Erica Parfit: Finding Her Calling

Erica Parfit remembers the difference vividly. Her eldest son had been crying every single day when she dropped him off at his previous school. She was pregnant with her second son and struggling with the daily heartbreak of leaving her child in distress. Then Headwaters called. There was a spot in the Hummingbirds classroom.

"He did not cry once, even on his very first day of school at Headwaters," Erica recalls.

That was 2013. Her eldest son was two years old. Two years later, in 2015, his younger brother joined the same Hummingbirds classroom. Erica and her boys loved the peaceful and loving environment of the YCC. They loved the structured and child-centered philosophy, and they loved the caring and consistent guides. They also deeply appreciated the determination to create and foster a love of learning which they knew would serve their children for their entire lives.

For years, Erica had been deeply grateful for the loving, consistent, and respectful care that her sons received. When her eldest began kindergarten, she was delighted to begin subbing during the 2016-2017 school year. She quickly noticed that the care her sons received was also reflected in the culture of the school between the adults. By August of 2017, she had been hired on full time.

"This deep value of one another, and a clear and steady determination of each and every guide to always do their very best for the child, is what has kept me at Headwaters year after year," Erica says. "The Montessori philosophy is centered on respect for the child, and respect for all people. This philosophy shines through at Headwaters."

Erica's early life included earning a bachelor's degree in Theater. After college, she spent significant time exploring her true calling, finding joy in various roles, including that of a nanny. Becoming a mother helped her recognize that her passion truly lay in working with children.

The upcoming 2025-2026 school year will be her tenth year on staff at Headwaters, and her twelfth as a parent within the community. Over the years, she gained diverse experience as a substitute, support guide, after-care guide, co-lead in after-care, and even spent a year in a primary classroom, which ultimately led her to begin her Montessori training. She joined the Doves classroom in the 2022-2023 school year as an assistant and earned her Montessori certification for Lower Elementary in the summer of 2023. By summer 2024, she had also completed her Upper Elementary training.

"I have, without a doubt, found my calling," Erica says. "Working with children at Headwaters is both a joyful and powerful experience. Contributing to the learning and growth of these wonderful students imbues my daily life with profound purpose and meaning."

Being both a parent and staff member has shaped Erica profoundly. "My entire life has changed dramatically for the better because of my association with Headwaters. The deep compassion toward all humanity that I have seen and learned from the guides and staff at Headwaters, has made me a much better person." She has also been lucky enough to observe that when adults show children respect and teach them a way to learn that is satisfying and intuitive for them, children learn with a joy that serves them for the rest of their lives.

"There is an intention in the way the Headwaters community interacts with one another which steadily aims to provide care and offer peace and a sense of safety. I have seen this with the staff and with the families that I've known throughout my years here. Headwaters is more than a school that offers a great education. Headwaters is a place where children and adults alike are shown respect, compassion, and a place to grow into their fullest and best versions of themselves."

When asked what she would tell prospective families about why Headwaters is special, Erica speaks from years of experience on both sides. "My children are compassionate, caring, thoughtful kids (now a pre-teen and teenager). They are intelligent and happy children who love to learn. Their education at Headwaters has been exemplary."

Her eldest son has just begun high school. Though he chose to go to a public high school, his experiences and memories of Headwaters have been all positive. He has made lifelong friendships and has grown into an incredibly kind and thoughtful young man. He is also making almost all straight A's in his freshman year at a very highly rated high school, taking an AP Human Geography class, Honors English, Honors Biology, Advanced Math, and Advanced Spanish. Most of his math and Spanish peers are sophomores. To this, Erica credits Headwaters.

Her youngest son is still at Headwaters and is extremely happy. "He enjoys going to school every day, doesn't want to leave when it's time to pick him up, and is getting a quality education. The fact that he is happy, in middle school, tells me all I need to know!"

Erica's message to families is clear. "Headwaters offers a wonderful education, with the added benefit that the students are seen, heard, and respected by the adults. This gives the students a sense of self-value, and an autonomy in their own education that fosters a powerful love of learning."

From that first day in 2013 when her son walked into the Hummingbirds classroom without tears, to now, leading her own Upper Elementary classroom, Erica Parfit has found exactly where she belongs.