Staff and Board of Directors

The school is independent, non-profit, tax-exempt and is governed by a board of directors with a wide range of business, legal and educational experience. Over 50 percent of the Board members are active attenders and members of a Quaker meeting.

Faculty and Staff

Jill Andrews joined FSP in 2006 as ASL teacher and school nurse. She believes teaching is about bringing the best work out of each student each day. Jill lives in South Portland with her husband and son with their two dogs and two cats. She can be seen commuting to her full time nursing job at the Gov. Baxter School for the Deaf by bicycle, or driving a carpool full of FSP middle school students including her son. Jill has a BS in Communication Disorders from Penn State, and a Masters in Nursing from the University of Southern Maine. She is also a nationally certified sign language interpreter.

Nicole Borrasso teaches grades 3-4. Nicole joined FSP in 2007. Previously, she had one year of experience as an assistant teacher in middle school, and 4 years experience as an environmental educator and wilderness trip leader. She has completed the Extended Teacher Education Program at the University of Southern Maine and is working to finish her MS in Teaching and Learning from the University of Southern Maine by the start of the school year.

Ellie Chase teaches both Spanish and music. Ellie joined FSP in 2008 and has 10 years of teaching experience in both private and public schools. She joins us after eight years at The Mast Landing School in Freeport. In 2006-07, Ellie was on the FSP Board and she did long term substituting here in K-2. She is currently a board member and Singer with the Choral Arts Society and founded "Little Music Makers", an interactive, multilingual music class for children up to 4 years old. Ellie joins us along with her son, Oliver, who attends our Preschool. Ellie offers private guitar and cello lessons after school. Ellie has a BA and MA from Wellesley College and has lived in France and Ecuador.

Lee Chisholm teaches math in grades 5-8, and science and social studies in grades 7-8. Lee joined FSP in 2008 and comes to us with 13 years of experience in Waldorf education. Prior to his calling to teach, Lee was an attorney for 14 years, practicing in Portland. Lee and his wife, Sukie Rice, a member of Durham Friends Meeting, were co-founding parents of Merriconeag Waldorf School. Lee has a BA from Harvard, JD from University of Maine School of Law, and a Waldorf Teaching Certificate from Antioch New England.

Jessica Eller, Coordinator of Admissions and Office Manager, has been with FSP since 2006. She builds community through a Riddle of the Week, and encourages interaction between students, teachers, parents, and staff. She comes to FSP from Peace Action Maine, where she supported work on nuclear disarmament, nonviolent resolution to international conflicts and sustainability in Maine’s environment and economy. She has provided administrative management and coordinated programs in a number of peace-related nonprofits in Maine, Indiana and Ohio over the past 8 years. She has a BA in Peace Studies from Manchester College, in Indiana.

Jonathan Ewell is teaching social studies to grades 5-6, assisting with math instruction, and providing supervision for the Aftercare program. Jonathan joined FSP in 2006 and prior to that he taught in Montessori schools for 6 years. He has a BA in Sociology from Haverford College.

James Grumbach, Head of School, joined FSP in 2007 and had been a teacher and administrator for 29 years at George School, a Quaker boarding school in Pennsylvania. He also served on the school committee for Newtown Friends School, a Pre-K to 8 school. Prior to that, he taught at the Berkshire School in Massachusetts and public schools in Maryland. He earned a BS from the University of Maryland and an MS from Bank Street College.

Celeste Henriquez has been teaching art at FSP since 2006. Previously, she taught in schools from the west to the east coasts and has also given private art lessons for the past 16 years. Celeste is a practicing artist as well with a BFA from Philadelphia College of Art. In 2008, Celeste will assist in preschool as well.

Jamien Jacobs teaches science to grades 5-6. She has been with FSP since 2006 and was a middle school teacher and head of the science department for an independent K-12 school in Virginia for seven years. She was a field biologist for Maine Audubon, Acadia National Park and a variety of other organizations for ten years. She taught a science methods courses for teachers at the University of New England, and most recently was Curriculum Consultant for Portland Trails. Jamien received her BA from College of the Atlantic and her Masters in Education from Antioch New England Graduate School.

Billy Maley, the Physical Education teacher, had several years of experience working with students in outdoor education and camp programs. Prior to joining the FSP in 2007, he worked as a naturalist in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and as part of a living history program for the San Francisco Maritime Association. He has a BS from Springfield College and is spending most of the summer getting married and leading cycling trips.

Corie Scribner, the Pre-K/K teacher, joined FSP in 2007 and had 2 years of teaching experience in a 3rd grade classroom and 2 years experience with K-8 children of migrant workers. Corie’s interest in teaching began when she was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador. She has a BS from the University of Wyoming in Laramie and has completed certification requirements from USM.

Katie Spirer is teaching grades 1-2. She joined FSP in 2007 and previously had one year of teaching experience with 2nd graders and two years as a Special Education Assistant in New Hampshire and Maine. Katie has a BA from Colby and MS in General Childhood Education from the Bank Street College in New York City.

Lea Sutton, the Preschool teacher, joined FSP in 2006. Prior to teaching, she had been leading weekly story hours and running the summer reading programs at the Limington Public Library where she was the director for many years. She was, for ten years, very actively involved in all aspects of the New Country School, a parent-run cooperative, and was also part of a cooperative homeschool group. Lea earned a BA from Earlham College, a JD from the University of Cincinnati College of Law and has had training in Waldorf education.

Mary Tracy, the founding teacher of FSP, is the Curriculum Coordinator and she teaches language arts and math to grades 5-8. She has taught for grades 1-8 for a total of 17 years in New Hampshire, New York, and Maine, and worked for five years in professional development, including three as a training instructor for the Junior Great Books literature and discussion program. She earned a BS in Early Childhood Education from Wheelock College and a Masters in Education from Harvard University, where she specialized in Reading Education.

Suzanne Warfel, the Finance, Development, and Childcare Coordinator, joined FSP in 2007 and brings considerable experience to the school. She spent 16 years at Oakwood, a Quaker boarding school in Poughkeepsie, as an art teacher, chair of the arts department, assistant director of development, college counselor, and dean of students. Suzanne went on to be the Director of Student Life at Lawrence Academy in Massachusetts and, most recently, the Director of the Block Island Early Learning Center. Suzanne has a BS and MS from the State University of New York and a MA from Columbia University.

Board of Directors

Rudy Amann, former- Clerk (Chair) of the Board, offers the perspective of 20 years experience as a secondary mathematics teacher, 15 years as an assistant high school principal, and five years as an educational consultant. He graduated from Swarthmore College with a B.S.in Economics and earned a M.Ed. in Elementary Education from the University of Pennsylvania. He has been an active and longstanding Quaker, including serving on the Friends Committee on Education of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting as well as on many Friends committees. He lives in Brunswick where he has substitute taught mathematics, taught handspinning and binding workshops, and volunteered with Community Mediation Services and the Curtis Memorial Library.

Naomi Beal, Board Member, attended Portland Friends Meeting as a child and studied at Quaker schools during high school and college. She graduated from George School, Newtown, Pennsylvania , where she was a boarding student, and received her B.A. from Earlham College. She lives in South Freeport with her husband, Josh Olins, and their children, Jasmine and Yacob.

Eleanor Chatto, Treasurer, grew up in South Portland and graduated from Bentley College with degrees in Accounting and Public Administration. For the past 17 years she has run a successful business providing accounting services and consulting to small businesses and non-profit organizations. In 2007, she completed a graduate program in forensic accounting and fraud examination at Southern New Hampshire University and earned the CFE (certified fraud examiner) designation. She also serves on the board of South Portland Project Scholarship, and the Stewardship and Personnel Committees of First Congregational Church in South Portland. She lives with her husband, Carl, and son, Sam, in South Portland.

Jennifer Cummings grew up near Lake Placid, NY and attended George School, a Quaker boarding school in Newtown, PA. As an undergraduate, she studied veterinary science and received a BS in interior design from Washington State University. For over 20 years, she has operated her own company, Full Circle Landscaping, in Falmouth, ME, where she lives with her husband, Tom Kruzshak. Jennifer has two grown children living in the area. She has done a variety of volunteer work, including seal rescue with Marine Animal Lifeline.

Anne Harwood, Clerk (Chair) of the Board, is a member of the Portland Friends Meeting who worked for several years in child protective services, family support, and community mental health. She was recently a partner in the mediation practice Harwood & McDowell, Portland. She earned BA degrees from Vassar College in English and Education, a BS from Sonoma State University, Sonoma, Calif. in sociology, and a Master of Social Work from University of New England. Anne has been a member of Portland Friends Meeting since 2001. Stewardship of the natural environment is one of her passions. She recently moved from Falmouth to Hiram, where she is enjoying life on a working farm with her husband.

Sean Ireland, Board Member, is the Director of Development at the Hyde School in Bath, Maine. Sean received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of New Hampshire and a J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law. Prior to law school he worked at the Hyde School, where he taught, coached and worked extensively in the outdoor education program. After law school he practiced law at Skelton, Taintor & Abbott in Auburn, Maine, where he focused on commercial litigation and did extensive pro bono work as a guardian ad litem for the Volunteer Lawyer's Project. Sean then worked at Saint Joseph's College in the Admissions and Development offices. His son Liam was a founding student of the Friends School of Portland when he entered the preK program in the fall of 2006.

Robert H. Levin, Assistant Clerk (Vice-Chair), earned a B.A. degree from Haverford College and a J.D. from New York University of Law. Rob is a Maine attorney who specializes in land conservation and nonprofit organizations law. He has helped dozens of Maine organizations incorporate and apply for 501(c)(3) status. He is also a member of Portland Friends Meeting. Rob currently serves as Treasurer of Portland Trails. He lives on Munjoy Hill in Portland with his wife, Sarah Cushman, and they can often be seen walking around town or kayaking on Casco Bay.

Glenda Lovell, Board Member, earned a B.S. in Elementary Education at Case Western Reserve University and a J.D. from Northeastern University. She has taught in Cleveland, Ohio and in an Alaskan multi-age classroom. Her children attended the parent-run School Around Us in Arundel, Maine, where she was a member of the Board. Currently she works as a guardian ad litem for children in domestic relations cases and in the Child Protection System, and is certified as a mediator. She has served on the boards of an Athabascan Association in Alaska, The Children's House Daycare in Kennebunkport, and the Licensing Board for Counseling Professionals for the State of Maine.

Liz Maier, Secretarty, grew up in Pennsylvania and graduated from Westtown Friends School. After receiving a BA in English from Brown University, she taught 4th grade at the Park School in Brookline, MA for two years. After earning a Masters in Library Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Liz worked as a librarian for Waynflete School in Portland for 22 years. Liz and her husband Jim live in Scarborough, and attend Portland Friends Meeting. They have three married children and six (going on seven) grandchildren.

Jane Mullen grew up in Holland, PA, very close to George School’s campus. She majored in Economics at Smith College and went on to receive her MBA from the Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College. For the past 25 years, Jane has been involved with institutional development, marketing, and project management for a variety of organizations in Maine, beginning with Tom’s of Maine, then moving on to the New England Women’s Center, Huntington Common, and the Alzheimer’s Association. Jane has also done independent consulting and community service.

Samuel P. Solish, Board Member, is a graduate of Brooklyn Friends School which he attended from 9th-12th grades. He joined Friends Meeting at Cambridge in 1986 and currently attends Portland Friends Meeting. A graduate of Brown University and Tufts University School of Medicine, Dr. Solish practices ophthalmology. He is a partner with Eyecare Medical Group in Portland.

Dudley “Woody” Woodall is a George School alumnus who went on to Amherst for his undergraduate degree and the University of Pittsburgh for his MBA. After working for Westinghouse Electric, Woody shifted his career to education, serving in various administrative capacities with Hampshire College, Antioch University, Bowdoin College, and New England College in old England. He has served on numerous boards and, with his wife Alyce, is active in the Presbyterian Church. Woody and Alyce, who is a co-opted member of FSP’s Development Committee, are proud of their four children and four grandchildren and they enjoy getting away to their farm house in Nova Scotia.

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FRIENDS SCHOOL of PORTLAND
An independent Quaker day school for grades Pre-K - 8
1 Mackworth Island Falmouth, ME 04105
207-781-6321 FAX: 207-781-6260 information@friendsschoolofportland.org
Copyright © 2007 FRIENDS SCHOOL of PORTLAND