Sandy Smith is Head Teacher in the Rose Room. As the owner and Directress/Administrator of the Garden Montessori School she has a State of Pennsylvania teaching certificate, a State of Pennsylvania Directors Certificate, an Early Childhood (3-6) certificate from the American Montessori Society and a Bachelors degree in Psychology. After seeing the benefits of a Montessori education with her own children and her positive experience at the Glen Montessori School in 1991-1996, Sandy completed all of the requirements to open her own Montessori school in Marshall Twp. in 1999 in a one room school house at the Family Retreat Center.The enrollment increased from the original 24 students to 36 children. In 2005 she moved the school to a 6800 sq. ft. space in Cranberry Commerce Park with two classrooms. In 2009 the school opened it's third 3-6 classroom bringing the average enrollment to approximately 58. Sandy received a scholarship to attend the Pennsylvania Governor’s Institute for School Leadership at Shippensburg University in 2003 and was published in the Institute’s Annual Anthology. She served as the Co-chair of the Greater Pittsburgh Montessori Society. She is a member of the Greater Pittsburgh Montessori Society, the American Montessori Society, Association Montessori International, International Montessori Council and NAMTA. Sandy recently received a scholarship to attend the Pennsylvania Governor’s Institute on Early Childhood and a Leadership and Supervisor Seminar through Rockhurst University. She served as On-site Coordinator for the CMTE 3-6 training held at the Garden and acted as Supervising Teacher for the staff enrolled in the program.
Kim Kuchtjak is the Classroom Assistant in the Rose Room and has been with the Garden Montessori School for the past seven years. She first became involved in Montessori education in 1997 as a volunteer substitute teacher. Kim has an AMS Early Childhood Montessori Teacher credential from the Center for Montessori Teacher Education/Cranberry and has taken the Montessori Philosophy Training through Duquesne University and the Introduction to Montessori and Advanced Assistant’s Training through Mt. Lebanon Montessori School. She is a member of the American Montessori Society and Western Pennsylvania Montessori Society. Kim is the mother of two Montessori children who have been enrolled in Toddler, 3-6, and elementary programs. Miss Kim helps with several Garden special events including lunch for the Pre-K and Kindergarten children and Portfolios with the Kindergarten Parents.
Leslie Faish is the Head Teacher for the Arbor Room. Leslie has completed 3-6 Primary Montessori Training through the Center of Montessori Teacher Education in Altoona. She has an Associate’s degree in Child Development from Allegheny Community College and holds a Pennsylvania State Certification in Nursery/Kindergarten. She worked as a Program Director at St. Richards’s Church and developed the religious education program for preschool through eighth grade. Leslie also taught Preschool at St. Catherine’s Church. She has extensive background in volunteer mission work, CCD instruction and conducted Odyssey of the Mind Program at Pine-Richland Middle School. Leslie has also completed course work for Emergency Medical Technician and has provided assistance for geriatric and spinal cord injury patients.
Jocelyn Stumbaugh is the Assistant Teacher in the Arbor Room. She has completed the 3-6 Early Childhood Montessori Diploma course from the North American Montessori Center. She has a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Exceptionalities/Special Needs from Slippery Rock University. Jocelyn has the Pennsylvania Department of Education Certification in Nursery/Kindergarten and Elementary K-6. She has extensive experience with children including substitute teaching, work with the Movement in Education Program and private employment as a Nanny.
Linda Edsall is the Head Teacher in the Tree House Room. Linda has over 17 years experience in Early Childhood Education. She has her Montessori 3-6 Early Childhood Diploma from North American Montessori Center and a National Administrator’s Credential from the National Child Care Association. Linda was the program coordinator for a local preschool and has experience in Creative Curriculum. She has experience in Intergenerational Programming, staff development and fundraising. Linda has planned and implemented the Garden’s Summer Camp Program and Camp Enrichment activities throughout the year. She serves on the Standards Committee for the Montessori Alliance and is an active member of NAEYC. (National Association of Education for Young Children)
Jordan Bankois the Assistant Teacher in the Tree House Room. Jordan graduated from Point Park University teacher certificate program in Early Childhood Education. She has successfully completed the required PRAXIS assessments and student teaching practicum experiences at the appropriate level. Jordan has "jumped right in " helping Miss Linda prepare the environment. She was exposed to two semesters of Montessori philosophy as her Professor was the Head of a Montessori School. Jordan will help Miss Kim with lunch and playtime for the Pre K and Kindergarten children.
Julia Feitner is the Administrative Assistant for the Garden. Julia is a current parent at the Garden. Her older son graduated from the Garden last year and her younger son in his first year in the Arbor Room. She has a BA in English and Minor in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from Messiah College. Julia has held Office Manager positions utlizing her skills in training, management, scheduling and team building activities at the PA Dept. of Agriculture and at Messiah College. She is proficient in Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Publisher and Internet Explorer; writing and editing newsletters, transcription and graphic design. Julia is responsible for all Administrative planning and organizing of car-line help, field trip drivers, newsletters and invoices.
Mildred Sierra is the Spanish teacher at the Garden. Mildred is originally from Puerto Rico and fluent in Spanish. She has a Bachelor's degree in Science from the University of Houston, Texas and has participated in the Pine Richland School Board World Langusge Task Force Committee. There she was in charge of researching, writing and presenting documentation pertaining to the benefits of teaching a foreign language to elementary students.
She has tutored children and adults in Spanish for the last 25 years. She was a Spanish Assistant for the afterschool program at Wexford Elementary School in 2005 and in 2011 was part of the Spanish staff for the language camp offered at Cranberry Township.
Kim Kuchtjak is the Classroom Assistant in the Rose Room and has been with the Garden Montessori School for the past seven years. She first became involved in Montessori education in 1997 as a volunteer substitute teacher. Kim has an AMS Early Childhood Montessori Teacher credential from the Center for Montessori Teacher Education/Cranberry and has taken the Montessori Philosophy Training through Duquesne University and the Introduction to Montessori and Advanced Assistant’s Training through Mt. Lebanon Montessori School. She is a member of the American Montessori Society and Western Pennsylvania Montessori Society. Kim is the mother of two Montessori children who have been enrolled in Toddler, 3-6, and elementary programs. Miss Kim helps with several Garden special events including lunch for the Pre-K and Kindergarten children and Portfolios with the Kindergarten Parents.
Leslie Faish is the Head Teacher for the Arbor Room. Leslie has completed 3-6 Primary Montessori Training through the Center of Montessori Teacher Education in Altoona. She has an Associate’s degree in Child Development from Allegheny Community College and holds a Pennsylvania State Certification in Nursery/Kindergarten. She worked as a Program Director at St. Richards’s Church and developed the religious education program for preschool through eighth grade. Leslie also taught Preschool at St. Catherine’s Church. She has extensive background in volunteer mission work, CCD instruction and conducted Odyssey of the Mind Program at Pine-Richland Middle School. Leslie has also completed course work for Emergency Medical Technician and has provided assistance for geriatric and spinal cord injury patients.
Jocelyn Stumbaugh is the Assistant Teacher in the Arbor Room. She has completed the 3-6 Early Childhood Montessori Diploma course from the North American Montessori Center. She has a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Exceptionalities/Special Needs from Slippery Rock University. Jocelyn has the Pennsylvania Department of Education Certification in Nursery/Kindergarten and Elementary K-6. She has extensive experience with children including substitute teaching, work with the Movement in Education Program and private employment as a Nanny.
Linda Edsall is the Head Teacher in the Tree House Room. Linda has over 17 years experience in Early Childhood Education. She has her Montessori 3-6 Early Childhood Diploma from North American Montessori Center and a National Administrator’s Credential from the National Child Care Association. Linda was the program coordinator for a local preschool and has experience in Creative Curriculum. She has experience in Intergenerational Programming, staff development and fundraising. Linda has planned and implemented the Garden’s Summer Camp Program and Camp Enrichment activities throughout the year. She serves on the Standards Committee for the Montessori Alliance and is an active member of NAEYC. (National Association of Education for Young Children)
Jordan Bankois the Assistant Teacher in the Tree House Room. Jordan graduated from Point Park University teacher certificate program in Early Childhood Education. She has successfully completed the required PRAXIS assessments and student teaching practicum experiences at the appropriate level. Jordan has "jumped right in " helping Miss Linda prepare the environment. She was exposed to two semesters of Montessori philosophy as her Professor was the Head of a Montessori School. Jordan will help Miss Kim with lunch and playtime for the Pre K and Kindergarten children.
Julia Feitner is the Administrative Assistant for the Garden. Julia is a current parent at the Garden. Her older son graduated from the Garden last year and her younger son in his first year in the Arbor Room. She has a BA in English and Minor in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from Messiah College. Julia has held Office Manager positions utlizing her skills in training, management, scheduling and team building activities at the PA Dept. of Agriculture and at Messiah College. She is proficient in Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Publisher and Internet Explorer; writing and editing newsletters, transcription and graphic design. Julia is responsible for all Administrative planning and organizing of car-line help, field trip drivers, newsletters and invoices.
Mildred Sierra is the Spanish teacher at the Garden. Mildred is originally from Puerto Rico and fluent in Spanish. She has a Bachelor's degree in Science from the University of Houston, Texas and has participated in the Pine Richland School Board World Langusge Task Force Committee. There she was in charge of researching, writing and presenting documentation pertaining to the benefits of teaching a foreign language to elementary students.
She has tutored children and adults in Spanish for the last 25 years. She was a Spanish Assistant for the afterschool program at Wexford Elementary School in 2005 and in 2011 was part of the Spanish staff for the language camp offered at Cranberry Township.
