Early Learning Program at Community Teamwork

On this day, June 16, 1965, Community Teamwork opened its doors to the public and the anti-poverty program was underway!

A huge thank you to Hearts in Art for visiting our James Houlares Center as part of our Community in the Classroom initiative!
Our children had such a meaningful and creative experience working together to create beautiful pictures and cards for children who are in hospitals. Through art, kindness, and connection, Hearts in Art helped our students learn the power of giving back and brightening someone else’s day. 💌✨
Hearts in Art is a youth organization dedicated to spreading education and awareness about community service to younger generations through the arts, and their visit truly inspired our classrooms.
Thank you for sharing your time, creativity, and compassion with our students — we loved having you with us! 💖
Please show them some love and follow them on Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/heartsinartt?igsh=MWRyenFuNTd6ZjZvNQ==)

🐘📚 Community in the Classroom was full of imagination and creativity today in Room 19!
A special thank you to Chris Gordon, VP of Community Resources at Community Teamwork, for spending time with our children and sharing a wonderful morning of storytelling. Miss Chris brought along her special elephant friend, Ellie, and together the children helped create a fun and imaginative story about Ellie's visit to Room 19!
The children were excited to share their ideas, build a story together, and watch their creativity come to life. Experiences like these help strengthen connections between our classrooms and the community while encouraging language, literacy, and imagination.
Thank you, Miss Chris, for making learning so much fun and for being part of our Community in the Classroom initiative! 💙

🏒🐻 A Very Special Visitor at James Houlares Early Learning Center! 🐻🏒
Today, we were thrilled to welcome the Boston Bruins’ favorite mascot, Blades the Bruin, as part of our Community in the Classroom initiative!
Classroom 22 enjoyed a fun and engaging story all about hockey, teamwork, and having a positive attitude. After story time, Blades made his way through the building, visiting every classroom, giving high-fives, sharing smiles, and bringing excitement to children and staff alike. He even left us a signed copy of the book!
Experiences like these help connect our children to the broader community while creating joyful memories that inspire learning and curiosity.
A huge thank you to Blades and the Boston Bruins for making today so special! 💛🖤
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💙 💙 A big THANK YOU to Amy Whitehead-Pleaux, Head Start Collaboration Office Director with the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, for spending time with our infants at Lowell Collaborative Preschool Academy this morning, as part of our Community in the Classroom initiative! 👶📚

Our youngest learners loved the opportunity to engage with a special community guest, and we are grateful for Amy's commitment to supporting early childhood education and Head Start programs. Community connections like these help enrich learning experiences and inspire our children, families, and staff every day. 🌟

Interested in becoming a Community in the Classroom guest? We'd love to hear from you!
Contact Shawna Doran at [email protected] for more information.

A huge THANK YOU to Michael Brucato, Business Development Manager at Teaching Strategies, for visiting our children at the Parker Avenue Early Learning Program as our latest Community in the Classroom guest! 👏😊
Michael shared the joy of reading by spending time with our children and reading a story aloud. 📖❤️ As an added surprise, he generously donated $550 worth of children's books and materials to support literacy and learning in our classrooms! 🎉📚
We are so grateful for community partners like Michael and Teaching Strategies who help inspire a love of learning and make a meaningful impact on the lives of young children. 🌟
🤝 Interested in being a Community in the Classroom guest?
We are always looking for community members, businesses, and organizations to share their careers, talents, hobbies, or favorite books with our children!
📧 Contact Shawna Doran at [email protected] to learn more.
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Celebrating 2026 Staff Service Awards

The CTI Executive Team presented Service Awards to our 25 and 30-Year employees at an Appreciation Luncheon recently.

Pictured Back Row: Carl Howell - CEO, Nancy Van Alst - CFO, Debbie Lafond (25 years of service), Kayombo Kamawu - CPO
Pictured Front Row: Laurie Greenleaf (30 years of service), Lisa Wholey - Chief Human Resource Officer, Josie Lebron (25 years of service), Arlene Curtis (30 years of service), Jennifer Diep (25 years of service), Jean Lamarche (30 years of service), Janice Williams (25 years of service) and Ann Sirois, Chief Administrative Officer

Please join us in congratulating these valued employees who have helped to drive our mission forward for a combined 190 Years! We are so grateful you have chosen to grow your careers with Community Teamwork.

30 YEAR AWARDS
Left to right – Arlene Curtis, Laurie Greenleaf and Jean Lamarche

25 YEAR AWARDS
Left to Right – Josie Lebron, Jennifer Diep, Janice Williams, Debbie Lafond (back)

A big THANK YOU to Tammy Mathews and the Chelmsford/Lowell Elks (Briget Shea, Tina Robinson, and Kristen Lowney) for your incredibly generous book donation to JHC.

Because of your kindness, our lending libraries are now fully stocked, and our children are excited to take free books home with them today. There is something so special about putting books into the hands of children and helping build a love of reading that can continue at home with their families.

Your generosity is making a real difference for our children and helping create meaningful opportunities for learning, connection, and joyful moments through books. We truly appreciate your continued support of our community.

Thank you for investing in our children and helping nurture a lifelong love of reading!

A big thank you to Behavioral Health Supports from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care for visiting our Lowell Collaborative Preschool Academy site with the one and only Tucker the Turtle! 🐢💚
Tucker the Turtle is a beloved friend from the Pyramid Model in Early Childhood who helps children learn how to recognize big feelings, calm their bodies, and problem-solve in safe and positive ways. Through fun stories, breathing techniques, and “tucking into their shell” to take a moment to calm down, Tucker teaches children important social-emotional skills they can use every day!
Our educators and children had such a wonderful time learning, practicing calming strategies, and building emotional awareness together. Thank you for supporting our classrooms and helping us continue to foster safe, nurturing, and inclusive learning environments for all children!