Laura was born and raised in Utah and also lived in Colorado for eight years. She discovered the amazing Montessori method of education in 2006 when her two children attended a Montessori school. During this period, she witnessed the growth and independence of her children, and after reading the Montessori Method by Dr. Montessori, she decided to take training through the Institute for Guided Studies.

Laura has worked in Montessori classroom environments since 2006, from toddler through high school. She has Montessori certifications in Lower Elementary (6-9) and Early Childhood Level (3-6) from the Institute for Guided Studies. She enjoys aspects of both but loves the Early Childhood level for its variety of materials and the discoveries children find in learning to read for the first time, exploring the sciences, and becoming increasingly independent.

Laura later became an Adult Instructor for the EC level with IGS and loved working with adult learners. Laura holds a Bachelors in Education from Thomas Edison College and a Masters in Education from Westminster College. Laura is thrilled to be a part of the amazing community at Foothill Montessori. Laura and her husband, Ritchie, live in Roy and are empty nesters. They have three grown children and love being grandparents. Laura enjoys traveling, e-biking, walks, and musical productions and enjoys diving into new books!

In the spring of 2024, Noah graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies. In the past, their experience with children has involved teaching swimming, gymnastics, and nannying. Being in a school environment has been a dream of theirs. Noah hopes to support the school and staff in any way and provide a unique learning experience. A little known fact about Noah is that their father is in the military and so got moved around the country a lot as a child.

Meg was raised in Utah County. She completed two years at Brigham Young University before joining Foothill Montessori of Salt Lake in January 2023. Meg is excited to be working on her Early Childhood Certification through the Center for Guided Montessori Studies and expects to receive her certificate in the summer of 2025.

At home, Meg enjoys spending her time with her husband and their young daughter. When she finds the time, she loves to create by illustrating or carving custom linocut prints.

Karey Smith was born in Lehi and is the oldest of five girls. She was an “Army Brat” and traveled all over until her family settled in New Jersey. She lived in England for a while and then returned to the U.S. to complete her Montessori Infant and Toddler training in Princeton, New Jersey. She then moved to Utah for her Early Childhood Education Montessori training. She has been working in Montessori since the age of 16! She loves to read, listen to music, watch movies, cross-stitch, and spend time with her family. Little known fact about Karey: her sisters are all named with K’s: Krissy, Krisha, Kendra, and Kimberly. Her mom’s name is Karen. Her dad’s name: Bob!! She has been a certified Montessori Guide in Early Childhood for over 27 years and has been at Foothill Montessori since 1997.

Ms. Kendalyn was born and raised in Utah, surrounded by the Montessori philosophy from an early age. Having grown up with this unique approach to education, she developed a deep appreciation for its emphasis on independence, curiosity, and hands-on learning. The Montessori method has always inspired her and continues to shape her educational journey and approach in the classroom. Currently, she is interning and working towards receiving her Montessori credentials through the Center for Guided Montessori Studies (CGMS), further deepening her expertise and commitment to the Montessori way.

Cinthya Barajas was born in Baja, Mexico. She worked as an ESL teacher at a private school for 6 years, in which she taught students from 1st through 6th grade. While teaching, she attended the University of Baja, where she obtained her degree for teaching English in elementary schools. She moved to Salt Lake City in February 2001 and continued her education at Salt Lake Community College for an introduction to Utah schools. She joined the FMSL staff in 2007 and received her Early Childhood Montessori credential through the North American Montessori Center (NAMC). She really enjoys being part of children’s educational development, which is extremely rewarding. She truly believes that learning should be fun and a memorable experience, and therefore activities, songs, and manipulative materials should be used to reinforce and develop the children’s learning capabilities. In her spare time, she enjoys going to the movies, plays, music, and spending time with great friends.