Full Time Tu Casa People
Owner & Educator
My name is Grace Emery-Freyre. My love of language, art, music, and the outdoors has carried me to the jungles of Costa Rica and the coffee fincas of Guatemala, where I began my career in education. My vision for Tu Casa is to share these universal loves with the children of my community. I believe that the best way to nurture young hearts and minds is to let them sing and create out loud. Welcome to Tu Casa!
Co Educator & Ed Tech
My name is Rah Huff. I grew up in New Hampshire - right on the edge of a state forest. I spent much of my childhood running around the woods, picking blackberries, and building forts. I graduated college with a BA in History and have worked at libraries and bookstores ever since. I also took 8 years out of the workforce to raise my 3 children - one of which was part of the Wednesday after school program here at Tu Casa until graduating into middle school at the end of the 2025/2026 school year. My family and I moved to Maine in 2020 and found our forever home in Raymond in 2021.
I have my Ed Tech III certification and worked as an Ed Tech at Raymond Elementary School for one year before moving over to Tu Casa part time for the past two years. I absolutely fell in love with Tu Casa’s focus on play-based learning and being outside as much as humanly possible. I love fostering creativity and being creative WITH the children. I also bring an intense love of reading with me as I have been a voracious reader since childhood. I am *very* excited to step up and work alongside Grace in a full-time co-teacher capacity this coming school year!
Former Educators, Founders, Occasional Fill-ins, and Classroom Enrichment
Founding Tu Casa Parent, Educator & Program Visionary
My name is Wendy Aronsson. As the oldest of four, I’ve been a nurturer from a young age. I studied early childhood development and I’ve worked with children in a number of settings for over 20 years. A move to Sweden led me into a head teacher position at an international preschool in Stockholm. It was during these years that I discovered the magic of nature focused, play based education. I believe children need lots of literal and figurative room to roam and grow! Having children of my own only deepened my approach to education and has taken me into the world of unschooling, where I’m guided by my child and learning new concepts along the way.
Founding Tu Casa Parent, Educator & Program Visionary
My name is Jamie Cancelliere. I am a mother of 4, micro-farmer and nature enthusiast! I spent 15 years working in early childhood education in Massachusetts with toddlers and preschoolers before moving to Maine to pursue agriculture. My family and I are leasing a 106 acre farm in Lebanon Maine and we are practicing indigenous agriculture. I love all things outdoors and adventuring with small children is one of my favorite ways to spend my days. Their curiosity and excitement for learning fills my heart with so much joy!
Beloved Educator, Tu Casa Parent & Founder of Our Public School Partnership
My name is Emily McLeod. Originally from Virginia, I moved to Maine in 2021 and quickly fell in love with this beautiful state, especially the outdoors! I have a master’s degree in Inclusive Early Childhood Education and taught special education PreK for seven years in Virginia before coming to teach at Tu Casa. I helped to establish the public partnership with RSU-14, using my experience teaching in a public school setting and knowledge of early childhood development. I believe in the power of relationships, connection to nature, making children feel safe and loved, and that play is the most important tool for learning. The impact of community and intentionality is what drew me to Tu Casa as a teacher and as a parent and why it is unique and truly magical!
Tu Casa After School Graduate, Educator & Exemplary Role Model for Young Children
My name is Rex Freyre, and I have lived in Maine my entire life. As a teenager, I've been fortunate to grow up with Tu Casa as a part of my life. I first attended during my elementary school's half days and have stayed connected ever since. As a Boy Scout, I love the outdoors and enjoy sharing interesting facts and lessons with the kids. I believe children learn best when they have the freedom to explore, ask questions, and discover things on their own. The most important thing to me is making a positive impact on the children's lives. If I can help a child learn something new, gain confidence, or simply have a great day, that's a success in my book.