The role of the Montessori Guide is to observe each child and present individual lessons as the child is ready for them. Our Guides propose questions that promote learning, allowing students to be actively absorbed in activities they themselves have selected.

The Guide controls the environment, not the children. The child's effort and work is respected, and the Guide, through extensive observation and record keeping, plans individual projects and lessons to enable each child the opportunity to learn what she needs to in order to progress.  Assessments are not based on grades, high-stakes tests, or homework but, rather, by ongoing observation, compilation of portfolios or work, and by supporting mastery of concepts.

Our learning environments support a bilingual, inclusive, and equitable approach to Education.  Each classroom’s team includes at least one native Spanish speaking Assistant and an English speaking Lead Guide, however, many of our head faculty members are also fluent in Spanish.

Scientific observation then has established that education is not what the teacher gives; education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment.
— Dr. Maria Montessori

Faculty

Nido

Nadia Alvarez (bilingual)
Honeybee Nido Lead Guide

Luz Berly Chavez Lozano (bilingual)
Honeybee Nido Assistant Guide

Lucy Urueta (bilingual)
Honeybee Nido Assistant Guide

Toddler House

Kat Nieves (bilingual)
Hummingbird Toddler House Lead Guide

Dafne Hall (bilingual)
Hummingbird Toddler House Assistant Guide

Daisy Wilson (bilingual) Butterfly Toddler House Lead Guide

Rebeca Flores (bilingual)
Butterfly Toddler House Assistant Guide

Morgan Martin
Squirrel Toddler House Lead Guide

Andrea Centeno (bilingual)
Squirrel Toddler House Assistant Guide

Susan He (bilingual)
Toddler House Outdoor Environment Guide

Children’s House

Yadira Barnett (bilingual)
Jackrabbit Children’s House Lead Guide

Karen Soto (bilingual)
Jackrabbit Children’s House Assistant

Hany Paucarmayta Caceres (bilingual)
Bobcat Children’s House Lead Guide

Rocio Mendoza (bilingual)
Bobcat Children’s House Assistant

Rama Sidagam (bilingual)
Gray Fox Children’s House Lead Guide

Arianna Viloria (bilingual)
Gray Fox Children’s House Assistant

Joselyne Valdes (bilingual)
Cactus Wren Children’s House Lead Guide

Silvia Escobar (bilingual)
Cactus Wren Children’s House Assistant

Lower Elementary
Samantha Lantz
Coyote Lower Elementary Lead Guide

Maria Gonzalez (bilingual)
Coyote Lower Elementary Assistant

Rebeca Godfrey (bilingual)
Black Bear Lower Elementary Lead Guide

Carmen Hernandez(bilingual)
Black Bear Lower Elementary Assistant

Upper Elementary

Emily Wharton
Falcon Upper Elementary Lead Guide

Carla Hernandez (bilingual)
Falcon Upper Elementary Assistant

Lauren Mena
Roadrunner Upper Elementary Lead Guide

Juany Montero (bilingual)
Roadrunner Upper Elementary Assistant

Adolescent & High School Program

Jill Rovira
Head of School

Mariana Abelson (bilingual)
Farm Program Director

Ximena Camarena (bilingual)
Adolescent Guide & Program Coordinator

Ann Gay-Baradic
Language Arts Guide & Testing Coordinator

Wendy Lantis
STEM Guide

Prabha Andamuthu (bilingual)
Science Guide

Jennifer Snead
Mathematics Guide

Nan Marie Swapp
Humanities Guide & Farm Animal Coordinator

Cord Ivanyi
History Guide

Maiza Lombardo (bilingual)
Enrollment Coordinator & Economics Guide

Yami Salmon (bilingual)
Administrative Assistant & Spanish Guide

Rich Jacobs
Athletic Director

Support & Specialty Assistants

Kathya Bracamontes(bilingual)
Nido & Toddler House Support Assistant

Bri Olivarria
Nido & Toddler House Support Assistant

Jazmin Bautista (bilingual)
Children’s House Educational Support Assistant

Roxanne Gonzalez(bilingual)
Campus Educational Support Assistant

Catie Mathews
Elementary Educational Support Assistant

Dalia Quintero Ortiz (bilingual)
Elementary Educational Support Assistant

Tori Miller
Campus Educational Support Assistant

Brook Veltri
Literacy Specialist

Becca Sievert (bilingual)
Carpentry Specialist

Laura King
Campus Garden Specialist

Jason Fink
Art Specialist

Leadership and Administration

Jill Rovira
Head of School

Bonnie Shearer
Assistant Head of School, Elementary Program Director

Marcela Durlanich (bilingual)
Children’s House Program Director

Lindsey Nevarez (bilingual)
Finance Controller

Jamie Jacobs
Enrollment & Event Coordinator

Judith Bracamonte (bilingual)
Office Manager

Roseanna Madrid
Admin Assistant