Sunnyside Contacts
Administrative Contacts
Sue Beemer is a dedicated professional who brings 22 years of experience to the position of Director of Sunnyside. She’s a Minnesota native with a B.S. degree in Home Economics Education with an emphasis in Family Life and Child Development. She’s worked as a paraprofessional in Special Education, a parent educator, preschool teacher and assistant director in several early childhood programs. The last eleven years of her career have been dedicated to Sunnyside as first a teacher for three years and now as director. Sue and her husband Jeff live in Florence and have two children, Thom and Beth that have both left the nest. Sue’s work with children and families over all these years brings purpose, inspiration and satisfaction to her professional life.
Cate Damon is starting her fourth year as Sunnyside’s administrative assistant. Her son and daughter, Aaron and Molly, are both Sunnyside alums. Cate and her husband, Sam Rush, run New Century Theater and Paintbox Theater at Smith College. Cate is a professional actor who’s performed in regional and off-Broadway theatres, in commercials and has even been cut out of a number of films.
Younger Group Contacts:
Dave Harmon lives in a little house in Turners Falls with his two boys, Isaac and Emmett. They spend a lot of time outdoors, playing in the sun, the snow and the rain. Dave has been teaching at Sunnyside since the summer of 2004 and he’s been a preschool or toddler teacher since 1993. Both of his children have attended Sunnyside. He has an Associates Degree in Liberal Studies from Greenfield Community College. Dave says, “I absolutely love being with young children, and I love the Sunnyside community!”
John Pike (on leave for 2010-2011) was born and raised on the windy plains of Kansas where he attended the University of Kansas at Lawrence. He has a B.A. in Psychology and a B.S. in Education. John’s been teaching two year olds to long that many of his first toddlers are well out of graduate school now. He’s lived in the Pioneer Valley for twenty years and taught at both the University of Massachusetts and Amherst College before coming to Sunnyside.
John enjoys photography and traveling. He’s travelled to over 30 countries around the world! John states, “I am so happy to be working at Sunnyside because of the support and recognition I receive from the families.”
Wolfsong’s introduction to early childhood education came in 1984 when she took a part-time position in an infant/toddler center in Colorado. She enjoyed working with young children so much that she quit college to work fulltime at the children’s center! She finally went back to school to earn a bachelor's degree in early care and education, graduating in Spring 2010.
Wolfsong has also worked as a massage therapist, a woodworker, and as a ranch hand on a dude ranch in Colorado. She lives in Easthampton with her partner, Jenn, and their cat, Luna.
Wolfsong loves being an infant/toddler teacher and feels very lucky to be involved in this very rewarding and vitally important work!
Middle Group Contacts:
Julie Holhut is a native of Hatfield and the youngest of five children. In 1994, Julie graduated from North Adams State College with a B.S. degree in Sociology and minors in Social Work and Women’s Studies. It was during these college years that she pursued her interest in working with children, especially with children who were abused or witnessed domestic violence. It was this love for children and desire to help that led her to enroll in classes at Greenfield Community College and complete an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education. Julie has thirteen years experience working with children. “I am pleased to be a part of Sunnyside where I can learn from my fellow teachers and learn even more from the children themselves.”
Kathryn Johnson recently moved back to the Pioneer Valley and is starting her first year at Sunnyside. She received her M.Ed in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University in 2008 after many years of working with children. She also has experience working with both adults and adolescents with cognitive challenges but truly loves working with the younger age group. Kathryn loves to travel, be outside (hiking, skiing, snowboarding, camping, swimming), read, and spend time with her family and friends. Kathryn says "I knew when I was nine years old-after holding my newborn niece for the very first time-I wanted to work with children as an adult. I’ve never been happier than when I get to walk into a classroom and be greeted by so many smiling faces who are wondering what they will be learning today."
Upstairs Group Contacts:
Barbara Grover has been at Sunnyside for over nineteen years! She and her husband Lloyd have five wonderful children and seven beautiful grandchildren. They live in Bernardston and love to travel to warm places. Barbara says, “I have had the pleasure of working with every age group at Sunnyside and enjoy each group equally”.
Betsy Hennemann has been a teacher at Sunnyside since 1996 and has been working with children for over twenty years. She has an Associates Degree from Holyoke Community College in Early Childhood Education and a B. A. in Early Childhood from Elms College. Betsy and her husband Wayne live in Chesterfield with their son Jack and their chocolate Lab, Ruby. In her spare time she likes to cook and go hiking with her family.
Mariana Branche has been working with children since 1998 and at Sunnyside since 2004. She lives in Easthampton with her siblings, two dogs and a bird. In her spare time, Mariana likes to hang out her family and friends, whether it’s going for a hike or trying out different restaurants or just to enjoy the day. Mariana states, “I enjoy working with children, always learning something new and there are never two days alike.”
Contacts:
Younger Group:
Dave: dave@sunnysidekids.org
John (on leave): john@sunnysidekids.org
Wolfsong: wolfsong@sunnysidekids.org.
Middle Group:
Julie: julie@sunnysidekids.org
Kathryn: kathryn@sunnysidekids.org
Upstairs Group:
Barbara: barbara@sunnysidekids.org
Betsy: betsy@sunnysidekids.org
Mariana: mariana@sunnysidekids.org