About us

It Takes a Village is a collaboration between three local mothers seeking the best quality education for their children and community. It’s truly a grassroots movement between mothers and friends who want the best for their children and are choosing to create it themselves.

As the title of our school suggests, it takes a village to raise a child, but also to nurture and teach them. We seek families that are committed to the educational well-being of their child, as well as the rest of our community. It Takes a Village is unique in that it will offer many of its students an opportunity to foster the development of their fine and gross motor skills. Children will hone these skills in enrichment classes like dance, yoga, painting, music, singing, and foreign language, taught by committed members of our community.

Maryann McCormack

owner / director

Maryann has been practicing physical therapy for twenty plus years with expertise in pediatric, early intervention, and school-based settings. She has worked with children with multiple disabilities and diagnoses in their homes as well as in school settings.
Maryann was born and raised in Hampton Bays and it’s because of her love of the community that she has chosen to remain here to raise her six children. She is dedicated to providing them with the same inspiring, creative, educational, and playful childhood that she was given in this same community.

Hilary Rose

owner / head teacher

Hilary has well over twenty plus years of teaching experience, many of which were spent in the early primary grades. She is dually certified to teach preschool as well as special education in the state of New York. Her educational inspiration comes from Waldorf and Montessori programs, where children learn through exploration, drawing their own conclusions. Beginning in 2016, Hilary became a trustee on the Hampton Bays Public Library board. Her passion for education is not limited to school and she enjoys advocating for the children of Hampton Bays through her work at the library.
Hilary grew up in NJ and moved to Hampton Bays five years ago to settle down with her husband, a third-generation Hampton Bays resident. Her children, Henry and George, are the inspiration behind It Takes a Village.

Michelle Kelly

owner / head teacher

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin, Michelle moved to NYC to further her education. While there she also earned a degree in Health Science from the Swedish Institute of Massage Therapy. She worked as a nanny for over 12 years in the city, spending summers on the east end, where she met her husband.
Now a resident of Hampton Bays, Michelle has two daughters, Molly and Maeve. While raising her family she created and facilitated Baby Bliss, a support group for new or expectant mothers, is a co-president of HBMA (Hampton Bays Mothers Association), and is active on the board of LIBN (Long Island Birth Network). Michelle has also pursued Child Development Certification as well, to further help her teach and serve the children of ITAV. She has a true passion for all things children and family and strives to continue that dream with It Takes a Village’s community.

Michele Chekijian

head teacher

Michele has well over 25 years in the education field teaching children and adults. A native of NJ, she has a background in the performing arts and started teaching dance at her sister’s studio before entering college. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Pace University and a masters of literacy from LIU. Michele also has experience as a published author, and she just completed a Yoga and Social motional facilitation certification. Michele is a former ITAV mom of her twin boys and she resides on the North Fork with her family. She is a lover of fitness, the beach and all things nature.

Amber Mahoney

Head Teacher

Amber started her college education at Suny Cortland with an Early Childhood Education major. Her love for teaching preschoolers led her to pursue a CDA (child development associate) for preschool education.