Director of the Early Learning Center
Katie Knuppel is Head of Primary School and Director of the Early Learning Center at Fay. She spent close to twenty years teaching in New York City independent schools, namely The Chapin School and The Buckley School, in Kindergarten through fifth grade. Before coming to Fay, Katie was the Assistant Director of Lower School at The Buckley School and is a graduate of the New York State Association of Independent Schools Emerging Leaders Institute. Katie's passion for early childhood and elementary education stems from her love of school as a child and her passion for creative, engaging curriculum. She adores the imagination and intelligence of young children, the ever-changing challenges of each school day, and the joy and laughter of students learning. She is an educational leader who believes collaboration and communication between students, families, faculty, and staff are the keys to a nurturing, dynamic educational program. She lives on the Fay campus with her family, including her husband, two children, and two dogs. Her daughter Kit attends Groton School, and her son Rufus attends Dartmouth College.
Email - kknuppel@fayschool.org

Associate Director of the Early Learning Center
Lauren Cilley has been working with young children for more than twenty years. In her 14 years at Fay, she taught Pre-K since the inception of the program in 2010 before becoming an administrator for the ELC. Previously, Lauren worked at Boston University’s Early Childhood Learning Laboratory. Lauren is passionate about early childhood education and play-based learning. She loves working with young children because of the excitement, sincerity, and innate curiosity that the children bring to school every day. Her favorite part of teaching is designing inquiry-based curricula around the children’s interests and finding creative ways to incorporate academic skill development. Lauren’s writing about teaching science to young children was featured in Marcia Edson’s book, Starting with Science. In 2015, Lauren completed a study tour of early childhood centers in Pistoia, Italy, and she earned her Certificate in Early Education Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2020. In addition to working with Fay's youngest students, Lauren has been a dorm parent, led several clubs for Extended Fay, and was a unit leader for FaySummer. She resides in Bolton with her husband and two young sons.
Email - lcilley@fayschool.org

Lead Teacher - ELC 101A

Assistant Teacher - ELC 101A
Kristen Fredericksen started working with children in 2019 in different childcare settings. She is pursuing a degree in early childhood development and has a great passion for teaching children. When she is not caring for children, she runs a small business selling homemade body products online and also enjoys spending her free time traveling and being with family.
Email - kfredericksen@fayschool.org

Lead Teacher - ELC 101B
Priscilla has more than 20 years of experience in early childhood education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Amherst. She is a Lead Teacher and Director certified through the Department of Early Education and Care. Priscilla has been studying the Reggio Emilia approach and was recently Wunderled certified through Fairy Dust Teaching. Prior to coming to Fay in 2017, she was a lead preschool teacher at First Steps Learning Center in Southborough. Priscilla is also a NASM-certified personal trainer and enjoys helping others with their fitness journey. Priscilla enjoys the dynamic opportunities that teaching young children brings. As a preschool teacher, she loves supporting children's development and strives to give them the care and resources they need to grow into independent individuals. She is thankful to be part of the lives of young children who are so passionate and excited about the world around them. Priscilla lives in Lancaster with her husband Dondrae and her son Cameron.
Email - pmay@fayschool.org

Lead Teacher - ELC 102
Liza attended UMASS Amherst for her undergraduate education and Simmons University for her Master of Arts in Teaching. She has worked in several diverse educational settings as a tutor specializing in executive functioning skills, reading specialist, assistant teacher, and lead teacher. Liza loves working with children in their foundational years of education, particularly in the area of literacy and is passionate about nurturing a sense of kindness, empathy, and community in young children. In addition to her work in education, Liza is very interested in fitness and nutrition and has worked as a fitness trainer, Pilates instructor, and nutritionist. Now her days are mostly filled with playing with her two young children, Darren (4.5) and Lana (2.5). Her son Darren will be in ELC 103 this year and her daughter Lana will be in 101A! She also loves visiting local farms, running, and trying new restaurants with her husband Ron.
Email - lhsin@fayschool.org

Assistant Teacher - ELC 102
Alissa has been an educator for over 15 years, teaching a range of ages from preschool through high school. This is Alissa's third year teaching at Fay School, even though she has been part of the Fay community for many years in different roles including as a Third Grade Teacher and basketball coach. As a Fay alumna (class of ‘01), Alissa was inspired to become a teacher because of the phenomenal education she received as a student. Alissa earned her bachelor's degree from St. Olaf College in psychology and neuroscience a Master's of Education In Elementary Education and a Master’s of Education in Moderate Disabilities. In Massachusetts, she holds an Elementary Teaching License and a Special Educator License. She is also a certified Children’s Yoga Teacher. As a lead teacher at Harvard University's Botanic Gardens Childcare Center for over five years, Alissa developed a love of the Reggio Emilia philosophy of education. Her experience also includes teaching preschool at a bilingual Japanese school and in ASL at the Learning Center for the Deaf. Alissa loves young children's natural curiosity and enjoys bringing music, movement, and nature into the classroom. Her son Theo will be in ELC 103 this year.
Email - awalters@fayschool.org

Lead Teacher - ELC 103
Mary Hupfer has been an educator since 2001. She graduated from Plymouth State University with a bachelor's degree in early childhood studies. Prior to joining Fay in 2017, she worked as a preschool teacher at First Steps. Recently, she earned a master's degree in psychology with a focus on children and adolescents from Southern New Hampshire University. Mary is passionate about teaching and working with children due to their curiosity and wonder. She resides in Holliston with her husband, Mike, and their children, Mikey and Macy.
Email - mhupfer@fayschool.org 

Assistant Teacher - ELC 103
With a background in biology and her pursuit of a psychology degree, Leah is dedicated to sharing the wisdom of her life’s journey with the children of the ELC. Leah is the proud mother of two children and has an unwavering affection for animals and the outdoors. She can often be found camping, snowboarding, gardening, or spending time coaching and managing her children’s sports teams. This will be Leah's fourth year teaching at the ELC and she is most excited to help develop each child’s curiosity and individuality while simultaneously fostering a sense of community within the classroom.
Email - lperez@fayschool.org

Teacher's Aide
Aliyah Campbell is joining the ELC as a teacher’s aide this year. She worked at the Early Education Center in Amherst, MA with children ages 2.9-3 years old. In addition, she worked at summer camps in both Grafton and Brookline with campers ages 5-13. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outside with her dogs Ivy and Sunnie.
Email - acampbell@fayschool.org

Teacher's Aide
Stacey joined the Fay community in the fall of 2023 with over a decade of teaching experience in family childcare. She finds joy when engaging children's natural curiosity and fostering their confidence in a nurturing learning environment. Stacey lives in Mendon with her dog, Rosey.
Email - stcampbell@fayschool.org

Teacher's Aide
Matthew Graham joined the Fay community after working as an ABA in Massachusetts. Matthew also has experience as a behavioral technician. He holds a BA in Psychology from Iona College, where he graduated in 2018.
Email - mgraham@fayschool.org

Teacher's Aide
Anne earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont. She is passionate and enthusiastic about the education of small children, and enjoys getting a glimpse of the world through their lens. Anne is committed to meeting each child where they are at, both developmentally and emotionally, while helping each child feel a sense of pride in themselves every day. Anne’s two daughters both attended Fay beginning in pre-k, and she has been actively involved in many areas of the community over the past 14 years. When not at Fay, Anne can be found skiing in New Hampshire, or on the sidelines of various athletic fields watching her daughters play lacrosse.
Email - amato@fayschool.org

Teacher's Aide
Antionette graduated from Ryerson Polytechnic University Toronto, Canada with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Science. She taught first grade in Brooklyn, New York for a year. She enjoys helping children develop their cognitive, social, and emotional skills and encourages their curiosity to learn. She has two children of her own Amelia and Ethan.
Email - aroopnarine@fayschool.org