Montessori Farm School teachers are trained to teach the Montessori approach through AMS affiliated and MACTE certified training programs, and are current AMS members. The school takes pride in hiring well-qualified teachers who have a passion for teaching and guiding children. The staff are dedicated to the mission of working with children as they grow and develop academically, socially, psychologically and spiritually. The school particularly values the widely varied experiences and unique talents that each member of the staff bring to the school, as much as it values the unique personalities, talents and strengths of each child at the school.
Lisa received her initial training in education when she acquired her BA in Early Childhood Education from Vancouver University. Her fascination with the Montessori method led her to pursue her certification from the North Carolina Center for Montessori Teacher Education. She has since taught Montessori for seventeen years. For the last ten years Lisa has served on the faculty as an instructor at the Montessori Teacher Education Center, training interns to become Montessori teachers. Lisa began her first farm school in the area five years ago, where the traditional academic curriculum was combined with activities to connect children to the earth through animals and gardens. Lisa has seen first hand how the marriage of Montessori academics and the farm environment can enrich the overall educational experience for each child. She brings knowledge, experience and vision to her role as both Head of School and Lead Teacher.
When Lisa is not at school with the children, she can most often be found caring for her numerous animals. She is as joyful, respectful, and at ease in the pasture with her horses as she is in the classroom with the students. Her love of animals is contagious, and all the Montessori Farm School children grow as they share in the responsibility and privilege of becoming stewards of the earth, and caring for animals.
Wendy holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer and Information Science from the State University College in Potsdam, NY. During her computer career she wrote business software, created visual databases for a helicopter flight simulator, and developed educational content for a web-based chemistry course. Drawn to education and in particular the Montessori method, Wendy went on to receive her Early Childhood Credential from the North Carolina Center for Montessori Teacher Education. She has worked in both public and private Montessori schools prior to joining the team at Montessori Farm School. She is a patient, caring individual with a desire to encourage children's growth with her positive attitude and respect for others. Wendy currently co-teaches with Lisa in the primary classroom.
Wendy took up pottery after moving to North Carolina from upstate New York with her husband, Scott, and is a member of Clayworks Potter's Guild. She uses her unique combination of talents in both technology and art for the school in many ways, creating beautiful handmade work for the classroom. Additionally, Wendy has been integral to the development and management of the MFS website. For recreation, Wendy enjoys drawing, hiking, racquetball and Tai Chi.
Virginia holds a BA in Political Science from Villanova University. She became involved in Montessori education when her desire to find the best educational environment for her own children led her to the Montessori method. Observing firsthand the benefits reaped by her own children at the Montessori Farm School, Virginia soon realized that this was to become her own passion. She has been working with Lisa since 2004, having started as an assistant and working in that position for two years before beginning her internship. She received her Early Childhood Credentials from the North Carolina Center for Montessori Teacher Education, and was appointed as a lead teacher at Montessori Farm School.
Virginia and her husband Glenn, a professional chef, are both members of Slow Food. They feel strongly about educating children about where their food comes from, and the value of eating locally grown and organic produce. Virginia enjoys incorporating many food-related activities into the curriculum through cooking, tasting, and cultural studies. She believes that food brings people together - "we nourish, we celebrate, we comfort, and commune with food."
Mahamantra works as an assistant in the primary classroom. She has three children attending Montessori Farm School: Jai in the lower elementary program, and Goura and Karuna in Lisa's primary classroom. In 2006 Maha completed a preparatory Montessori training program while serving as the lead teacher of a Montessori toddler class. Her experience also includes working as an assistant teacher at Padma Academy in 2002-03.
Maha brings a remarkable sense of peace and gentleness to every classroom she has taught. Her soft tones and personal warmth are wonderful attributes for the age group she works with. She loves working with children, and relishes being able to contribute to the teaching experience at the Montessori Farm School. For recreation, Maha enjoys cooking vegetarian meals for her family, gardening, acting and exploring the woods around her house.
Janet has a bachelor's degree in business with a concentration in marketing from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. She has read extensively in the Montessori history and methods, and her Montessori training is in process.
During her career at B.F. Goodrich corporate headquarters, she was Department Manager of international and domestic sales and customer service. At the same time she taught accounting and motivational courses at the world headquarters and national accounting centers. She was also editor of the American Marketing Association newsletter. Although she appreciated the rewards and responsibilities of a corporate executive, her heart was in her teaching of 9 to 11-year-old boys at the Sunshine Cottage, an orphanage in Akron, Ohio. She is devoted to instilling a vital love of learning in our children.
Janet and her husband, Frank, inspired by their love of language and literature, became booksellers several years ago. Their online shop, Snooty Literary Society, has over 30,000 volumes in inventory. They are excited now about throwing their combined passions into an even greater endeavor here at Montessori Farm School: helping our children do the greatest job of all, that of building the men and women of tomorrow.
Frank has a BA in English with a concentration in professional writing from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC and an MA in English from NC State University in Raleigh.
As a graduate teaching assistant, he taught freshman and sophomore English at NC State for two years. He was an English teacher at Wilbraham & Monson Academy, a boarding school in Massachusetts, and also served as a dorm master and advisor to the Outing Club, where he and a vanful of adventurous kids spent many Saturdays climbing cliffs, rappelling, kayaking, cross-country skiing, spelunking, and hiking. (Parents and Headmaster drew the line at skydiving.) Back in North Carolina, he taught vocational and college transfer English at Coastal Carolina Community College in Jacksonville, NC and served as chairman of the English department. He also taught English courses for teachers needing certificate renewal credits at Carteret Technical College in Morehead City, and he tutored two middle school students who had dyslexia.
Frank became a total convert to Montessori this year after seeing its effects on his granddaughter, who is a primary student at MFS, and hearing her spontaneous, enthusiastic praise for the wonderful staff. He left his previous job to join in this great and noble effort by beginning his Montessori training as a full-time volunteer.