Mount Alvernia Academy Second Grade teacher Caitlin Wolford has always wanted to be an educator. “My parents’ kitchen was my first classroom; my Dad even attached a chalkboard on the wall,” Ms. Wolford said with a smile. “My twin brother wasn’t interested in my antics so I tested my math lessons on my youngest brother at the kitchen table.” Her brother remembers “playing school” to this day, but for Ms. Wolford, her lessons were not just play, they were training.

What began in her parents' kitchen back in Pennsylvania quickly matured into a vocation. Ms. Wolford majored in Early Childhood Education and minored in Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown and earned her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction as a member of the Boston College Urban Catholic Teacher Corps (UCTC).

While driving one day, Ms. Wolford spotted a bumper sticker on the back of a car: “I inched closer to the car in front of me to get a better look at the sticker that proudly adorned the car’s bumper. I could not believe my eyes...‘Mount Alvernia Academy is a PS-6 Catholic school?!’ I had to find out for myself.” A few years later, she discovered the beautiful campus atop Manet Road overlooking Boston College, and when the opportunity presented itself, she leapt at the chance to become part of the Mount Alvernia community.

 After only a few days in the classroom, Ms. Wolford realized why so many parents, students, and teachers loved Mount Alvernia Academy, “The MAA community is incredible. It didn’t take long for me to feel the community spirit and truly recognize the feeling of family that my students and colleagues so often talk about. The care and support is unparalleled.”

Following the school’s motto of “Faith First, Learning Foremost,” Ms. Wolford works to prepare her second graders for the digital world they will inherit by incorporating technology into a wide range of classroom activities. “We are very fortunate to have valuable technological tools to enhance our learning on a daily basis,” said Ms. Wolford. “It is important to interact with the material in innovative ways as we develop our minds and spirits as lifelong learners and digital disciples.”

Like all of her fellow teachers at Mount Alvernia, Ms. Wolford instills the principles of service and care for others in her students, keeping the Catholic and Franciscan spirit of the school alive and well. With her first year at Mount Alvernia nearing its end, Ms. Wolford looks forward to continuing to grow and learn with the community.