Buds & Blossoms

About Us
Buds & Blossoms is a program of the Asian American Civic Association, a non-profit organization that has been providing vital education and social services to immigrants and linguistic minorities in Greater Boston for the past 40 years.

We provide high quality services to children and their families.  Our qualified and licensed teachers ensure your child has the best resources for growth and development.  Our beautifully appointed, new facility in the heart of Chinatown is a warm, friendly, nurturing environment for your child.  Licensed by the commonwealth of Massachusetts and inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, our Mandarin immersion program for infants, toddlers and preschoolers offers the best of combination of  play-based learning with language acquisition.

Director's Message
Buds & Blossoms is committed to educate the whole child from infancy through preschool. We strive to unite the best elements of Eastern and Western traditions and practices: the growth of the individual and the inquiring mind, as well as a sense of personal responsibility for the social welfare of all.

Interim Director
Leslie PilderName: Leslie Klein Pilder
Experience: Leslie has decades of experience in early childhood education including having been the director of a preschool in Manhattan.  Leslie has an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education, certification from The American Montessori Society, and many years working with teachers, parents, and students of early childhood education.  She also has an M.A. in Adolescent Rites of Passage from New York University, where she worked for several years as a field facilitator in the Teaching for Success program, designed to improve the quality of teaching and learning in Head Start centers across New York City.

Lead Teachers

An ChenAn Chen
An is our Program Coordinator and Infant Lead Teacher.  She comes to us with 20 years teaching experience.  She has her Masters in Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Toledo.  An grew up in Bejing.

Ida Yee KooIda Yee Koo
Ida is the Toddler Lead Teacher.  Ida has a degree in Early Childhood Development and Education and is continuing to pursue a higher education.  She has eleven years of experience with Infants, Toddlers and Preschools.  Ida is licensed as Director II, Director I and Lead Teacher for Infants, Toddlers and Preschool.

Emily Chen MeiEmily Chen Mei
Emily is a Preschool Lead Teacher.  Emily joined Buds and Blossoms in March 2011.  She has extensive (15 years) teaching experience and 10 years as a Lead Teacher at the Chinese Church Head Start program.  Emily has a BS in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University.

Xin Liao
Xin is a Preschool Lead Teacher.

Xiu Song Chen
Xiu is a Toddler Lead Teacher.