After spending Seven years teaching elementary school in Haverhill MA, Miss Chantel Alder needed a fresh start, and new scenery. Luckily, an elementary school from the same district she called home for all her childhood came calling for an opening as a 5th grade teacher. 

Now, Alder, a Salisbury elementary and Triton High School alum, is looking to create a family with all the staff and students at Pine Grove School as she starts the second leg of her teaching career in a whole new fashion.   

 Alder has started her Pine Grove teaching career this year and has already stated how different an environment PGS is compared to anything else she’s ever seen.  Mrs Alder enjoyed her time teaching in Haverhill but said that it was a “once you get in you can’t get out” type of teaching environment. After seven  years in Haverhill, moving into PGS “… was like night and day for me, everyone was so happy and welcoming, and it got me super excited to start”

Miss. Alder majored in English with the goals of teaching high school, but eventually fell in love with teaching elementary students. A return to a higher level of teaching definitely isn’t ruled out for Alder, but when asked if she would want to move to the high school anytime soon her response was “Not anytime soon, I love where I’m at right now”

Alder came to Pine Grove and joined the 5th grade team getting to know her fellow teachers next door.  Her fellow 5th grade teachers had a lot of good things to say about her.  Miss Jillayne Stutz when asked a few questions about Miss Alder exclaimed

 “Mrs. Alder goes out of her way to help others– students, staff, and teachers alike. One of my favorite things about Mrs. Alder is her passion and enthusiasm for teaching.” Being an elementary teacher takes a lot of patience and responsibility, but Alder stated that it’s been her easiest year so far. Her students are respectful and curious and Mrs Alder is doing everything she can to help them. “You don’t have to talk with her long to see that she loves her job and is so committed to supporting her students.” says Stutz.  Mrs. Julie Nichols has been an aid at PGS for what seems like forever, and she had high praise for the new teacher. “She just brings so much joy and excitement to this wing, we are all so lucky to have her here” Her students seem like they agree with Mrs Nichols, as one fifth grade girl exclaimed as she came into the room together chromebook charger, “I’ll see you in 20 minutes Ms. Alder” with a huge smile on her face she walked out of the colorful classroom to her tech class. 

Different then the way most people remember elementary school, this year Alder is not just teaching the same children all day. In 5th grade, students now switch classes and learn different subjects from different teachers. This change was said to be the biggest teaching difference for Alder. “Needing to know 60 names instead of 20 is a huge difference to me” Although it will take some getting used to, Alder enjoys seeing different kids flow in and out of her classroom. In her classroom of about 20 students, Alder teaches from the huge white board at the front of class, facing the 20 smiling fifth graders eager to learn. Some may think that teaching younger kids would be hard, but Alders teacher mentor Donna Cappolla had a lot of praise for the newcomer. ““She is thinking up great ideas to engage her students.” Along with being able to conduct a bunch of crazy elementary schoolers, Alder has done it in a peaceful,fun, and loving manner. “Her students are so lucky to have her positive energy,” said Cappolla. 

Mrs Alder had plenty to say about the PGS families and community and how they made her switch that much easier. She was given all the tools she needed to move to a new school and the district made it extremely easy and a less stressful time. She praises the families of all her students for the constant encouragement and applause, as well as the school for being so well organized and prepared. “PGS is like a well oiled machine” is all she said when asked how well the school was run. As Mrs Alders Pine Grove career just begins, you can already tell that she is set up to have a very successful time at PGS and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.