Ellen Houle, Teacher Coach & Admissions Representative

Ellen has over 20 years of experience in the Early Childhood Education field as both an educator and an administrator. She joined BOPN in 2020 as a Lead Teacher and has since moved into a new role mentoring teachers and doing admissions.

Ellen grew up in the greater Boston area then graduated college from Goucher College in Baltimore Maryland with a Bachelor’s degree in Developmental Psychology and an emphasis in Studio Art. She moved to Charlottesville, Virginia after college and took a job with Westminster Child Care Center. Over her 14 years tenure there, she worked to build and head the Reggio Emilia project work inspired curriculum for the infant, 2s, 3s, 4s, and Pre-K classrooms. In 2002, she developed a 12-week summer program that was a Reggio inspired outdoor program for all graduating Kindergarteners. As the program developed, the children were able to take daily outdoor adventures in and around Charlottesville. Over the years she trained teachers in the Reggio inspired curriculum, then was promoted to the administration in 2010. Ellen spent the next 6 years as Administrator of Early Education programs and then as the Executive Director. Her background in Early Childhood inspired her to develop the first outdoor classroom in Charlottesville. All the materials for the outdoor classroom were donated from local friends, neighbors and businesses to help develop the child-centered environment for all ages. She also served as a board member for the local NAEYC chapter, CVAEYC, for 6 years.

Ellen has a great love of nature; spending most of her last six years working on small family owned vineyard learning about viticulture and vinifera. She enjoys her free time working in her garden, running marathons, and hiking with her husband Jonathan and dog Colt.