Rachel (Rae-a) Frydman is now in her 3rd year at the School Around Us.  She is the primary teacher for the middle group of students (ages 8-10).  Rae-a comes to School Around Us from Stewartstown, New Hampshire, where she lived and worked with  teenagers in a remote, residential, wilderness setting.  Rae-a was responsible for daily lessons in core academic subjects, as well as establishing and maintaining a positive group living environment through wilderness survival and problem-solving skills.  While Rae-a found this experience rewarding, she was happy to move to Maine and live in a neighborhood again.

Rae-a has worked with children of all ages and was the Director of an early childhood education center in Cambridge, Vermont, where she developed curriculum, wrote grants and provided in-service training for her staff in holistic teaching methods and Montessori and Reggio Emelia approaches.  Rae-a has also taught Special Education to middle school students and sign language to toddlers.  Her teaching experience is diverse and always approached from a place of enthusiasm and love for children.

Rae-a attended Lesley University, majoring in Experiential Education and is fluent in American Sign Language.  During her education, she read School Around Us, by Claudia Berman, and has always been fascinated by the school's structure and mission.  She thinks she was destined to be a teacher at School Around Us.  Rae-a plays guitar, enjoys photography, computer media projects, drama and gardening.  She is excited about bringing all of these skills and experiences to the School Around Us community.