OUR STAFF
Our staff has always been one of our greatest assets. For the current school year, we have twenty-three Montessori teachers with AMS, NCME or AMI credentials, as well as more than 20 teacher interns, assistants and specialists in orienteering, music, art and Spanish. Eight of our staff members are on the faculty of the MEIPN, the only MACTE accredited, AMS Affiliated, Montessori teacher preparation program with credentialing courses for teachers at the infant/toddler through elementary levels in the Pacific Northwest.
Club House - Woodinville Staff
Club House - North Creek Staff
Administration
Mary Schneider, Head of School
Mary and Sheri Nick founded WMS in 1983. Mary’s interest in Montessori was sparked by her son’s entry into a Montessori school in 1980. She went back to school to add AMS Montessori Early Childhood and Elementary I credentials to her M.S. and B.S. in Clinical Nutrition. Mary taught in the preschool and lower elementary classrooms at WMS until June 2001. She was an instructor in the Early Childhood and Elementary teacher preparation programs of the Montessori Education Institute of the Pacific Northwest from 1985 to 2010, and is currently executive director of that training course. She serves on the Board of Trustees of the American Montessori Society and is chair of the AMS Teacher Education Committee. She is also a Board Member of the Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools where she participates in the School Accreditation and Standards and Practices committees.
Mary lives in Woodinville with her husband Peter. They have a son who is married and living in Brookly, NY and a daughter who is married and living in Seattle. They are also the happy grandparents of two.
Nancy Kestek, Elementary & Jr. High Program Director
Having taught in Montessori classrooms for over 20 years, Nancy joined Woodinville Montessori as Curriculum Director in 2006-7. She has a BA in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Washington, and both Primary Teacher and Secondary Teacher certifications from Spring Valley. In addition to working with children, Nancy enjoys soccer, being outdoors, reading and animals.
Lea Aemisegger, Toddler & Early Childhood Program Director
Lea has been a part of the WMS community since 1993 when she enrolled her children here. Her three sons attended WMS through the sixth grade. Lea was co-founder of our Parent Association and served on our first Board of Trustees.
Lea holds Infant and Toddler and Early Childhood Montessori credentials. She ran her own program for toddlers “Little Willow” in her home until 2005. Lea has a BS from Georgetown University. She spends her leisure time gardening and reading. Lea is also a faculty member and field consultant for the Montessori Education Institute of the Pacific NW.
Karen D’Ewart, Business Manager
Karen has been involved with Woodinville Montessori since 1995, wearing many hats over the intervening years. As a parent she has seen each of her two children enter the school at age three and graduate after sixth grade; as a volunteer she co-chaired the school’s annual auction for three years; next, she served as a founding member of the Board of Trustees for 4½ years, serving as Treasurer as well as Chairperson of the Finance and Audit Committees, and; now she fills the position of business manager. Prior to her introduction to WMS, Karen earned a BA and teaching credentials from the University of Washington and taught sixth grade in the Lake Washington School District. The bulk of her leisure time is devoted to hanging out with her family and numerous pets, and playing soccer!
Tricie Hunter, Controller
Tricie Hunter is a Seattle area native and a WMS alumni parent (1994-1997) who also served on our Board of Trustees. She attended Bellevue High School, Smith College, and has an MBA from the University of Washington. Prior to joining the WMS Business Office, she served as controller at Brooks Rand Labs in Fremont, a small company that does trace metal analysis.
Beth Bazley, Associate Director of Development
Beth is a most active member of every school community she is in and joined us as Associate Director of Devlopment in April 2010. She has served as the Major Gift Committee Chairperson for recent Overlake Capital Campaign, volunteer coordinator of the Overlake Athletic Club as well as Vice President of the Parent Faculty Staff Association. Her own daughters attended the Eton School prior to Overlake, and while there she was the auction chairperson for two years, launched Parent Net and founded the Cultural Fair which is now an annual event. Beth grew up in Palo Alto, California and attended UC - Davis. She then moved to Alaska and worked for Xerox Corporation with experience supporting K-12 and oil companies. In her free time Beth loves to travel and has ventured to all 7 continents as well as all 5 Disneylands. During the summer months you can find Beth and her teenage daughters aboard their sailboat, Santa Clara.
Juliana Fitts, Director of Admissions
Originally from Brazil, Juliana moved to the United States in 1999 to study English and further her Montessori training. Prior to that, she graduated from the Harvard University Extension School and then taught at a public Montessori school in a rural area of Brazil. Juliana has overseen all aspects of school administration including Admissions, as Program Director and then Head of School at Arbor Schools. Juliana is a credentialed Early Childhood Montessori teacher who has completed the course for School Leaders at Houston Montessori. She has presented workshops locally and nationally and is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Developmental Psychology.
Ellen Wastell, Director of Communications
Ellen and her husband Blaine moved from Chicago, Illinois, to Woodinville in 1996 with their son Tristen who attended Woodinville Montessori School from preschool through Junior High. Nicole, their second child, joined WMS in 2001, and Kail, their youngest, joined in 2004. Ellen has been an active member of the WMS community, having served as President of the Parent Association for two years, co-chair of the Community Service Committee, and as a room parent, reading parent, classroom volunteer and field trip chaperone. Ellen was a member of the school’s Board of Trustees from 2003-2006, and served on the Executive and Board Development Committees. Ellen joined the WMS staff in June 2006 as Administrative Assistant at the Woodinville Campus and moved into her current role as Director of Communications in May 2007. Ellen has a BA from Northwestern University and worked for IBM for 10 years in Sales and Marketing.
Bogda Zbyszewski, Bookkeeper
Bogda moved to Washington State with her husband George (who is a horse trainer) and three-year-old son Marek in 1987. The following year she enrolled Marek in Woodside Montessori and started her first job in the USA as a Montessori Assistant. When that school closed, she moved to WMS in 1989 and has been keeping the office running ever since. Son Marek graduated from WMS in 1996 and graduated from Western Washington University in Bellingham in 2007. Bogda graduated from Krakow University in 1977 with a degree in History. She taught history in Poland for four and a half years before moving to the US in 1981. Her other interests are travel, gardening and her pets including dogs, cats and the occasional spider.
Gary Davis, Facilities Coordinator
Gary grew up in Wyoming and attended the University of Wyoming, where he studied psychology and business. He moved to the northwest in 1978. His background is in various aspects of the music and video business. He works part time at WMS while maintaining his own sales and marketing business. His son Aaron has been going to Montessori schools since he was 3 months old, and started at WMS in 2005-2006. Gary has a lifelong enjoyment of “fixing and building things.” He lives in Kirkland and enjoys softball, music and being a parent.
Dara Darlington, Campaign Manager & Administrative Assistant, Woodinville
Dara has been a member of the WMS community since 2006 when her daughter started kindergarten. Her son started a few years later and both are now in the Elementary Program and loving it. Dara has enjoyed wearing many volunteer hats as a Room Parent, Art Coordinator, PA President, TSA Chair and Room Parent Chair. Dara joined the WMS staff as Administrative Assistant in November 2011 and took on the role of Campaign Manager in March 2012. Dara graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. in Communications and worked as a Buyer in the Music and Video Industry, as well as Massage Therapist. Dara is a northwest native and loves bike riding with her family, sailing, music and her cats.
Margaret Andersen, Administrative Assistant, Woodinville
Margaret has been an active member of the WMS community, having served as a room parent, classroom volunteer and field trip chaperone since her daughter Audrey joined the WMS family in 2007. Margaret joined the WMS staff in October 2009 as the WMS Library Staff. In addition, she took on the position of Administrative Assistant at the Woodinville Campus in Feb. 2011. Margaret holds a BA from the University of Washington in American Ethnic Studies. Her previous work experience has been as a barista, piano accompanist/instructor, volunteer coordinator, Executive Assistant, HR Manager, and full-time mom. The hardest job was definitely the last one as the full-time mom! Her interests are spending time with her family, reading, gardening and anything craft-related.
Jillian Dickson, Administrative Assistant, North Creek
Jillian began her relationship with WMS in the winter of 2009 when she bacame a long-term substitute for the Elm class and then an assistant teacher for Cedar and Cypress. She is a graduate from the WSU Architecture program and worked as an intern until 2009. She enjoys dancing, being outdoors, family dinners, and lazy Sundays with her husband and son.
Rebecca Harmon, Administrative Assistant, North Creek
Rebecca worked at WMS in Club House in 2003 before heading off to Canada, then Florida to earn her BA in Theology. She finished with honors and returned here to work as an administrative assistant at Everest College in Everett. Rebecca enjoys reading, music, & walking in our beautiful outdoors. She belongs to a writer’s group and is an active volunteer at her church.
Kristen Lesoing, Administrative Assistant, North Creek
Kristen is originally from Wilmington, NC and graduated from University of Washington with a BA in French Studies. She enjoys cooking and baking, traveling, and playing with her two dogs.
Emily Lin, Technology Support
Emily has been a member of the WMS community since 2003 when her daughter Natalie started kindergarten here. Emily grew up in Taiwan and is fluent in Taiwanese, Mandarin Chinese and English. She immigrated to the United States with her family after graduating from college. She has a BA in Western Literature and Languages from Providence University in Taiwan. She went to graduate school at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky where she studied computer science. Moving to Washington state in 1995, Emily worked as a software development engineer for Aspen Technologies Inc. where she met her husband Mike. Emily enjoys good food, reading suspense novels and hanging out with her family.
Toddler Staff
(alphabetical by last name)
Nichol Schaffer, Teacher, Fig Class
North Creek – Toddler
Nichol has been guiding toddlers for the last 2 years and led 3- to 6-year-olds in Montessori classrooms for 10 years, joining WMS in 2004. She is certified in Montessori through MEIPN, for Early Childhood and Infant & Toddler classrooms. Nichol has a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Seattle University. Finding the best possible education for her son was what motivated her to find out about Montessori. Witnessing daily the curiosity and pure joy in learning exhibited by the young child is what keeps her energized. Nichol has two children, ages 14 and 4 years old. She enjoys sketching, reading and organizing.
Michelle Hayden, Assistant, Fig Class
North Creek - Toddler
Michelle has taken early childhood development classes and has worked with children most of her life. She has been married for 25 years and has 3 children of her own, ages 24, 21 and 11 years old. Michelle lives in Mukilteo and loves to spend time with her family and with her dogs.
Cheng Wei, Teacher, Fig Class
North Creek – Toddler
Cheng Wei has over ten years of experience as a childcare provider and five years of experience in children’s education. She enjoys vegetarian cooking, hot yoga, whale watching, hiking, camping, kayaking and snowboarding. She has played the piano for 21 years and the bass guitar for 14 years. Cheng Wei volunteers at the Children’s Hospital, Seattle Humane Society, Washington State Health Department and has done peer tutoring.
Early Childhood (Preschool and Kindergarten) Staff
(alphabetical by last name)
Aruna Aiyar, Teacher Elm Class
Woodinville East - Early Childhood
Aruna grew up in India and did her schooling there. She has a Masters in Psychology and spent time counseling children. She moved to the US in 1996 with her husband. After her second child started kindergarten she became interested in various teaching styles and zoned in on Montessori. Aruna has been in this field for eight years and joined WMS in the fall of 2011. She loves to read books, watch movies and play games with her children.
Marilou Carlson, Teacher, Elm Class
Woodinville East - Early Childhood
Marilou came to Montessori over 20 years ago and received her primary certificate from Montessori Teacher College Northwest (MTCN). She has worked at Bellevue Montessori School and at Early World Montessori on Mercer Island. She also worked for a year as a Montessori toddler assistant and volunteered at a small Montessori school in Iceland. She has geographical roots in Sweden, Ethiopia, and the Pacific Northwest, and cultural roots singing in church choirs and making pies, casseroles and lemon bars. Out of school, she loves to do yoga, walk, read, have good conversation and eat.
Chun-Yi Chen, Assistant, Pine Class
North Creek – Early Childhood
Chun-Yi was born and raised in Taiwan and came to the US about 16 years ago with her husband who studied at the University of Florida for his Masters and PhD degrees. She graduated with a business major and was a business executive assistant in Taiwan. Chun-Yi has past experience as a classroom assistant and volunteered at her daughter’s Montessori school in Arlington, Texas. More recently, she has worked at WMS as an assistant in the Toddler classroom. Chun-Yi enjoys piano, current events and watercolor painting. Her passions are cooking and her children.
Tara Cox, Teacher, Maple Class
Woodinville West – Early Childhood
Tara Cox started her work with children at WMS in Club House and summer camp from 1996 through 1999, when she graduated from Woodinville High School. She has also worked as a preschool and toddler teacher, and assistant director at a childcare facility. Tara received her associate’s degree in early childhood education from Lake Washington Technical College, and her AMS certificate through MEIPN. Recently she became a mother to a wonderful baby boy. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her son at parks and enjoying the outdoors as much as possible.
Candy Gage, Assistant, Oak Class
Woodinville West – Early Childhood
Candy is a wife of over 30 years, a mother, a sister and a grandma to precious Caleb. Candy has worked in the Special-Ed field for 15 years and finds great joy in helping children realize all that they are capable of. Gardening is also a passion of Candy’s, and you can find her out in nature rain or shine.
Carol Harshaw, Teacher, Pine Class
North Creek – Early Childhood
Carol is from the Gig Harbor area originally, and has made her home in Lynnwood with her husband and her daughter. She comes to us with several years teaching experience at Eton School and most recently Harbour Pointe Montessori School, in Mukilteo. Carol looks forward to being an integral part of the WMS team of Early Childhood teachers, and she is looking forward to having her daughter Emma in our new Toddler Program.
Miki Heye, Teacher, Douglas Fir Class
North Creek – Early Childhood
Miki began her relationship with WMS in the summer of 1993 when she met Mary Schneider during Montessori training at Seattle University. She was living in Texas, where she worked at the Selwyn school in Denton, first as school librarian and then as a lead teacher in an Early Childhood classroom. In 1995 she moved to Washington where she began work at WMS. Miki attended the University of North Texas and has lived in many states including New York, Connecticut, Florida, Virginia and Hawaii. She enjoys gardening, bicycling, and spending time with her family. She has two sons, Eric who recently graduated from UW, and Andy who is currently attending school there. She is also the proud grandmother to wonderful Audrey who is 2 years old.
Janis Hummel, Teacher, Oak Class
Woodinville West – Early Childhood
Janis was born and raised in Alaska where she graduated from the University of Alaska with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. In Alaska, she was a homemaker, and a partner in a commercial fishing venture and an Apple computer dealership. She was very involved in local school politics and activities, including serving as President of two Parent Teacher Associations and on the Alaska State PTA Board. She moved to Washington in 1991 and began teaching at Harbor Montessori School in Gig Harbor, where she continued for six years. She then taught for three years in Public Elementary Montessori programs. She completed The Spring Valley Montessori Primary training program as well as MEIPN Elementary I training.
Janis joined Woodinville Montessori staff in 2005. Besides teaching she enjoys almost any activity which takes her outdoors, including walking local trails, exploring our wonderful parks, hiking, boating and camping. Indoors she enjoys reading, knitting, sewing and cooking. She is “in constant awe of our wonderful planet and the interconnectedness of all living things,” and strives to “bring this sense of wonder into the classroom through science exploration and cultural studies.”
Frances Ju, Assistant, Apple Class
Woodinville East – Early Childhood and Morning Club House
Frances grew up in Vietman, was adopted at the age of nine, and has been living in Washington ever since. Frances has enjoyed working with children since she began babysitting for neighbors in Junior High and High School, and also worked in the Just for Kids program at Top Foods. Frances attended Bellevue Community College for two years and is involved with community work through Habitat for Humanity.
Katherine Karvonen, Assistant, Douglas Fir Class
North Creek - Early Childhood and Morning Club House
Katherine was born in Washington and has lived here all her life. She worked as a Nanny for 16 years before enrolling in MEIPN's Early Childhood training course. She has also worked in a Montessori classroom as an assistant and personal aid. She obtained her Montessori Certification for Early Childhood in 2011. In her spare time, Katherine loves getting outdoors for hiking and camping, and spending time with family and friends.
Michele Maneri, Assistant, Maple Class
Woodinville West - Early Childhood and Morning Club House
Bio coming soon
Kari Rohr, Assistant, Pine Class
North Creek - Early Childhood
Kari Rohr has spent many years instructing a variety of Child Care/Teaching Programs and has extensive experience teaching Preschool and early childhood Gymnastics. She enjoys watching children grow and change, encouraging them to be independent thinkers, to make choices and discover more about their world. She believes that preschool is a child's first introduction to formal education, her job as a teacher is to provide a warm environment where children can explore, experiment, create, and learn through developmentally appropriate hands-on experiences. Kari is currently going to school to get her bachelors degree in Buddhism.
Leanna Rose, Assistant, Elm Class
Woodinville East - Early Childhood
Leanna recently moved to Washington from Alaska and has a background in Zoology and Elementary Education. This is her second year as a Montessori Teacher's Assistant and her first year at WMS. Leanna has 3 children who are attending WMS this year in Early Childhood, Elementary and Junior High. When she is not "being a mom", she enjoys reading, traveling and playing the piano.
Jody Sagawa, Teacher, Apple Class
Woodinville East – Early Childhood
Jody was born and raised in Hawaii, and graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a BBA degree in Management Information Systems. She worked as a computer programmer for over 10 years and took two years off to spend time with her children. Her own children had gone to a Montessori preschool, and she decided to pursue her interest by completing the MEIPN certification program in June 2006. Before coming to WMS as an intern in 2005-06, she worked one school year as a teacher’s assistant at Montessori Children’s House in Redmond. Her daughter Janelle currently attends UW and her son Wesley attends Kettering University in Flint, MI.
Elementary Staff
(Alphabetical by last name)
Laura Ascolese, Teacher, Juniper Class
North Creek – Lower Elementary
Laura graduated from the University of Delaware in 2000 with a major in elementary education and a minor in Spanish. Originally from New Jersey, she moved to Seattle to volunteer for one year with an AmeriCorps program. Soon after, she discovered Montessori education and completed the AMS teaching certification program. Laura joined Woodinville Montessori in 2001. She has taken the upper elementary Montessori math training and will complete a masters in education through Plymouth State University this winter. Laura's hobbies include biking, sewing, reading, writing and spending time with family and friends.
Laura Bowen-Pope, Intern, Madrona Class
North Creek - Lower Elementary
Laura holds a Bachelor’s degree in French Studies and English Literature from the University of Washington, and had planned to return to UW for a Masters in Teaching. However, after having spent the second half of last year as an assistant in the two Upper Elementary classrooms, she fell in the love with the Montessori philosophy and the culture at WMS, and decided to pursue her Montessori credentials through MEIPN. Laura has worked with children in various capacities for over ten years, as a tutor, mentor, camp counselor, and teaching assistant. She has a passion for traveling, and loves to share her enthusiasm for discovering new places and cultures with others. She also enjoys reading, soccer, hiking, and spending time with her friends, family, and her wildly energetic beagle, Zoë.
LeeAnn Brown, Teacher, Spruce Class
North Creek – Lower Elementary
LeeAnn, a native Floridian, moved to Woodinville in 2005. She received a BS in English Education from Florida State University in 1993 and taught Freshman English at the same central Florida high school from which she graduated. In 2002, she began working at the Florida Department of Education in Tallahassee, FL as a Program Specialist in the Office of Assessment and School Performance. In 2005, her husband Phyl accepted a position with Coca Cola North America, and together they moved with their family across the country to the great Pacific Northwest. LeeAnn joined WMS in February of 2006 and in November 2007 she took on the role of Director of Admissions. With the 2009-10 school year, LeeAnn joined the faculty as a co-teacher in the Spruce classroom. Her son, Hayden, has been at WMS since the age of 3 and with the start of the 2011-12 school year, he will be a third year in the newly opened Juniper classroom. In March 2010, LeeAnn and her family welcomed a new addition, Hayley Addison, and are excited to see her begin the toddler program in Fig class this year.
Christina Clements, Assistant, Lower El
North Creek - Lower Elementary and Afternoon Club House Supervisor
Christina earned a BA from Woodbury University in Los Angeles in 1961. Since then, she has earned credits in Cultural Anthropology, Art History and Graphic Arts. Christina was born in Indonesia, lived in Australia and The Netherlands. She has also called Hawaii and California her home before moving to Washington. She worked as a hospice volunteer and caregiver for developmentally disabled adults, and has traveled worldwide to work with wildlife conservation experts. She has 14 years experience in organic farming, and raised horses on her farm in Bellingham before moving to the Seattle area, where she has a daughter and two grandchildren; all three attended Montessori schools in their early years.
Amy Fujimoto, Teacher, Willow Class
North Creek – Lower Elementary
Amy moved to Seattle in 1988 to attend the University of Washington. She graduated with a B.A. in English in 1992 and has been involved in Montessori since that time. She spent two years as a preschool assistant, completed Montessori Early Childhood training in 1995 teaching for five years at that level. She completed her Elementary I training in 2000. Amy is also a teacher trainer for MEIPN. Amy presented at the AMS Annual conference in 2005 on the topic of Key Experiences for the Six Traits of Writing. Amy loves outdoor activities, primarily camping and rock climbing. Her family, husband David and son Hayden, share her passion for the outdoors.
Robin Held, Intern, Juniper Class
North Creek – Lower Elementary
Robin graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science and Psychology. Since then, her career and passion have been working with children and their families. Upon receiving her degree, Robin spent two years as a research assistant studying early childhood development, focusing on children’s problem solving skills. After taking some time to stay at home with her young children, she worked for two years as a preschool teacher before joining WMS in 2008. She hold AMS Montessori Early Childhood credentials and is in the process of completing Lower Elementary certification. Robin loves spending time with her family, reading, doing art projects, and traveling with her husband and children.
Teresa Lee, Teacher, Cypress Class
North Creek - Upper Elementary
Teresa has been working with children in Montessori education since 1978. She began her teaching career in Seattle and has taught in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Maryland, and Hawai’i. Teresa holds Montessori teaching certificates in Primary and Elementary education, a Masters degree in special education from American University in Washington D.C., and a Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from the Northwest School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Seattle. Among many varied interests and hobbies, she enjoys reading, gardening, hiking and skiing. As a teacher in upper elementary, Teresa seeks to make learning challenging, inviting, rigorous and stimulating. To achieve this goal, she works first to install in students a sense of confidence in learning, and secondly, to provide her students with the tools they need to succeed as tolerant and independent members of the global community. Teresa has been with Woodinville Montessori School since 2008.
Patricia Martens, Intern, Upper Elementary
North Creek - Upper Elementary
Patricia is excited to be part of the WMS family again! She worked as an upper elementary assistant before moving to Cincinatti with her husband for a job relocation in 2009 but they are both happy to return to the Pacific Northwest. Patricia began her MEIPN training for Lower Elementary and will begin Upper Elementary training next summer. She is also completing her Washington state teaching licensure. Her degree in Interdisciplinary Studies for grades K-8 from Western Governors University will be completed along with her state licensing. During her free time, Patricia enjoys traveling, cooking and spending time with her family.
Tammy Oesting, Teacher, Cedar Class
North Creek - Upper Elementary
Tammy has her Bachelor of Science degree in English and Sculpture; her AMS Montessori Early Childhood Credential and completed her AMS Elementary I and II training at MEIPN. She has taught at the Early Childhood level since 1995 in various schools in Seattle, and comes to WMS from Montessori Children’s House in Redmond where she taught and spent the past 5 years as the Director of Education, Early Childhood Program Head and Rhythm Specialist. Tammy's philosophy of education is to create optimal learning environments that nurture each student's potential. Her passions and professional interests in geography, life and earth sciences, cultural relevancy and school leadership provide a dynamic and challenging education for her students. She is a faculty member of the Montessori Education Institute of the Pacific NW and has extensive experience presenting workshops for teachers locally and nationally. Tammy lives in Redmond with her husband Aaron and daughter Mali and she enjoys skiing, traveling, hand-drumming and a variety of artistic endeavors.
Sunita Pailoor, Teacher, Cedar Class
North Creek - Upper Elementary
Sunita grew up in India, and obtained her BA in Psychology, Economics and English Literature. She was working on her Master’s in Literature when she met and married Rama, her husband of 20 years. She came to the US and took technical writing and editing courses at San Jose State University, got a post baccalaureate in Economics and General Studies, and then stayed home to raise her two sons. Sunita has worked as a counselor, as a bank employee, and a graphics designer before becoming a teacher. She completed her Montessori Elementary I and II training through MEIPN and has taught in our Lower El, Upper El and Junior High. She is currently working on her Masters in Education from Plymouth State University. Sunita's two sons are both WMS alums (Junior High Class of 2007 and 2010). Sunita’s hobbies are reading, knitting when possible, and continuing to learn new things.
Gracey Sessoms, Teacher, Madrona Class
North Creek - Lower Elementary
Gracey graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and print making. For the last two years she worked with Early Childhood students at Tuckahoe Montessori School in Richmond, VA. She has also worked with grades 1-3 as an Americorp Team Leader at a public school in VA. Gracey completed her Montessori training through MEIPN this past summer. She enjoys traveling, snowboarding, reading, drawing, painting and buying/making jewelry. Gracey also really enjoys live music and crafts fairs.
Lindsey Spadoni, Assistant, Upper Elementary
North Creek - Upper Elementary and Afternoon Club House
Lindsey Spadoni began her education at a montessori preschool in Gig Harbor, WA and finished with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and Asian studies from the University of Puget Sound. She has traveled to eighteen countries and lived in both Italy and Thailand, but she has always considered the Pacific NW home. She began working in children's education as a sophomore in college at the Tacoma Art Museum, and went on to work at the Boys and Girls Club and as a private academic tutor for underprivileged students. She has also worked for a local honey farm, an independent bookstore, and as a web content writer. She enjoys reading, writing, gardening, cooking, crafts, dancing, snowboarding, fire arts, music festivals and outdoor adventures. She is currently applying to master's degree programs in teacher's education.
Alexa Plunkett Triboulet, Teacher, Spruce Class
North Creek - Lower Elementary
Alexa was born and raised in north Texas and studied anthropology at Rice University in Houston. After graduation, she moved to Niigata City, Japan to help teach students and teachers English. After two years with the JET Program in Japan, she earned her master’s degree in elementary education from Washington University in St. Louis and started work in early primary and elementary classrooms. She completed Montessori training at Seacoast Center and worked in a public Montessori school in Massachusetts before joining WMS in 2007. Her hobbies are fencing, hiking, painting, traveling, and visiting libraries and museums.
Laura Webb, Intern, Willow Class
North Creek - Lower Elementary
Laura earned a bachelor's degree in English at Boston University. Her love of books led to a career in publishing as an editor of college textbooks. She continues to work freelance projects as time allows. Laura learned about Montessori when her younger siblings attend Montessori school and she chose the same school when her daughter was a toddler. Her daughter has stayed in Montessori schools and joined Laura at WMS this year. Laura was an active parent volunteer and a board member at her daughter's previous school and was invited by the Head of School to teach. Laura started at the Early Childhood level and then moved to Upper Elementary. Laura and her family moved to the Pacific Northwest last summer and is happy to be part of the vibrant WMS community and is glad to have found a way back to Montessori. She started MEIPN training this summer. She is excited to work with the children and sees her role as guiding each child through the Montessori curriculum to meet his or her own potential and to instill a lifelong love of learning. In her free time, Laura enjoys reading, music and exploring the incredible outdoors with her husband and daughter.
Liz Wimmer, Teacher, Cypress Class
North Creek - Upper Elementary
Liz is one of our “home grown” teachers. In 2001 she started as a volunteer room parent for two years in the preschool building, and then began to work on her AMS Early Childhood Montessori training. During this period, she was classroom assistant and intern. After working as head teacher in the Elm classroom (Early Childhood) for three years, Liz began her Montessori Lower Elementary training and then began to work as co-teacher in the Willow class (Lower Elementary). Her son and daughter attended WMS through elementary school. Liz has an undergraduate degree in English and computer applications from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Michigan. She worked in journalism for seven years as a writer for newspapers and magazines. She enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and other human-powered recreation, including biking and kayaking.
Junior High Staff
Clay Blankenship, Art Instructor
North Creek - Junior High
Bio coming soon.
Eileen Breseman, Orienteering Instructor
North Creek – Junior High
Eileen has participated in orienteering for 25 years and she is a US Orienteering Federation Certified Coach. She raced at elite level for the national team in '99 (Scotland) and '01 (Finland); has been a Jr Training camp coach for 5 years; a 9 time US Champion in her age division; orienteered in 19 countries & 31 states; has done numerous map making ventures; and is a parent of 3 WMS graduates since 1996.
Wendy Coulombe, Teacher, Ginkgo Class
North Creek – Junior High
Wendy has been sharing her love of mathematics with the students at WMS since 2006. Born and raised in New Jersey, Wendy graduated from Bucknell University with a BS in mathematics in 1984. She spent five years working for IBM as a systems engineer, and then moved to Raleigh, NC for graduate work. Wendy has a master’s degree in applied mathematics and a PhD in mathematics education from North Carolina State University. She taught calculus at the university, and worked in the university’s Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Education. Some of Wendy's research concerning the role of representations in school mathematics has been published in the 2001National Council of Teachers of Mathematics yearbook. Over the past ten years, Wendy has developed a special interest in helping students with various learning differences, including ADHD and autistic spectrum disorders. Wendy lives in Woodinville where she enjoys scrapbooking, gardening, and watching funny movies with her husband and their two children.
Kim Dorman, Teacher, Ginkgo Class
North Creek - Junior High
Kim graduated from Brigham Young University with a B.A. in Family Life Sciences. She started the after-school Drama program with Jeri Peart in 1991. Kim and her husband Rob have three children, all three are WMS alumni. She worked as a Positive Discipline facilitator, through the Seattle chapter of Adlerian Parenting from 1989-1993. Kim is a certified National Ski Patroller and volunteers every winter at Snoqualmie Pass. Kim has led the Jr. High Student Business program for three years and the Jr. High Drama program for the past six years. In her spare time she likes to snow ski, read, travel and continue her studies of the French language.
Alaine Owsley Davis, Teacher, Ginkgo Class
North Creek - Junior High
Alaine is beginning her seventh year as a junior high math and science teacher here at WMS, where she continues to love working with her co-teachers and students. She graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience, earned a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Washington, and holds a teaching certificate for secondary level instruction in math, science, physics, and biology. She will begin her Secondary I (middle school level) Montessori coursework next summer through the WMSTEP program in Connecticut. Alaine’s academic passions include genetics, evolutionary biology, sociobiology, and anything written by Oliver Sacks. She belongs to two book clubs, loves playing board games, and doodles when given half the chance. She loves brainteasers, optical illusions, homemade desserts, and the color purple. Alaine's sons attend WMS at the Upper Elementary and Junior High levels; she lives with her family in Kenmore.
Sharon Dunn, Teacher, Ginkgo Class
North Creek - Junior High
Sharon Elise Dunn, Middle School and 9th-grade instructor at Woodinville Montessori School, was a member of the WMS Upper Elementary teaching team for seven years, after joining the faculty in 1996. She has an AMS Secondary Credential, AMI certification for early childhood and elementary (6 – 12 years), a M.Ed. from Loyola College of Maryland and a Masters in Print Journalism from Boston University. Extensive professional development includes completion of a competitive fellowship program for teachers at the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (’04), presentations at AMS national conferences (’99, ’01, ’05) and a +NAMTA conference on technology (’99), training with the Puget Sound Writers’ Project (’97) and the Gates Foundation’s Teacher Leadership Project (’98), and university coursework. Sharon actively pursues professional development opportunities each year. For the Montessori Education Institute of the Pacific Northwest (MEIPN), she teaches cultural studies and language, including a writing program. Sharon is also a writing tutor. Her articles have appeared in Montessori Life, the Seattle Times’ Pacific Northwest Magazine and other periodicals. Passions include urban walking, reading, thoughtful conversations, global issues, history, and the work of visual artists and photographers - includuing, in the latter case, the work of her husband, George Ciardi. Sharon has an adult daughter who lives internationally, two adult stepdaughters, and is a long time resident of Seattle.
Specialists
Bryce Aktepy, Learning Support Associate
Bryce was raised in Northern Idaho and moved to Western Washington for college in 1997 where he studied Psychology and Sociology. While living in Bellingham, he began working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder; he received training and worked as an ABA therapist in early intervention programs. Bryce worked with the Bellingham School District as a Paraprofessional for 5 ½ years. In 2004 he relocated to Seattle and began working in a Therapeutic Family Care program supporting children in therapeutic foster homes. Bryce enjoys boating, sailing, fishing and mountain biking. He also loves spending time with his family on Coeur D’Alene Lake.
Victoria Jensen, Spanish Instructor
Upper Elementary and Junior High
Victoria taught Lower El at Woodinville Montessori from 1992 through 1996, and has now returned to teach Spanish. Vicky grew up in a bilingual household, and has a Masters’ in teaching from Seattle University. She completed her undergraduate degree in comparative literature at UW, and has Montessori certification. She is enthusiastic about sharing Spanish, “a beautiful language,” with her students.
Matilde Melendez, Spanish Instructor
Early Childhood and Lower Elementary
Matilde was born in Lima, Peru and moved to the Pacific Northwest 20 years ago. She has volunteered and worked with children in the classroom for 18 years at various schools along the Eastside. Her focus is in Childhood Education and she has been providing Spanish Education classes for over 7 years. Matilde joined the WMS family 3 years ago, and has made learning Spanish and different cultures enjoyable and rewarding for the children.
Carol Roorbach, Art Specialist
Carol has lived in the Pacific Northwest since 1992, after making her way across the country from her home state of Connecticut. She and her husband have two daughters, Rosalie and Isabella. Carol has a BS in Visual Arts from New England College, and two masters’ degrees, an MFA in Ceramic Art and a MS in Art Education from the New York State School of Ceramics at Alfred University in New York. Carol has distinguished herself by serving as Artist in Residence at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Colorado and by receiving a National Endowment for the Arts Residency Grant to work as an artist in residence at Archie Bray Foundation in Montana. She teaches at Monroe Montessori and at Woodinville Montessori. She has a studio at home and teaches art classes to children and adults.
Joseph Weisnewski, Music Specialist
Joseph Weisnewski is a veteran educator, lecturer and composer. As a certified Montessori teacher (NCME) with over 25 years of experience, Joseph has successfully inspired children with a love and appreciation of music. His teaching is founded on the belief that learning should be fun and that every child is musical. Joseph majored in music at Palomar College in San Marcos, California, and at San Francisco State. He began his career as an intern teacher at Montessori School House in San Diego. He then spent a year developing what would later become his music program. He was subsequently the Managing Director of three Tom Thumb Montessori campuses in Boise, the Founder and President of the Boise School of Music, and of Mayfly Music in Bellevue, Washington. He teaches at Montessori school across the Puget Sound area.
Club House - Woodinville Campus
Debbie Hines, Afternoon Club House
Debbie was born in South Carolina, attended high school in the Panama Canal and college in Santa Barbara, California. She moved to Washington State in 1970 where she met her husband Bill. They have two children, Mark 32, and Hilary, who is 29. Debbie met Sheri Nick and Mary Schneider in 1981 at Cornerstone Montessori in Seattle where her children attended school. She followed the not uncommon path of many mothers who decide to take Montessori training after seeing what it does for their children. She received her Early Childhood Certificate from the AMS training course at Seattle University. In 1986, when the first preschool building was erected at WMS, Debbie was invited to work here. She commuted all the way from the south end of Seattle for many years before finally making the move to Woodinville. Debbie enjoys reading, travel and spending time with her family. Debbie’s daughter-in-law Yumi also works at the school.
Frances Ju, Morning Club House
See bio under “Early Childhood Staff.”
Michele Maneri, Morning Club House
See bio under "Early Childhood Staff."
Kathleen Salter, Afternoon Club House
Bio coming soon.
Club House - North Creek Campus
Joyce Anderson, Afternoon Club House
Joyce joined WMS in the spring of 2006 after moving to our area from Iowa. She has a BA in English from Minnesota State. She later added coursework in philosophy, chemistry and physics. She worked as an instructor and case manager in social services for over ten years. She also worked with kids at Head Start, Boys and Girls Clubs and as a Teacher’s Assistant in public schools. Given the opportunity, she likes to swim, read, travel, hike and explore new areas.
Christina Clements, Afternoon Club House
See bio under “Elementary Staff.”
Jillian Dickson, Morning Club House
See bio under "Administration"
Zdenka Kaczynski, Afternoon Club House
Zdenka is originally from Czechoslovakia and graduated from nursing school in 1969. She moved here with her husband and son in 1976, and her daughter was born in 1980. Zdenka enjoys time with her family and doing charity work.
Katherine Karvonen, Morning Club House
See bio under “Early Childhood Staff.”
Starina Libonati, Morning Club House
Starina joined our Club House staff in North Creek in September 2011. In Hawaii she worked for Habitat for Humanity and Allii’s Hale in food, shelter and emergency services. She has also worked with special needs children and adults in Arizona and Colorado. Glad to be back home in Kirkland, she is currently going to school for an Associates Degree in Logics and Buddhism.
Lindsey Spadoni, Morning & Afternoon Club House
See bio under “Elementary Staff.”
Biographical information was provided by individual staff members.