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Author: Alejandro Malespin

Allison Morris

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

Allison Morris was born and raised in Bountiful, Utah. She was introduced to the Montessori philosophy when her mother started teaching in Early Childhood when Allison was about 10 years old. Allison brings a deep passion for Early Childhood education and a strong belief in the Montessori philosophy to her classroom every day. She has intermittently participated in Montessori environments since the 1990s. With 8 years of experience working in the classroom with young children, she is dedicated to nurturing independence, curiosity, and a love of learning in each child.

She received her Early Childhood certification through the Institute of Guided Studies. She thoughtfully prepares the environment to encourage hands-on exploration, practical life skills, and peaceful social development.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Mrs. Allison enjoys camping with her family as much as possible. She loves to make many different projects, including sewing or crocheting. Last but not least, she loves to cook and bake a wide variety of things for her family.

Allison is committed to fostering a warm, respectful, and inclusive community where each child is seen, heard, and supported in their unique journey.

Floribeth Camento-Maryon

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

Floribeth Camento-Maryon was raised on a farm in Surigao del Sur, Philippines, where she learned the values of hard work and responsibility by helping care for her younger siblings and contributing to her family from an early age. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from St. Francis Xavier College and has hands-on experience as a preschool aide and nanny, including nine years working abroad.

In July 2024, Floribeth moved to Salt Lake City with her husband. She joined Foothill Montessori in September 2024 as a Support Guide in the Infant Room—a role she describes as her dream come true. Her deep love for working with young children has inspired her to pursue Montessori Infant/Toddler certification, which she will begin this summer.

Floribeth believes in nurturing the whole child through patience, respect, and consistency. She is passionate about creating a calm, loving environment where children feel secure to explore, grow, and thrive. Her long-term goal is to become a certified Montessori Lead Guide and continue supporting families during the most formative years of their children’s lives.

Outside of work, Floribeth enjoys crocheting, cross-stitching, cooking, and exploring the outdoors through hiking in Utah’s scenic landscapes. She is also passionate about music and loves to sing. A multilingual speaker, Floribeth speaks four languages, which helps her connect with children and families from diverse backgrounds.

Laura Kinmont

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

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!

Sydnie Baker

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

Sydnie grew up in both Nashville, Tennessee, and Oakland, Kentucky. A graduate of culinary school from UVU and former pastry chef, she continues to share her expertise through her work with a small catering company. Since bringing her son to Foothill Montessori of Salt Lake, Sydnie has been drawn to the welcoming environment and dedicated staff, inspiring her to jump in as a substitute and now toddler support guide. An interesting fact about her is she loves to travel and has been to the Bahamas, India, London, and Fiji.

Teresa Reed

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

Teresa was born and raised in the Sugarhouse area of Salt Lake City, and loves the nostalgia of coming home to the community she loves. She has spent most of her adult life raising her 6 children, and running the accounting and office procedures of several different businesses along the way. Teresa loves the outdoors, spending time with her family, reading good books, and spending all her money on her grandchildren.

Kara Rasumussen

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

Kara grew up in Sandy, Utah, playing outdoors whenever possible, no matter the weather. She follows a legacy of her mother Kristie Jensen and sister Annie Hays in her passion for Early Childhood education. Since the fall of 2020, she has worked in many classrooms at Montessori Community School while working on her degree at the University of Utah. In May of this year, she graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Studies—Food Systems and Community. She is thrilled to be joining Foothill Montessori of Salt Lake as an Extended Day Guide in the Stars class and an assistant in the Outdoor Classroom for the 2024-25 school year and hopes to inspire love for nature and growing food along the way.

Doug Reed

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

Doug’s introduction to Montessori was in preschool, where he attended the Gigerbarad House in North Salt Lake, UT, which was a Montessori school. Doug graduated with a degree in finance from the University of Utah and has spent most of his career starting or helping startup companies become financially stable and successful. In July of 2024, Doug and Teresa Reed, along with Catherine and Brian Mathews, purchased FMSL and are excited for the future. Doug has been married for 33 years to his sweet wife Teresa, and they have 6 children, 3 boys and 3 girls. They also have 3 grandkids, with another one due in October. His hobbies include doing anything with his kids or grandchildren.

Noah Gessel

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

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.

Adventure View

Another Successful Uinta Adventure

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

The Uinta class rounded out their studies and hard work with an amazing time on their trip to Fremont Indian State Park. Thank you for all the support throughout the year in helping them research, plan, prepare, and pay for this hands-on learning experience! 

Here’s what sixth year graduate, Verona, had to say about the experience:

“The adventure was so much fun! As a student, I feel like we were very involved with everything, from the shopping of the groceries to the actual raising of money. The Montessori Market was also a plus, with how you learn to manage a shop, and make products. The Adventure is also very hands on, so you help to cook, and you set up your own tent. It was awesome hanging out with my friends in nature, and exploring with them at the campsite. Hiking was great as well. But I’d recommend wearing more sunscreen than you think you need, wear your thermals at night, and enjoy every little bit of the trip!”

Please view a portion of their Adventure Activity Booklet here.