Shaaren Pine has been part of the Maury community since 2011 (as Amma to her then-PreK4-er). She has co-hosted Knitting Club since 2014, and spent a year doing 1st grade math intervention in 2016 before being asked by the then-principal (CAG) to come on full-time. She took a year off and was asked by the next principal (PC) if she’d be able to return, and has been in Kindergarten ever since!
Shaaren graduated from Earlham College with a degree in Human Development & Social Relations, a minor in Spanish, and a focus in Education. Before spending a decade in the restaurant- and business-ownership world (The Argonaut in DC, and The Harborside in Maine), she worked for a decade in Early Childhood Education.
In her free time she advocates for racial justice, adoptees, and the families of those with substance use disorder. She has written and spoken widely on these topics, and her work has appeared in Masala Mommas, Upworthy, and The Washington Post. She also co-authored a book about addiction, and is a regular presenter at adoption conferences. Her experiences in these areas help her be more aware of where our kids are coming from when they walk through our doors.
Shaaren (and her daughter) split their time between DC and Maine. She enjoys endless hobbies: refurbishing furniture, knitting, sewing, gym-ing, reading, composting, growing plants, and henna.
Fun Fact: If you are old enough to remember the children’s book “Miss Rumphius” by Barbara Cooney, it’s based on her great-grandmother, Hilda Hamlin, after whom she is named.