New Leadership Announced at Bay Farm Montessori Academy
Bay Farm Appoints New Board President and Interim Head of School
[Duxbury, MA] – Bay Farm Montessori Academy is delighted to announce the appointment of a new Board President and Interim Head of School who will take the helm and lead the school into a new era of innovative, high-quality education.
Introducing Michael Christiano, New Board President
We are pleased to introduce Michael Christiano, who will assume the Board President role at Bay Farm. Michael has an undergraduate degree in finance and an MBA from Cornell and has spent his career in the life sciences, specifically in biopharmaceuticals, where his focus has been cancer research and the advancement of immunotherapies. He is currently Chief Business Officer at The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Michael previously served on the Bay Farm board and the board of advisors at the Virginia Tech Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. Moreover, Michael is a Bay Farm parent whose family has been at Bay Farm since 2011.
“Our family, and our children specifically, have thrived at Bay Farm, and we care deeply about the teachers and the staff, many who have become like family to us. As parents, we are also fully committed to doing our part in ensuring our children continue to have a constructive and nurturing shared experience. I am, as is the Board, looking forward, and am committed to being part of the solutions and positive changes happening at Bay Farm, and we’re excited to build a collaborative relationship with the staff, the teachers, and the larger Bay Farm community.” – Michael Christiano.
The outgoing Board President, Hauke Kite-Powell, deserves our heartfelt appreciation for his dedication and commitment to Bay Farm Montessori Academy. His efforts have laid the foundation for the bright future ahead.
“Working with members of the Bay Farm Montessori Academy community has been a source of great satisfaction, learning, and joy for me over the past two decades. I am deeply grateful to all those who have helped the school stay true to its mission during those years, and I am confident that the school is in excellent hands as I turn over the board presidency to Michael Christiano. I look forward to watching Bay Farm grow further in the years ahead, in the spirit of “we work together” — the first (and perhaps most important) words in our school’s mission statement.” – Hauke Kite-Powell
Welcoming Kelley Kasak-Collins, Interim Head of School
We are equally thrilled to welcome Kelley Collins, the new Interim Head of School at Bay Farm. Prior to becoming Head of School, Kelley served in several capacities since joining the Bay Farm community in 2003. In addition to her responsibilities as a lead teacher in Elementary II and Children’s House and as the Director of Education, she has helped guide the school through two AISNE accreditations and one AMS accreditation cycle. With her profound understanding of Montessori principles and extensive teaching background, Kelley is ideally positioned to lead Bay Farm into its next chapter.
“I firmly believe that learning should be fun, meaningful, and challenging while respecting each child’s individuality and value. I hope to lead the school in cultivating a sense of expectation and responsibility to self and others while giving children a sense of agency over their own classroom experience.” – Kelley Collins.
Michael and Kelley share a common vision for Bay Farm’s future – one that upholds our core values while embracing innovation and growth. Their combined expertise will undoubtedly enhance the educational experience we provide to our students, fostering an environment where they can excel academically, emotionally, and socially.
We invite the entire Bay Farm community to welcome Michael and Kelley. Together, we will continue to create an educational environment that empowers students to become lifelong learners and compassionate global citizens.
