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

Finance and Administration

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 Communications

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

Montessori Guide, Acorn Classroom

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!”

Libby

Montessori Guide, Acorn Classroom

Sarah

Montessori Guide, Ginkgo Classroom

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.”

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.

Erin

Montessori Guide, Willow Classroom

Erin Richards is the dedicated Willow Guide at St. Croix Montessori School, bringing her passion for Montessori education and child-centered learning to our community. With a warm, attentive approach, Erin supports each child's unique journey, fostering independence and curiosity in a nurturing environment. Her experience and commitment to Montessori principles enrich the Willow Classroom, creating a space where students feel empowered and engaged every day. Erin is thrilled to be part of the SCMS team and looks forward to building meaningful connections with students and families alike.

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”.

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.

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.