Stephen Duffy

Steve grew up north of Boston and attended Reading Memorial High School.  After receiving his B.A. in English from Middlebury College,he went on to attend the college’s Bread Loaf School of English for his M.A., later working at both the school and at the famed Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference.  After many years as an English and history teacher, he was awarded a Klingenstein Fellowship to attend Columbia University’s Teacher’s College, where he earned his Ed.M. in Organizational Leadership.  He became the Upper School Principal at Rutgers Preparatory School and then served as the Head of School at Falmouth Academy on Cape Cod.  Steve has presented at the NAIS national convention and served on numerous school accreditation committees.  He brings to Jackson Walnut Park School his love of working with students, teachers, and parents to support a community that educates hearts as well as minds, an awareness of the changing landscape of education and the world and the need for schools to be responsive to change, loyal devotion to Boston’s sports teams, and an inexplicable affinity for moose.

Bridget Barrett-Parker

A lifelong educator, Bridget is thrilled to join the Jackson Walnut Park team. With a BA in Elementary and Special Education from Providence College, an M. Ed in Early Childhood education from Gordon College, both American Montessori Society (AMS) and Association Montessori International (AMI) primary trainings, and years of teaching and coaching teachers in the field, Bridget brings a wealth of knowledge about child development and Montessori pedagogy. Bridget stands by the Dr. Montessori quote, “the most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six.” She is thrilled to support teachers and families navigating this essential work. In addition to education, Bridget is passionate about distance running, gardening, and spending time in nature with her family.