Cloud Room
Tamara Francis (She/her)
Early Educator
I moved to Vermont in 2012 to pursue my lifelong passion for education. While studying elementary education at UVM, a close friend encouraged me to apply for a part-time position at Trinity Children’s Center. From my very first day, I knew early childhood education—especially at Trinity—was where I belonged. I was fortunate to complete my degree with an internship at Trinity, where the support and mentorship I received shaped the educator I am today and gave me a deep sense of purpose and belonging here at TCC.
Over the past ten years, I’ve continued to grow my practice through professional training, reflection, and hands-on experience. Each school year, I look forward to supporting curriculum development and collaboration. I’m passionate about promoting reflective teaching, intentional planning, and the sharing of ideas among educators. I’ve found great joy in mentoring and learning alongside my colleagues. I am also looking forward to welcoming a new co-teacher and the growth that comes with a fresh teaching partnership, and am deeply grateful to continue my five-year collaboration with Indra. Our relationship is built on mutual trust, shared values, and love for the children we teach. Our supportive and loving relationship has deeply shaped my teaching and continues to enrich our classroom.
This Fall, I can’t wait to get to know this year’s Cloud Friends—learning about their passions, learning styles, and unique strengths. I’m also excited to connect with your families and work together to create a classroom that reflects our shared values and diverse experiences. My goal is always to meet children where they are and create meaningful experiences that nurture a lifelong love of learning. Personally, I am looking forward to circle time, read-alouds, and creating hands-on experiences that reflect each child’s interests and strengths—but most of all, building trusting and lasting relationships within our classroom community.
Indra Adhikari (She/her)
Teaching Assistant
My name is Indra, and I’m so excited to be working with your children this year at Trinity Children's Center.
I was born in Bhutan and grew up in Nepal, where I began my journey as a teacher. I moved to Vermont in 2011, and in 2014, I began working at Trinity. I took a short break when my youngest son was born and returned to the classroom in 2018 as a Teaching Assistant. Trinity has been a supportive and caring community that has helped me grow both personally and professionally, and I continue to learn every day from the children, families, and staff.
I am also a proud mother of two amazing boys—Aadhitya, who is 15, and Ayan, who is 10. My experiences raising them, adapting to a new culture, and holding on to my own cultural values have shaped my approach as an educator. I’ve developed a philosophy of gentle, loving, and patient care for each child. I listen carefully to their thoughts and feelings, offer them love and comfort, and strive to create a classroom environment where they feel safe, supported, and valued.
This year, one of my primary goals as a teacher is to deepen my understanding of the environmental factors that influence early childhood development. I am especially interested in learning and implementing developmentally appropriate approaches and strategies to support each child’s healthy growth. By working closely with Tamara and the rest of our teaching team and specialists, I aim to provide consistent, individualized care that meets each child where they are and helps them move forward with confidence and joy.
I love getting to know each child and their family, and I’m committed to building strong, trusting relationships. I look forward to playing, exploring, learning, and growing together throughout this year.
Sarah Walsh (She/her)
Early Educator
Sarah is a recent graduate from the Early Childhood Education program at UVM. Originally from Massachusetts, Sarah’s teaching journey began in a preschool classroom within her high school. Sarah was quickly drawn to the passionate curiosities and joyful discoveries that occur in a classroom every day. She began to volunteer in
both the local elementary and middle schools within her town, gaining perspective on all three age brackets. Sarah chose to pursue Early Childhood Education as she recognizes it as a unique opportunity to form a strong community focused on the
development of the whole child through inquiry-based, interdisciplinary, and hands-on
learning experiences. Upon settling in Burlington, Sarah began working at a local After-school program with a focus on the Kindergarten age group. At the same time, she worked at a local Early Childhood Center as an infant/toddler educator. Throughout her UVM program, Sarah completed student teaching practicums in toddler, preschool, and 1st grade classrooms, which provided the opportunity to apply the valuable evidence-based practices she studied in her courses. Following a passion for engaging
in ECE research, Sarah was involved in a Psychological Science research program studying physical activity intervention in preschool settings. As a culmination of her degree, Sarah taught full-time in a Kindergarten classroom this past spring.
Sarah’s goal is to create classroom communities of respect, belonging, and a love for learning. She values explicit social-emotional teaching and intentionally scaffolded social interactions to support children’s development of emotional regulation,
relationship-building skills, and ability to co-construct knowledge. She enjoys designing learning experiences based on children’s inquiries and encouraging curious minds to ask questions and engage in hands-on exploration. Her favorite aspect of Early Childhood Education is the unique opportunity it provides to slow down and seize the
potential for learning in every moment. Sarah is passionate about family-school-community connections, learning through movement, and a rich text and language environment. She looks forward to supporting children in becoming respective members of society, creative problem-solvers, and lifelong learners.
In her free time, Sarah enjoys drawing, watercolor painting, learning languages,
traveling, yoga, and exploring Vermont’s abundant outdoor opportunities. She is thrilled
to be joining TCC’s community and collaborating with teachers and families to support
young learners!
