Madeline Ceballos’ passion for early childhood education was solidified at 16 working part-time in a day care center. Growing up in Westford, MA, the second of four girls, Madeline played school with her sisters, and she was always the teacher. She earned her undergraduate degrees and master’s degree at Salem State, in Early Childhood Education and Spanish and English as a second language, respectively.
Madeline’s career in education included many roles. The first five years she taught infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in a child development center, followed by eight years in the Revere public school system. As a woman of color, she reflects on never having an academic teacher of color until college and that throughout elementary school and high school, only a gym teacher in fifth grade was a person of color. She was committed to showing up for her students as a woman of color and an educator and while she did not say this in our conversation, she clearly was going to be an agent for change.
She recalls a preschooler asking her why her skin was brown and the opportunity that curiosity opens for further explanation to help young children learn about race and diversity. This opportunity starts early as children draw themselves and others and ponder what crayon to choose to represent skin color.
The Pandemic: Shifting to Make an Impact
When the pandemic started, Madeline was teaching in Revere. As is well documented, the impact on education was especially disruptive and challenging as teachers, families, and students entered this unknown world of remote learning. Adding a heightened lens on racism, riots and a societal cry for justice due to events including the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among others, Madeline was thinking about change.
So, Madeline wrote a children’s book, Naya and The Black Crayon, for teachers to start the discussion about race with young children in an accessible and age-appropriate way. While her target audience was educators, she also wanted this children’s book to help caregivers have the same discussion, helping children develop a better understanding of diversity and the world we live in.
Madeline also moved out of the classroom and became the school district’s first Mindfulness Coach, working directly with teachers helping them with mindfulness, social emotional learning, and mental health. She was thrilled to teach teachers to make a broader impact in the district.
A Big Year
2022 was a big year for Madeline. She and her husband were expecting identical twins. During maternity leave, Madeline reevaluated her work, long commute, and the demands of being a mother of twins. How could she continue her passion for early childhood education and achieve a better work-life balance? She found the answer by joining a local early education-focused non-profit, The Community Group, whose mission is to create, manage, and nurture high-quality programs and related services for children and families. The opportunity was a perfect match for her to continue her passion, support the needs of the Lawrence community, and stay connected to the field.
A Training Leads to a Board Position
Fast forward and Madeline is Director of Development for The Community Group and enrolled to attend a training offered by Community InRoads on Cultural Inclusion on non-profit boards. While many of the attendees were leaders of local non-profit organizations seeking to meet prospective board members, Madeline’s goal was to learn more about nonprofit operations and governance including the role of boards as this was the first non-profit she had worked for. As part of the ‘speed dating-like discussions’ included in the training, Madeline met Chris Hunt, Executive Director of Partners in Child Development. She recalls thinking, if I was going to choose a board, this would be the board I would consider.
Although Madeline’s plate was full with work and being a mother to her young twins, she agreed to tour Partners in Child Development, experiencing first-hand Anderson School and Woodbridge School. Through her work at The Community Group, Madeline was already familiar with the organization’s Early Intervention Services. The tour sparked her passion and tapped into her teaching memories having taught in a Reggio-based child development center during college and substitute teaching in a school similar to Anderson for children with complex medical needs. Madeline described Woodbridge School as ‘everything early education should be’.
While she didn’t intend to join a board, touring Partners in Child Development changed her mind. She described Partners in Child Development as ‘everything great about education all balled into one organization”. She is thrilled to be part of the process of developing the next strategic plan, asking many questions and bringing her experience, expertise, and passion to the organization.
Madeline Ceballos is gracious, smart, passionate, and dedicated to making a difference. She exudes all that Partners in Child Development stands for as we strive to help each child reach their fullest potential, while supporting each family. We are thrilled to have Madeline on our board of directors; we are confident she will help us in our trajectory and positively affect the trajectory of each child we work with.
