Our Staff

Valerie

Head of School

Valerie is St Croix Montessori’s Head of School. She has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and discovered her love for Montessori Education after college. She found Montessori Education was a perfect fit for how she believed children should experience learning, in an environment prepared specifically with them in mind. Valerie holds her AMI Primary diploma from the Training Center of Minnesota and has more than 20 years of classroom experience  She holds a certificate from Whole School Leadership thru Loyola University She enjoys working in partnership with SCMS families to convey her love of Montessori Education.

Kathy

Administrator

Kathy  is SCMS’s indispensable Administrator and has been with the school for 10 years. She enjoys working at SCMS because “children simply amaze me”. As the first person that people see when they walk into the school, Kathy is an expert at remembering people’s names, greeting them warmly, and fielding their questions about life’s quandaries.

Heidi

Marketing and Administration

Heidi joined our administrative team with a focus on marketing and communications. Heidi and her family have been a part of the SCMS community since 2018. She attended Mankato State University and received her bachelor’s degree in child development and a minor in Psychology. Additionally, Heidi is a certified pediatric sleep specialist, she works with families to resolve ongoing sleep issues from birth through adolescents.

Christine

Acorn Montessori Guide

Christine has worked at SCMS since 2007. She was inspired to teach Montessori because she attended Montessori school as a child and she “loves learning about it!” As well as a certificate in Montessori education, Christine earned a degree in Communicative Disorders. She enjoys working with students at SCMS because “every day is a chance for something new to happen. You come into work never knowing what you are going to hear or experience with the children...especially toddlers!”

Maya

Acorn Assistant

Libby

Acorn Float Assistant

Sarah

Ginkgo Montessori Guide

Sarah has worked at SCMS since 2014.  She has a Master’s of Education in Advanced Montessori Programming, a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science (minor in Nutrition),  holds an AMI Primary Diploma and an  AMI Infant Toddler Diploma. Sarah was inspired to teach Montessori because “I wanted to be a teacher but believed that if children grow at different rates, (I wondered) why they are forced to learn at the same rate. Montessori fell into my lap at this time and I dove in headfirst. Haven’t looked back since.” At SCMS, she appreciates “building one on one relationships with all of the students, and not just one age group.”

Amany

Ginkgo Assistant

Amany is a birth Doula with a love for all things related to pregnancy and birth. She is multi-lingual, fluent in both Portuguese and Arabic and also knows some sign language. Amany’s passion for Montessori sparked after she had her own children. She and her family moved to Minnesota from Colorado shortly before the pandemic. She embraced Montessori practices while her children were at home to support their distance learning experiences. She soaks up as much knowledge as she can through her role in the Ginkgo classroom.

Tori

Ginkgo Float Assistant

Bio coming soon.

Jen

Montessori Guide, Birch Classroom

Jen has worked as a Children’s House Guide at SCMS since 2009. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree  in Psychology  and an AMI Primary Certification from the Montessori Training Center of MN.  In addition, Jen is a trained Orton-Gillingham instructor.

Michelle

Birch Assistant

Michelle began her Montessori journey  as an Assistant Infant and Toddler Teacher. Michelle has been working with children for more than 20 years and has her Director’s Credential through NAEY.  This year, Michelle is  completing her Children's House  Teaching Diploma.  Additionally, Michelle is the amazing lead of our Elementary Summer Camp program.

Michell loves seeing the excitement, wonder and pride in children as they learn and grow in their environment. To observe the concentration in children as they work is amazing to her

Cathy

Birch Assistant

Cathy joined SCMS in 2017 as a ‘float’ assistant, allowing her to have experiences in all the classrooms of SCMS. She heads up the Outdoor Environment for the Children's House Classrooms.  In addition she is the extraordinary lead of our Primary Summer Camp program. She has a BS in Biology and a ‘Masters’ in life lessons and problem solving.

Prior to her work at St. Croix Montessori School, she ran an equestrian center, where she taught children and adults riding and horsemanship skills. “I find many similarities with SCMS in developing a child’s love of learning, in turn helping them acquire life skills, confidence and the ability to work with others.”

Shelly

Birch Float Assistant

Shelley has experience working with children of all ages.  She worked for both New Richmond and St. Paul School's in their before and after care programs.  She has a big love for animals and holds a Medical Assistant Diploma, a Veterinary Aid diploma as well as being a licensed Animal Groomer.  She has found that working at SCMS checks all of her boxes!

Molly

Montessori Guide, Willow Classroom

Molly has been a Children's House Guide with the school since 1993. She began her journey in Montessori education while pursuing a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She “realized that everything they said was best practice in teaching, we were doing in the Montessori and they weren't doing in conventional schools. I couldn't continue with the conventional path. I followed what soon became my passion.” Molly earned a Bachelor’s degree in French and her Montessori Primary certificate. At SCMS, she appreciates “seeing a child become engrossed in challenging work. The look of sheer joy on a small face as success is attained” and “the daily hugs.”

Jane

Willow Assistant

Jane holds a degree in Elementary Education.  Her prior experience as a Toddler Teacher has provided her with the many talents she brings to St. Croix Montessori School.  Jane enjoys learning as much as she can about the Montessori approach and to work with the great staff at SCMS. 

Allie

Willow Assistant

Allie holds a bachelors in Biology and a masters certificate in Environmental Education. Allie has been working with children for the past 4 years in outdoor settings at local nature centers. She is excited to be working in a Montessori school and to see the children grow in confidence and wonder throughout the year.

Anastasiya

Willow Float Assistant

Anastasiya is a certified teacher of Fine arts, additionally she holds a certificate as a Phlebotomy Technician.  Anastasiya has over 18 years of experience working with children.  She enjoys each child's unique character and sunny, smiling face.  She loves to learn all she can about Montessori Education.

Angela

Oak Montessori Guide

Angela is thrilled to be starting the Oak Room at St. Croix Montessori. She has been working with children since 2009, has been AMI Primary 3-6 trained since 2016, (one of the most challenging and most rewarding accomplishments of her life), and received her Montessori Master of Education in 2017. She was lucky and honored to complete one week of observation and three weeks of student teaching at St. Croix during her training. Angela has a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and journalism and has interned and worked in events and promotions for various radio stations in the Twin Cities. While working part-time as an aide at a Montessori School and part-time in radio, she had her “Aha” moment and realized her calling and passion to pursue working with children full-time and more in-depth, thus leading her down the path to Montessori training – and she has never looked back.

She stands by and tries to always embody one of her favorite Maria Montessori quotes: “Within the child lies the fate of the future”.

Erin

Oak Assistant

For more than a decade, Erin has provided instruction and guidance to students in diverse educational environments, spanning from children’s house to high school. Erin has an AMI Primary Diploma from the Montessori Center of Minnesota and holds multiple bachelor’s degrees in science, Humanities, and Education. Working with children is something she loves, particularly those bright spark moments when new concepts click and the joy that radiates on children's faces as they eagerly share their newly learned knowledge with others.

Mandie

Elementary Guide, Maple

Mandie grew up in the Twin Cities.  She holds a degree in  Elementary Education, and a certificate in Cultural Studies from UW-Milwaukee along with a graduate degree in Montessori Education from St. Catherine's University.

Mandie has worked in AMI Montessori Elementary Classrooms both in Milwaukee Public Schools and here at SCMS.

Montessori Education is her ultimate passion and she believes that every child deserves an education in which they can feel empowered to do what they want in our world.

Kristine

Maple Assistant

After assisting in our Toddler program for two years, Kristine moved into the Assistant role in the Maple classroom..  She has worked in Montessori classrooms for the past 9 years. Kristine started a Spanish language program at her previous Montessori school which is where she developed her love for Montessori education. Kristine holds a  degree in Modern Language-Spanish and Communicative Disorders 

Krystal

Elementary Guide, Cedar

Krystal is a Master Naturalist, certified interpretive guide, amateur mycologist, geologist and herbalist, wild food forager, musician, and has earned a Bachelor of Science Degree. She has studied French, Gaelic, and is an advanced Spanish speaker. After several years as a Park Naturalist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, she became AMI Montessori trained in 2017. These skills and passions now permeate classroom.

With three years of experience in lower elementary in Santa Fe, NM, and three years as an upper elementary guide in Madison, WI, she feels at home in the 6 to 12 environment at St. Croix Montessori School. Some of Krystal's favorite moments with the children are when she witnesses their discoveries. The personalities, humor, dedication, curious nature, reasoning minds, and challenges of the elementary learners brings her joy every day that she has the honor of working with them.

Anne

Cedar Assistant

Anne enjoys her role in the  Cedar classroom, as the assistant. She has also worked in the Toddler Community prior to joining the Cedar classroom. She holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and is very grateful for the wonderful experience that working with the Cedar children give her.