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Elise Winther

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Specialty Staff, Staff Bios.

Elise Angeline was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she found her passion for dance music and self-expression from a young age naturally and continued in two decades of professional dance training into her adulthood.

Elise explored many different career opportunities, from motherhood to business management to human resources, and serendipitously she found her way into teaching a few years ago.
Elise is now in her third year at Foothill Montessori of Salt Lake and has enjoyed so much of guiding young curious minds.

In her free time, Elise enjoys collecting new hobbies. She loves finding new activities that inspire movement, music, creativity, and nature. Elise enjoys roller skating, rock climbing, dancing, life music, hiking, kayaking, and just enjoying life. She is an avid reader and writer who has been working on her first young adult novel this year.

Elise is excited to continue to play, learn, and grow with the students of FMSL.

Karey Smith

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Early Childhood Staff, Staff Bios.

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.

Maya Brewer

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Admin Staff, Staff Bios.

Maya Brewer was born and raised here in Utah. She has been in the accounting field for over 15 years and earned her BS in Accounting from the University of Utah. She has two cats that she loves to share photos of. She enjoys spending time with friends and family and traveling.

Kendalyn Mathews

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Early Childhood Staff, Staff Bios.

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.

Catherine Mathews

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Admin Staff, Staff Bios.

Catherine Mathews was born in and has spent most of her life in Utah. She was introduced to Montessori philosophy when her children were young and fell in love with its beautiful education for life. Cathie has been involved in Montessori environments since 2002. She received her Early Childhood Certification through the Institute of Guided Studies and joined the FMSL staff in 2017. Cathie has taught in Early Childhood and Early Elementary Montessori environments and has enjoyed both. In June of 2023, Catherine began her Montessori Leadership certification and was named the Head of School. She has felt just as much love and passion in supporting adults as she has always experienced with children. In July of 2024 Catherine & her husband Brian, along with Doug & Teresa Reed, purchased FMSL. They are so happy to watch as FMSL becomes a vibrant school once again. Cathie’s greatest love is her family. Together, she and her husband, Brian, are the parents of 2 girls and 4 boys, plus one bonus daughter. She feels the best gig in her life is that of being a grandparent!

Brooklyn Roush

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Staff Bios, Toddler Staff.

Brooklyn was born and raised in Utah. She is a Montessori enthusiast who believes that the best classrooms are the ones where curiosity rules, peace thrives, and concentration is protected. After graduating from a Montessori-inspired charter high school, Brooklyn developed a deep appreciation for Montessori from a family member and fell in love with the method. In 2021, she dove headfirst into a training course with the Center for Guided Montessori Studies (CGMS) and is currently completing her certification to be a Montessori Infant and Toddler Guide, ready to help the littlest learners become big thinkers. When Brooklyn isn’t in the classroom, she’s likely reading a book, enjoying a lake day, winning at Mario Kart, or spending time with family and friends. Brooklyn is always looking to expand her knowledge and go on adventures — both in life and in learning.

Bonnie Bracken

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Elementary Staff, Staff Bios.

Bonnie Bracken is a lifelong resident of Salt Lake City, Utah. With over three decades of experience in the Montessori community, she began her journey as an Extended Day guide while pursuing her university degree. This early exposure ignited her passion for children and the Montessori Method. Bonnie has taught in both Early Childhood and Upper Elementary classrooms, but she finds the Lower Elementary age group particularly rewarding.

Through her dedication to Montessori education, Bonnie has completed coursework at the Montessori World Education Institute, the Utah Montessori Teachers Education Program, and most recently, the Institute for Montessori Innovation at Westminster College. In addition to her classroom teaching role, she has also served as a teacher intern grader and tester.

When she’s not immersed in the world of Montessori, Bonnie enjoys indulging in movie nights (for the popcorn), exploring the Oregon coast, spending quality time with family, and embarking on fishing and camping adventures with her husband, Jason, and their beloved dog, Archer.

Alejandro Malespin

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Staff Bios, Support Staff.

Alejandro is originally from Rye, New York, and spent most of his childhood there. After graduating from Rye High School, he attended Colby College in 2016, where he majored in Spanish and minored in Computer Science. In his junior year at Colby, Alejandro showed off his passion for interactive art by leading the development of a digital art exhibit that was displayed to the public on campus. After graduating from Colby in 2021, he followed his family to Utah, where they grew a love for the mountains and the outdoors. Alejandro’s interests include snowboarding, cooking, animation, and video game development. He joined Foothill Montessori of Salt Lake in the summer of 2022 and is excited to work in such a welcoming environment with an amazing team of people. A little known fact about Alejandro is that his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all share the same first name.

Wynde Klauer

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Staff Bios, Support Staff.

Wynde brings a wealth of experience and training to our community. She has a Masters in Education and a Reading Endorsement from Westminster College. She spent 8 years working in an early childhood Montessori classroom and 24 years teaching 1st grade for the SLC school district. Most recently, since her retirement, she has been a much sought after substitute at FMSL.

Wynde will focus on working with lower elementary students through December 2022. She will collaborate closely with the elementary teachers to provide supplemental reading instruction to students in their classrooms that would benefit from this targeted practice. In January 2023, she will turn her attention to 3rd years in the early childhood program.

Wynde’s own words, “I am excited to help students gain more skills, confidence, and pleasure with their own reading experience.”

Tori Snarr

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Specialty Staff, Staff Bios.

Originally from Phoenix, AZ, Tori has always believed in the transformative power of art. After earning her bachelor’s degree in Art History in 2016, she was drawn to the non-profit arts sector. She worked as a program coordinator for an organization that provides free arts programs to youth who have experienced trauma. This experience inspired her to pursue an educator certification in K-12 Arts Education. She gained experience as an art teacher in a public K-8 elementary school prior to relocating to Salt Lake City in 2022 and joining the FMSL faculty.

Tori is passionate about creating an art studio where students have the creative agency to discover and express their own ideas. She believes wholeheartedly in the power of choice in the art studio, working alongside young artists as they develop a learner-directed curriculum that centers their authentic interests. Outside of teaching, she loves creating with clay, traveling, cooking (and eating!), reading, being in nature, and spending time with her partner and their dog.