Help support the “Be Like Mike” Fund

Mike Mastroianni loved being an early childhood educator.

After earning a Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from UWM, he taught at Milwaukee Public Schools, the Milwaukee Jewish Community Center’s daycare center, and kindergarten at Bruce Guadalupe Community School. Most recently he was the assistant director of the Nurturing Nook child care center in Fox Point – a place where he had been in daycare as an infant and young boy.

Mike touched the lives of countless families. He loved children and had a gift for working with them.

Tragically, his life was taken in an accident in November 2022.

There will never be another Mike. But today, his family is proud to honor his spirit of kindness and passion for teaching by creating the “Be Like Mike” Fund at Next Door.

This fund will be designated for the support and development of male early childhood educators at Next Door. This school year, it will help create a new male educator mentorship program. This will help provide daily, weekly and year-long support and guidance to new male teachers just entering the field of education – helping solidify early childhood education as a career of choice.

You can help support and grow this fund with your gift.