Teacher Bios

Claudine Taylor – Director	Claudine joined the Brown Play School teaching staff in 2002 as Co-Director; after her youngest daughter attended the preschool. Previously, she owned and operated a State Certified and Nationally Accredited family child care business. Claudine loves having the opportunity to get to know the children and their families along with watching their developmental growth. Besides her work with children, Claudine enjoys going for walks, reading and spending time with her husband and two daughters. Claudine holds an Associate Degree in Business Management from the Community College of RI, a BA in Psychology from RI College and also received her RI Teaching Certification in Early Childhood in 2006.
Jackie Courtemanche – Head Teacher	Jackie has been a member of the Brown Play School community since 2001. After many years of working in various early childhood settings, she earned her BS in Early Childhood Education/ Science Concentration from RI College along with her RI Teaching Certification. She is proud to be associated with a long-standing establishment in partnership with a dedicated staff and wonderful families. Most of all she enjoys guiding children as they build a foundation for a life of learning. Jackie resides in North Providence with her husband, Bruce, and her children, Kyle and Deanna. She spends her free time biking, hiking, and gardening.
Catherine Curtis – Art Teacher	Catherine Curtis is an artist who exhibits regionally and whose work is held in the Rhode Island School of Design Museum. She has taught art at senior centers and assisted living homes since 1999. She joined the staff of Brown Play School in 2006. Curtis received her BA in Near Eastern Studies from Yale University in 1980 and her Masters of Fine Arts in Visual Arts from Vermont College in 2002. Curtis completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training in 2006. In the 1980s Catherine worked as a radio and newspaper reporter, freelancing for NPR. Catherine is the mother of two teenage boys.
Marisa Bettencourt – Teacher	Marisa has been working with children for years but feels most at home at Brown Play School. When searching for a preschool for her oldest son in 2003, she found Brown Play School and quickly discovered it was everything she didn’t know she wanted in a school. Observing the day to day routines as a parent for two years made the transition to teacher an easy one. An excellent photographer, Marisa often documents the students throughout their day, an important part of the philosophy at Brown Play School. She is also the co-owner of a line of baby clothing called “Jack and Joe”, featuring hand made bibs, burp cloths, onesies and more. Marisa is the mother of three boys and is married to filmmaker David Bettencourt. They live in Cranston.