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Our carefully prepared classrooms are staffed with highly qualified and specially trained staff. Each of our Lead Guides are certified Montessori Lead Guides either through the American Montessori Society (AMS)or Association Montessori International (AMI). All of our Lead Guides also maintain active memberships with the AMS, AMI, and the Michigan Montessori Society (MMS).
Primary StaffAmy Hirt - Oak Classroom Lead Guide
Amy began working at the Montessori School in 2015. In 2021, she began the American Montessori Institute training to become a certified Lead Guide. She also has an Associates of Arts degree from Kalamazoo Valley Community College and is looking to finish her Bachelors from Western Michigan University. She has always enjoyed working with children, and in the years she has been working here, the Montessori way of teaching really called to her! In her spare time she enjoys running, cooking, and traveling.
Helen Keusch - Oak Classroom Assistant GuideHelen is a University of Michigan alumn with a bachelor's in English Language and Literature and a minor in Political Science. She graduated from U of M's School of Education with in 2013 with teaching certification in secondary ed. After graduating, she taught English abroad and traveled throughout Asia and Europe. She loves teaching and connecting to young students through storytelling, imaginative play, and nature. As a voracious reader and life-long learner, she finds joy in writing, art, research, gardening, volunteering, hiking, kayaking, and spending time with her husband Sam and their big German Shepherd, Huck Finn.
Olivia Tironi - Oak Classroom Assistant Guide
Olivia joined the Montessori school in 2023. Prior to joining TMS, Olivia had experience working in family homes as a nanny. Over the years she has worked with children and learned to love watching children develop into their own little person. Olivia is excited to continue her education and future with The Montessori School!
Ashley Wheatley - Oak Classroom Assistant GuideAshley is a dedicated childcare professional from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Before transitioning into early childhood education, she began her career in healthcare. Over time, she discovered that her true passion was working with children and helping them learn, grow, and thrive. This calling led her to pursue roles in both daycare settings and nannying, where she continues to build meaningful connections with the families she serves. Outside of work, Ashley enjoys reading, exploring arts and crafts, and staying active. She recently added Pilates and yoga to her routine, finding balance and fulfillment in both practices. Driven, compassionate, and committed to lifelong learning, Ashley looks forward to continuing her journey in childcare and making a positive impact on every child she works with.
Alaine Miller - Cedar Lead Guide in Training
Alanie joined The Montessori School in the summer of 2024. She is currently in enrolled in the American Montessori Institute of training to become a certified Lead Guide. Alanie has also been working on getting her associates degree in Early Childhood Education. She has worked as a lead guide in a Montessori integrated environment with 3-5 year old children. She is looking forward to expanding her knowledge of the Montessori method and outdoor education. In her free time she likes to kayak and spend time with her cat Bo, who she fully toilet trained.
Ashley Dean Parenti - Cedar Classroom Assistant Guide
Originally from Chicagoland Area, Ashley graduated from Loyola University of Chicago with a BBA in Marketing. After moving to Columbus, OH she pursued her passion of working with children as a nanny in family homes. She loves to help children get more involved in nature and to care for all things in the environment. Ashley is excited for her seventh year in childcare and to continue her work at The Montessori School. In her spare time, she LOVES gardening and hopes to start a hobby farm in the near future.
Dennis Trump - Cedar Classroom Assistant Guide
Dennis (he/him) graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Early Childhood Education and has worked in early childhood care for about five years. Originally from Warsaw, Indiana, where he grew up with four siblings, he later moved to Kalamazoo for its welcoming and supportive community. Dennis enjoys Dungeons & Dragons, writing, illustrating, and reading, and he often spends weekends volunteering or practicing Korean and Spanish. With a strong focus on growth and creativity, Dennis is excited to connect with others and contribute to the community.
Grace Colwell - Cedar Classroom Assistant GuideGrace joined The Montessori School in 2025 and is excited to be part of a supportive Montessori community. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Western Michigan University and is passionate about children’s mental health and emotional development. Grace enjoys building meaningful connections with students and helping create a calm, caring classroom environment. Outside of work, she enjoys health and wellness, spending time outdoors, and relaxing with her fiancé Hayden and her cats, Maggie and Winnie.
Sierra O’Connell-Koon - Juniper Assistant Guide/Art Specialist
Sierra is a long time member of the TMS staff! She is from Grand Rapids and attended Kendall College of Art and Design, she graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography with a focus in Art History and a Minor in Graphic Design. She has two bonus children (Austin and Ainsley) and her son Brantley who attends the Primary Program. Sierra is very into photography, camping, fishing, gardening, kayaking, exploring, canning, foraging, and spending time with their animals: 2 dogs, 7 cats, and 56 chickens. In the summer you can find them at the lake enjoying the water and kayaking while ending the day with a family picnic. Growing up, nature was always the most important part of life and that doesn’t differ now. With a family background in conservation and countless hours of volunteer work with the Sierra Club, being at the Montessori and advocating for the environment is a perfect fit. She loves spending the day outdoors and helping children make a connection to the world they live in on a deeper level.
Elementary StaffAnne Wester - Lower Black Walnut Lead Guide
A Kalamazoo native, Anne graduated from Western Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She earned her masters in education from St. Catherine University (née- College of St. Catherine-Center for Contemporary Montessori Programs), and has an Elementary I and II certificate from the American Montessori Society. Anne taught at Northglade Montessori Magnet School from 1999-2010. She joined The Montessori School in 2016. Anne and her husband, Steve, have a daughter, Jane, who is a TMS alumna. The three of them enjoy an active lifestyle — camping, paddling, skiing, and biking. Anne continues to practice and learn more about the Leave No Trace principles.
Jocelyn Clark - Upper Black Walnut Lead Guide
Jocelyn has a Bachelor of Liberal Arts with a concentration in Sociology from Kalamazoo College. She started at the Montessori School in 1991 in a childcare position as a way to earn money while working on a Master’s degree in Criminology at Western Michigan University. She loved her work there so much that she changed directions educationally and earned a Michigan Teaching Certificate after re-entering Kalamazoo College. She attended the Washington Montessori Institute to earn her AMI Montessori Certification and Loyola University in Baltimore for her Master’s in Education. During her time at The Montessori School, she has had two children, volunteered for over 10 years with Girls on the Run and Annie’s Big Nature Lesson, begun ABAR education, been Montessori STEM certified, and continues to grow as a guide. She enjoys camping, reading, and, not so quiet trips, to the dog park.
Wyatt Gettys - Elementary Classroom Assistant Guide & Outdoor Wellness Educator
Carter Leslie - Elementary Classroom Assistant Guide
Carter started working at TMS in the fall of 2023. He came to our campus with four previous years of childcare experience ranging from ages 3 to 11 years old. Prior to TMS, Carter worked a lot with the elderly through music; he loves to play instruments and it was a great way to share this hobby. In his free time, he enjoys being outside, collecting rocks, cooking and learning about new things.
School-Wide Support & Specialist StaffKaren Bildner - Intervention Support Specialist
Karen completed her B.S. in Special Education at WMU. She began her teaching career in Niles Community Schools in 2000 and proceeded to teach at Kalamazoo Public Schools from 2001-2007. Karen worked for SLD Read and was trained extensively in Orton-Gilingham methods during her time there from 2007-2018. Karen completed her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education with a Reading and Literacy Emphasis in 2008. Most recently, she has earned her Montessori Lead Guide Certification in Lower Elementary. Karen is blessed with her husband Josiah and children Caleb and Johannah. She enjoys spending time with her family, sewing, cooking, photography, and drawing.
Jason Byler - Outdoor and Technical Educator
Jason grew up on an educational farm in Pennsylvania where he developed his love of the outdoors and his curiosity about the world around him. He holds a degree in Biology from Goshen College and has worked as a naturalist, farmer, outdoor educator, preschool teacher, park ranger, and home maintenance educator. He's married, has 3 amazing kids and a cool dog named Rooster. Jason loves working with curious children and is excited to be part of the TMS family!
Ashton McDonald - Floating Assistant GuideAshton graduated in 2024 from Central Michigan University with a degree in Child Development and Psychology, and learned about the Montessori method in their elementary education courses. The majority of their childcare experience is in ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) working with kids from 3-15 years old. After graduating, she moved back to Kalamazoo to be closer to family. In her free time she enjoys camping, baking, sewing, and making clothes/blankets. She also has two rescue cats named Louise and Rotisserie Chicken.
Administrative StaffMegan Johnston - Head of School & Interim Juniper Lead Guide
Megan received her Bachelor of Arts at Marymount Manhattan College studying Dance: Body, Science, and Motion and minoring in Biology. She received her AMS Montessori certification in 2019 from the Adrian Dominican Montessori Teacher Education Institute. She started her journey in 2017 at The Montessori School and completed her internship in the Oak room during the 2018-19 school year. Prior to her start in Montessori, Megan worked at the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA) as a paraprofessional working with individuals with autism and worked alongside WMU personnel on behavioral studies. She continually participates in training surrounding behavior intervention strategies, trauma support, and mentorship in Montessori settings. Megan has also continued her passion for dance over the last nine years as a lead instructor at Center Stage Dance Studio for both recreational and competitive dancing. In her free time, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling the world, camping, and dancing.
Jessica Hagen - Director of Programming & Lead Outdoor Educator
Jessica has a degree in Early Childhood Education and Child and Family Development from Western Michigan University (WMU). She is an American Montessori Society (AMS) certified Montessori elementary teacher. She is a multi-site program director with the State of Michigan and is currently the Licensee Designee for TMS. Jessica is a certified Outdoor Educator (EEC-P) through the Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE). She is passionate about place-based, experiential learning and has a special interest in connecting students with the greater community by developing service-based partnerships. Jessica serves on the Stewards of Kleinstuck board, the Kalamazoo Wild Ones executive committee, and is the Kalamazoo County Coordinator for the Michigan Green Schools Program. She can often be found outdoors exploring, biking, gardening, cloud/star gazing, and camping.
Barbara Conboy - Office Manager
Barb was a stay-at-home parent for many years and loved working in her daughter's school as a volunteer in the PTO and school office. Eventually, she became the school secretary at a small private school in Paw Paw for almost four school years. Barb has over 25 years of business & accounting experience and has worked for large corporations and non-profit organizations. She loves working with preschool and elementary-age children and their parents and is so excited to be here at The Montessori School. She proudly began working at The Montessori School in February 2022. She has one college-age daughter and has been married to her spouse for over 22 years.
Katie Greiner - Program Coordinator
Katie has a Bachelor’s in Mathematics and a Master’s in Human-Computer Interaction. She joined The Montessori School in Fall 2023 and has spent the past two years as an Assistant Guide. This year, she's excited to step into her new role as Program Coordinator, supporting the school community so it can continue to thrive. Outside of school, Katie enjoys spending time in nature—whether working in the yard, practicing bushcraft skills, or exploring nearby trails. She's thankful to have her partner and dog with her in all of life's adventures.
Board of DirectorsAs a Michigan 501c3 non-profit organization, The Montessori School is governed by a Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is charged with the ultimate responsibility for financial, legal, and policy decisions for The Montessori School, as outlined in the bylaws. Furthermore, the Board ensures the integrity of Montessori philosophy within the school. Board members serve three-year terms and are appointed at the Annual Meeting in June.
2025/26 Board Members:
Josh Fitzgibbon - Board President Katherine White - Board Vice Co-Chair Carrie Yellin - Board Vice Co-Chair Doug Forbes - Past Chair Holly Crump - Treasurer Sarah Avink - Secretary Emily McDonald Jada Joswick Aiyana Godsil Mariana Levin Jessica Slagter-Enaohwo Amanda Morgan |
