Diane K. Nicholson, Master of Education

Director

Fairy Tale Tuesdays &

Alpha Tots Teacher

Diane Nicholson is the owner/director of Ledgemere Country Day School.  She graduated from the University of Maine-Orono with a B.S. in Business Administration, concentration in Marketing.  In May 2006, Diane earned her Masters in Education with a specialization in Early Intervention from the University of Maine-Orono.  Before puchasing Ledgemere in 1997, Diane owned and operated a licensed family child care home for four years in South Portland.  She was a member of the executive board of Southern Maine Child Care Providers Association from 1993 until 1997 and from 2001 until 2002, serving as membership coordinator, officer at large and vice president.  Diane is currently a member of National Association for the education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).  Diane is currently a Level 8 provider on the Maine Roads to Quality Registry, which is the highest obtainable level within the registry.  She also coaches Middle School field hockey for the Cape Elizabeth School Department and volunteers her time as a coach for Cape Elizabeth Little League and Cape Elizabeth Community Services travel basketball program.  Diane and her husband, BJ, are both graduates of Cape Elizabeth High School and live at Ledgemere with their three children, Lauren, Shannon and Megan.

     Verna Gordon

 3 Year Old Teacher 

 4 Year Old Teacher

Verna Gordon earned her B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Southern Connecticut State College.  She spent six years teaching three and four year old preschool children in Connecticut before joining Ledgemere in 1993.  Verna is a State of Maine certified teacher and is currently teaching Ledgemere's three and four year old children.  Verna's recent continuing education include topics such as Yoga for Kids, Austism, Learning Disabilities and she attended the Windham conference last Spring.  Verna lives in Cape Elizabeth with her husband Rod.  Verna has two grown children, Erika and Rory.

      Mary Goodine

    Toddler Teacher 

3 Year Old Teacher 

Mary Goodine has been working at Ledgemere since the Fall of 1999.  She is currently one of the Toddler Teachers and one of the 3 Year Old teachers.  Mary has volunteered in the Cape Elizabeth School system, with the Girl Scouts of America and with 4-H.  Her recent continuing education includes topics such as specialized topics in Toddlerhood.  Mary lives in Cape Elizabeth with her daughter Emmylee. 

      Peggy Hunter

      Toddler & Jr.   

      K/Kindergarten

          Teacher

Peggy Hunter joined the Ledgemere staff in the Fall of 2002 as one of the Toddler Teachers.  Prior to that, her experience with Ledgemere came from being a parent of a child that attended school here.  Peggy graduated from the University of Maine - Farmington with her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education.  Peggy worked for the Freeport School Department as both a special education preschool teacher and a first grade teacher.  For 5 years, Peggy operated a family home child care and has also been a foster parent for the state of Maine.  Currently Peggy is one of the Toddler teachers and also the morning two's and three's teacher.  Her recent continuing education experiences include an intensive Toddler Institute, the Windham conference, Special education and Advocacy, and the Healing the Feeling Child series with Pam Leo.  Peggy lives in Cape Elizabeth with her husband, Mike and their 4 children; Abby, Samuel, Jade and Brian.

           Jenny Allen

     Jr. K/Kindergarten

             Teacher

Jenny Allen began working at Ledgemere in the Fall of 1999 as our afternoon preschool teacher.  Jenny earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maine, Orono with a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Early Childhood Education.  She has taught in the Portland School System, as well as in School Administrative District #6 in grades k-5.  Jenny volunteers in the Cape Elizabeth school system and the Wayside Soup Kitchen.  Jenny lives in Cape Elizabeth with her husband, Pete and their children, Joe and Hannah.

Kathy Pappas

4 Year Old Teacher

Kathy earned her Associates degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Southern Maine.  She has worked as an Occupational Therapist Assistant at the Spring Harbor Hospital in Portland.  Kathy joined the Ledgemere staff in the Fall of 2005 and is currently one of the 4 Year Old teachers.  Kathy volunteers extensively for the Cape Elizabeth School Department and in the past, Girls Scouts of America.  Kathy resides in Cape Elizabeth with her husband Johnny and their children Alexia, Talia and Nikko.