Chris has worked as a financial controller (Leading Edge After School, Springboard Schools) and as Director of Finance and Administration (Shriver Job Corps). In these capacities he has gained experience in all of the vital aspects of the DFO’s job: budget oversight, audit preparation, HR, facilities management, and financial reporting. Although Chris began his college career as a Business major at Bentley, he was also drawn to the world of teaching, eventually earning a BS in Literature and teaching advanced placement English to high schoolers. He is excited that the Summit position will help him to mesh together the worlds of finance and education. Chris is described as a calm leader who holds high standards for himself and others, and as a team player with whom others love to work.

Teo joined the Summit Montessori School community in July of 2018. Prior to joining Summit she was a Sales Support Administrator with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. There she managed all office administration tasks for residential and some commercial transactions, handled data entry, designed and distributed marketing materials, and juggled the needs of over 50 realtors. Prior to her time at Coldwell Banker Teo worked as a Professional Development Training Assistant at the Walker Home and School in Needham. There, in addition to doing general administrative tasks, she also organized professional development and orientation sessions for staff. Teo has served as a legal assistant for a Real Estate Law Firm and as a finance administrative assistant for a software company. She loves technology and the variety that working in a school setting provides.

Mardonne joined us on January 3rd and has been getting to know the school and its operations. She comes to us with a wealth of experience in the education sphere as an administrator having served as a consultant for Human Service Management Corporation, Education & Career Advisor at Mount Wachusett Community College, a Career Program Specialist at Porter & Chester Institute, and done admissions work at Lincoln Educational Services. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Salem State University and is pursuing her Graduate Certificate at Framingham State University. 

 

Brandon started his career in the performing arts. He has performed in circuses, in theaters big and small, fairs, festivals, cruise ships, and hospitals. Eager to bring his energy and creativity into elementary classrooms, he pursued his degree in education and his Massachusetts teaching credential. After teaching third grade in a public school, he was eager to find a more engaging and creative environment for learners.  He discovered the Montessori philosophy, and immediately began the certification training with the METTC program in Lexington, MA. He is thrilled to have joined the Summit community in 2018, as it is a perfect fit for his teaching philosophy and talents.

When he is not teaching, Brandon enjoys playing his upright bass in the local bluegrass community. He can also be found walking on stilts greeting the fans at Fenway Park during the baseball season.
 

Hannah Army joined summit in the Fall of 2021 after teaching for the past eight years as Co-Lead (and then Lead) Upper Elementary teacher at the Oak Grove Montessori School in Mansfield, CT.   Prior to her experience at Oak Grove, Hannah was a Math, Art, and History teacher at The Rectory School in Pomfret, CT for seven years. Hannah, who completed her Montessori UE training through the Center for Montessori Teacher Education, NY in 2014, shared that when she discovered Montessori education, she had already envisioned that this was the way she wanted to teach. She held the paradigm in her mind, and then discovered the way to deliver it when she discovered Montessori. Hannah earned an MA in Liberal Studies from Wesleyan University and BA in Studio Art and Art History at Wheaton College. She recently completed the American Montessori Society’s ELF (Emerging Leaders’ Fellowship) program, which identifies and supports emerging leaders in the Montessori community.  Hannah is passionate about DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) work, having supported her current school in moving this essential work forward in their school community. 

Beth has been involved in early childhood education since 2000. Starting as an assistant teacher at a private preschool and later moving to the Goddard School. She particularly enjoys observing children in the early years when they experience such great growth in personal development and independence. She enjoys watching them move through their environment exploring, manipulating and learning by doing. Beth’s interest in the Montessori method and approach has grown in the last few years and she is excited to join the Summit community and the Beginner’s classroom.

Liz, an alumni parent, joined Summit in 2012 as an assistant teacher. In 2013 she decided to pursue her deep interest in the Montessori method and enrolled in the Northeast Montessori Institute. That year she served in Children’s House 3 as an assistant teacher/intern and worked in the After Care program. In June 2014 she completed her training and received her AMS credential. She is currently a Teacher in Children’s House 3. No stranger to Summit, Liz has been volunteering her time to coordinate the Box Tops for Education and recycling programs at Summit for over eight years. She previously worked as a Securities Law attorney at Sun Life Financial.

Marian holds an American Montessori Society (AMS) Primary classroom teaching certificate, as well as a Masters’ Degree in Education. She has been lead teacher in Children’s House for six years. Marian was a Montessori student herself, and she recognized an immediate re-connection with Montessori’s philosophy when searching for her own children’s preschools. Marian continues to feel passionate about Maria Montessori’s beautiful, concrete classroom materials, as well as her respect for the child’s creativity and independence.

Nadine specializes in teaching children with learning difficulties, with particular emphasizes on students that have language-based learning difficulties. She has extensive training and certification in several Orton-Gillingham programs that are multi-sensory, structured, and individualized approaches to reading and writing. Nadine has taught in both public school and independent school settings as a resource room teacher, co-teacher, tutor, and consultant. She has professionally trained teachers in a multisensonsory reading a comprehension program and conducted several workshops for teachers and parents. Nadine has also acted as a Field Liaison for student teachers at Lesley University. She is excited to be part of the Summit community who honors “the whole child”: respecting his/her thoughts, ideas, and learning styles. She is a life-long learner who hopes to encourage and inspire others to be the same.

Jackie has spent a lifetime learning, practicing, writing, teaching, and performing music. As a Berklee College of Music student and administrative staff member for over 10 years, Jackie has a genuine drive for the teaching and appreciation of music. During her first year at Summit she embraced the Montessori philosophy and is thrilled to begin her second year here. Jackie has begun the study of specific music methods such as Dalcroze, Eurhythmics, Orff, and Kodaly, in order to incorporate these important methods into her teaching style. Jackie thoroughly enjoys learning, honing, and applying her newfound materials into her lessons. In 2002, Jackie created "Minizicians", an original children's music program for the Community Music School in Leominster, MA. Jackie is a member of two children's bands, "Super Cool Beans" and "The Green Apple Kids". Jackie brings a true spirit and love for music and its importance to our chidlren in their daily lives. Jackie says "I have the best jo in the world, teaching one of the most enjoyable subjects to the most important and value members of our human race, our children".

Barrett Grizzard begins her tenure as our Kindergarten and Elementary Studio Art specialist this fall. Barrett has worked extensively as an art teacher in public and independent schools over the past eleven years. In addition, she has served as a Studio Art Instructor at the MFA in Boston for seven years and has past teaching experience at the Chicago Children’s Museum. Barrett holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from Maryland Institute College of Art, and an MA in teaching from Tufts University. She is particularly excited about connecting the visual arts with the elementary cultural curriculum.

Bridget Parmenter will serve this year as our school  Bridget will offer routine book sharing sessions with Beginners through Lower Elementary students; she will also serve as a research and library resource teacher for the Upper Elementary class. Bridget will invite Children’s House and Elementary students to routinely check out books to take home. She will also instruct the UE students on independent use of the library as a resource.

Cassandra, a graduate of Waltham High School, is currently a junior in nursing at Regis College in Weston. Cassandra began working as an Assistant Teacher in Summit’s After Care program in October, 2020, also serving as a substitute teacher and lunch assitant. She has served as a tutor to elementary-aged students and as a STEM educator at McDevitt Middle School.