Meet the Staff

HCDS is only as good as its staff, and its staff is great.

You’re a good teacher.  You’re a good storyteller.  You’re a nice person. Shaun

We are proud of the fact that we are well into our fourth decade with the same lead teacher we had upon opening in 1980. One of early childhood education’s major problems is the high rate of staff turnover.  Rest assured that the teacher your child meets on the first day of school will be there on graduation day.

Andrea Murphy, Hogarth’s teaching director, received her B.A. from Regis College in Weston, MA.  Since opening Hogarth with her sisters in 1980, she has continuously sought to improve and enhance her abilities to work with young children and their parents.  She became certified to administer and interpret the Gesell Developmental Examination for use in school placement.  She attends conferences and workshops, and is a member of the The Society Of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Andrea, an award-winning children’s book author, has published in The Mailbox, a national teaching magazine, and writes much of the Hogarth curriculum.  Her first picture Printbook, Out and About at the Dairy Farmwas written for Picture Window Books‘ field trip series.  Her book Georgia for Gareth Stevens Publishing, followed.  This book is part of the Portraits of the States series written for second graders.  She is a member of The Write Sisters, a group of multi-published children’s authors. Their goal is to spread their love for children’s books and writing, and to share their expertise with others. Here’s an essay profiling a Hogarth alumna Andrea wrote for The Write Sisters’ blog.

Women of MEAndrea worked collaboratively with The Write Sisters on Apprentice Shop Books’ award-winning America’s Notable Women series, written for elementary-aged students. The first book in the series, Women of Granite: 25 New Hampshire Women You Should Know, was chosen as the New Hampshire Center for the Book‘s  recommended book for young readers at the 2008 National Book Festival in Washington, DC. Andrea also contributed biographies to the Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, Texas and New York books, and is a lead author on the Maine book. Andrea’s work on Eunice Kennedy Shriver in Women of the Bay State: 25 Massachusetts Women You Should Know prompted Channel 9 to contact her for comment shortly before Mrs. Shriver passed away.

Visit Andrea’s author pages at www.andreamurphy.com for more information about her writing life.

Andrea is certified in infant and pediatric safety and CPR, and has done graduate work in early childhood education at Rivier College and the University of New Hampshire.  She was nominated for Scholastic Magazine’s Kindergarten Teacher of the Year 2000.  Andrea was one of only 500 New Hampshire educators invited to participate in then-Governor Shaheen’s Education Summit.  She served a 3-year term on the Board of Directors of A Safe Place, a non-profit organization that gives support and shelter to victims of domestic violence.  Andrea was recruited and trained by UNH to work as a Family Focus Volunteer.  Through the UNH Cooperative Extension, Andrea conducted parenting classes for parents of children ages birth through 6 years.  She also taught basic literacy skills as a volunteer with the Exeter Adult Tutorial program.

Claire Keating is Hogarth’s assistant teacher. Claire’s 3 children all attended Hogarth, and she worked as a Hogarth substitute teacher during her children’s HCDS years. She is well-versed in the methods and curriculum Andrea has developed for HCDS, and is a warm and nurturing presence in the classroom.

Claire studied graphic arts in college and is making her own mark on the HCDS art program. She maintains or exceeds all State of New Hampshire professional development requirements, and is certified in Pediatric and Adult First Aid and CPR.

Contact us to arrange a meeting with Andrea.

Click here for our Reference Page.

You have been the best teacher. Hannah, Class of ’02

I always love to tell people about Hogarth and the most wonderful teacher of children one could ever have.  I will always be grateful for what you did for my grandchildren.  You are a gem, Andrea! M.F., Satisfied Hogarth Grandparent

Miss Murphy and Miss Claire as drawn by Natalie in Early Kindergarten.