Faculty

Kathrine Mitchell
Director and Lead Teacher of Five Day Class

Bachelor of Fine Arts, 1973, Arcadia University. Master of Fine Arts, 1980, American University. Undergraduate and graduate study in Rome, Italy.

Kathy has been teaching at the Co-op for 11 years, and this is her second year as Director. Kathy began her career in Rome, where she painted and taught for 10 years. Upon her return to the United States, she co-founded a community art center in rural Maryland. Kathy served as administrator, grant writer, curator and teacher. In 1996, Kathy moved with her family to Newton and joined the Co-op as both a teacher and a parent. She says, "My youngest daughter attended the Co-op and I just couldn't leave when she finished. The Co-op community was a wonderful introduction to Newton. The people I met here are those who became my best friends." Kathy's three children are now 23, 20, and 14. Her family travels regularly to Italy to visit family and friends.

Zhanna Cantor
Co-lead Teacher of Four Day Class

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Carnegie - Mellon University (1985); Master of Fine Arts, Tufts University (1990).

This is Zhanna's 8th year at the Co-op. She grew up in Kiev, Ukraine, and moved to the United States in 1978. Zhanna is a landscape painter and has been teaching oil and acrylic painting classes at the Newton Community School. Over her career, Zhanna has also taught painting and drawing to children. When her two youngest children entered the Newton Public Schools, Zhanna looked for a career that would allow her to keep the same schedule as her children. She joined the Co-op as an assistant teacher after learning of an opening from a former Co-op president. "It turned out to be the most rewarding job I ever had, and I look forward to coming to the Co-op everyday." Zhanna believes the unique feature of the Co-op is a two-way supportive relationship between the teachers and the parents. When she is not teaching, she loves gardening, cooking, and nature. She has 3 children, ages 24, 17 and 14.

Lu Ann Sholemson
Co-lead Teacher of Four Day Class

Bachelor of Science, 1980, University of Massachusetts; Master of Science in Human Services, New Hampshire College.

LuAnn has been at the Co-op for 12 years. LuAnn grew up in Western Massachusetts and came to the Boston area in 1980. She worked in Elder Services in Boston and in Cambridge/Somerville first as a case manager, then as a supervisor. LuAnn's role was to coordinate services for the elderly that would keep them from entering nursing homes, by allowing them to stay in their own homes, a job she found very rewarding. As her two children grew and attended the Co-op, she discovered new rewards and joined the faculty. She calls it "the best career move I ever made." LuAnn adds: "I continue to enjoy the happiness I shared with my own children when they were preschoolers." Her children, a son and a daughter, are now in high school.

Sophy Steber
Assistant Teacher

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Boston College. Masters of Science in Social Work, 1993, Boston College.

This is Sophy's fourth year at the Coop. Sophy grew up in the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. She survived the Cambodian holocaust and came to the U.S. as a refugee in 1981. After earning her undergraduate degree she worked for the DSS (Homeless Unit) and in her spare time she taught Cambodian language and dance to children. For the past fifteen years, she has worked as a Clinical Therapist with families of which many still suffer from the effects of the Cambodian holocaust. Sophy finds great joy in teaching children at the Co-op. She also loves to travel with her husband and two sons, particularly back to her native land.

John Steber
Assistant Teacher

John graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Sciencedegree in Business Administration. He enjoyed a long and exciting careeras a Purchasing Agent for The Gillette Company and was involved inhelping to launch some of its most popular razor and personal careproducts. In 2005 John took an early retirement from Gillette to work inthe field of education. For the past two years he worked at Oak HillMiddle School in Newton as a Teacher Aide in the Special EducationDepartment. He looks forward to working with the children, parents andstaff at the Co-op this year.John loves to travel with his family, read and watch movies.

All staff meet the qualifications established by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) - formerly the Massachusetts Office for Child Care Services (OCCS). We are also accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

The Children's
Cooperative
Nursery School
848 Beacon Street
Newton, MA 02459
617-527-8539

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