

Group 2 Teacher
Stacey worked with Allison Bither in the Integrated Preschool Program for Duxbury Public Schools for 7 years as an EEC Certified Lead Teacher. Prior to that, she worked as an Educational Coordinator for Bright Horizons. Last year she leant her expertise to the Abington Early Education Program in their kindergarten program. Stacey has a BS in Psychology from Bridgewater State University and a BS in Early Childhood Education from Dean College. Woodside is excited to have her as a full time staff member for Group 2. Stacey lives in Abington with her husband and three children.

Leigh Westgate

Group 2 Teacher
Leigh joined our staff in 2022 as an EEC Certified Teacher, having worked in the kindergarten program at the Middleboro Public Schools prior to being at Woodside. She has studied at Massasoit and Bridgewater State University and brings with her a strong interest in supporting social-emotional growth and development while utilizing a multi-faceted approach to learning. She lives in Middleboro with her husband and two children.

Lisa Dudley

Group 3 Teacher
Lisa is a former Woodside parent and has been a EEC Certified Lead Teacher here at Woodside since 2016. She is EEC Director Certified and a Massachusetts Department of Education Certified Kindergarten teacher. She has a BS in Middle School Education and English with a Minor in Secondary Education and Theater from Gordon College. She went on to receive a Masters of Education from Lesley University in Curriculum and Instruction. In addition to her time teaching here at Woodside, Lisa has also worked with the Cardinal Cushing Centers for teens and young adults with special needs. Lisa lives here in Plymouth with her husband and five children.

Nicole Gill

Group 3 Teacher
Nicole formally joins Woodside as a EEC Certified Lead Teacher, having previously been a part of Woodside as a parent. Nicole has a BA in Secondary Education and English from Trinity College and a Masters in Education from Cambridge College. She has continued her graduate studies with courses in special needs, creative curriculum development, and literacy development. Nicole has a wealth of experience teaching both in the private and public sector with a variety of ages, including kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school. She has worked as a Literacy Title One Tutor and as a curriculum developer/supervisor for local homeschooling initiatives. Nicole lives here in Plymouth with her husband and two grown children.

Mary Ann Carter

Classroom Support
Mary Ann Carter has been volunteering at Woodside for over 10 years and brings with her a wisdom and joy that is adored by the children. She is a registered nurse with experience in massage therapy and holistic wellness.

Donna Pulselli

Office Administrator
Donna is a former Woodside parent and lives in Pembroke with her husband and four grown children. Donna has a BS in Accountancy from Bentley University and keeps us running smoothly in so many ways.
Orange and Yello monarch butterfly

Wondering if Woodside is the right place for your family?

The best way to find out is to stop by and check us out. We invite you schedule a visit and we'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Request A Tour!