Our End of Year Celebration will take place on June 6th, 2023, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.
It will take place on the Green Space, so feel free to bring a lawn chair or blanket. There will also be a Magic Show at 6:30pm, and also face painting, carnival games, and treats.
Maddy was born and raised in Cedar City, Utah. She graduated from Cedar High School in May of 2020 and moved to Salt Lake City in the fall of 2020 to attend the University of Utah. She has worked several different childcare/teaching jobs for various ages. She is majoring in Human Development, minoring in psychology, and getting a certificate in applied positive psychology and is expected to graduate in the spring of 2024.
Marina has always loved children, and has previously worked in after school programs, as a nanny, and most recently as the lead preschool teacher at a local daycare. Marina developed their interest in Montessori while pregnant, and has been enthralled with it ever since, implementing it both with their own child and the students that they teach. They are tremendously excited to have the opportunity to teach at a Montessori school and grow their own skills in this unique style of education.
Oscar moved his family to the US in 2018 seeking a better education and life for his daughter. She is currently at the Utah Military Academy in Riverdale training to be a pilot for the United States. Oscar worked for the Peruvian Air Force for 30 years starting at age 17. He started with 4 years of boarding school to work on aircraft instruments for 12 years. Then, he worked in Human Resources for 14 years. Besides his family, Oscar is interested in soccer, music, and painting.
Meg was born and raised in Utah County. She completed two years at Brigham Young University (2020-2022) before joining the staff at Montessori Community School. Meg has been enthralled with the Montessori Method since she was first exposed to it in 2020, and is unable to set aside her fascination. She looks forward to developing her abilities in a Montessori setting and working alongside the passionate staff at MCS. In her free time, Meg enjoys making art and playing card games with her husband.
Our daughters’ have made very close friends and have remained close over the years. From the perspective of a parent, the teacher community is very tight knit, and there has not been much turnover in the past.
MCS has been a central part of our family for over 13 years. What started out as a solution for daycare has turned into a beautiful community that has helped me raise four children with the assistance of Montessori methodology. The school has been a rock for us through difficult family times and throughout turns in the economy and the pandemic. They have made an effort to know my family and our specific needs and truly be a partner in providing whatever they can for our situation.
Elise was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has always had a passion for her creative expression through dance, art, music, and writing. Elise has a vast array of interests because she enjoys learning new skills often! She has a 9 year old son named Elliot who is her little partner in crime through their outdoor adventures together. Elise comes to Montessori in a support teaching role, and is very excited to grow with the community.
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!!
Administrators from Utah Montessori Council member schools around our state gather each Fall for a weekend of activities and conversations that strengthen our connections, our craft and our souls.
Vernal
This year we traveled to Brandi’s hometown for Valor in Vernal! Brandi facilitated the opening ceremony at her family’s yurt. She held space for us to begin our work for the weekend- a deep dive into the concept of valor. The Mirriam-Webster dictionary defines valor as, “strength of mind or spirit to encounter danger with firmness.”
Brandi’s yurt
Amiee Di Brienza presented our keynote where we explored valor in our schools and our careers.
Petroglyphs
We hiked and explored Dinosaur National Monument. A highlight of our time was the opportunity to meet with and learn from a National Park ranger. Ranger Mason Runs-Through patiently answered our endless questions about paleontology and archeology in this special place.
Ranger Mason Runs Through @Dinosaur National Monument
At the closing ceremony, Emily Squadroni deftly closed the circle on our conversation while providing us with work for our hands as we processed all that we had explored.
Hey fourth graders you can get a FREE pass valid for the duration of your 4th grade school year (September-August). Visit https://www.everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm to learn more.
We all left the retreat with renewed trust in our network of colleagues and empowered to lead with valor.
