We are in search of our next great K/1 Montessori teacher!
Shanny Snyder
I am so excited to be joining the TRM family! I discovered the Montessori method during my first year in college, and immediately knew it was for me.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Studies, AMI Montessori Certification, and a tier 3 MN teaching license from birth to 3rd grade. Before coming to TRM, I worked at a Montessori public charter in the area, as a Lead Children’s House Teacher.
I live in Elk River with my husband, Steve, and three children, Jacob, Ethan, and Hannah. We have two German shorthair pointers, two beta fish, and a bearded dragon! My family takes up most of my free time, but I also enjoy painting, throwing pottery, camping, and playing games. I am also a painting instructor in Coon Rapids.
This year my family and I took a long vacation at our family property in Wisconsin where we fished, went fossil hunting, explored nature trails, went cherry picking, and even fed giraffes and pelicans at the zoo!
It is my goal this year to instill a passion for learning so that students will develop a life-long love to learn! I can’t wait to spend the next year getting to know you, learning, and growing with you! I am looking forward to an amazing year together.
Contact: shanny.snyder@threeriversmontessori.org
Cassie Zezulka
My name is Cassie, and I could not be more excited to introduce myself as a 2nd-3rd grade
teacher for the new school year! If you are familiar with TRM, you may know me from working at
the front desk the past few months or helping out with the Pathfinders summer program.
I majored in elementary education at Bemidji State University and have always known that I
wanted to work as a teacher. After graduation, I began teaching preschool and did that for 2
years before moving my way up to management in a preschool setting. While I loved working
with that age group, I knew I wanted to work in an elementary school, which is how I found
myself at TRM.
I have loved my job here so far and cannot wait to finally apply what I have learned to a
classroom of my own. While I am new to Montessori education, I’m eager to learn. I’m currently
enrolled in Montessori training and learning more every day!
When I’m not here at work, I spend my time at my apartment in my hometown of Ramsey, MN.
I’m pretty creative and spend a lot of time drawing or coloring to unwind. I love watching reality
TV shows and horror movies. I’m a strong believer in retail therapy and will go shopping almost
whenever possible. I’ve also recently been getting into cooking/ baking and trying out new
recipes.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about me, and I look forward to all the fun we’ll
have this school year!
Lori George
I am excited to be joining Three Rivers as an E1 Teacher! Working with children in a variety of settings has been a passion of mine for over 20 years. I’ve had the pleasure of working in Montessori classrooms for the last 6 years as both an Assistant Teacher and Lead Teacher. I love all that Montessori encompasses. I believe that students are encouraged to be life-long, curious, and well-rounded learners through all that Montessori offers.
When I am not working in schools I spend my time coaching high school softball and also run my own pitching instruction business. I live in a nearby community with my husband and 2 boys ages 8 and 13. We enjoy being active and spending time with family and friends. In my spare time I bake, work on my house, and watch as much college softball and hockey as possible. Go Gophers!
Contact:
Samantha Siemsen
I am Sam Siemsen. I live in Anoka with my husband and daughter. In our down time we love to get ice cream and go for walks by Rum River.
I have a bachelor's degree in Youth Development, and am finishing my master's degree in Teaching. I have worked previously as a 4th grade teacher at a Kindergarten-12th grade school in South Minneapolis.
I am passionate about holistic learning, supporting students in developing into physically and emotionally healthy adults, as well as supporting them in their academics. I have also witnessed the joy that students have and how well they learn when given opportunities to do hands-on work. I am looking forward to the opportunity to lean into holistic, hands-on learning with students and developing my Montessori teaching skills.
Hannah Scholten
I love being a Montessori teacher because of all the fun and hands on learning we get to do. Students in my classroom enjoy getting extra time to work with manipulates and explore the world around them. We dive into topics of interest and cultivate natural curiosities. Outdoor activities are a regular occurrence for us and the students have the ability to impact their community is right at their finger tips.
I have a degree in elementary education from the University of Northwestern St. Paul and a Minnesota tier three teaching licence in elementary education. This is my second year as an E2 teacher but my first at TRM. Before TRM I worked in Hutchinson, MN as an E2 teacher with a student population of fifty percent special education needs. My strengths are creating a positive environment, responsive classroom, special education instruction, and environmental education.
Some of my favorite things to do when I am not teaching are going outside for a walk or run with my dog Jack Jack, laying in my hammock and reading a fiction book, rock climbing, or spending time on a project or craft. Some insider secrets about me are that I love fresh picked produce and I've always been fascinated by stars. I look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to TRM.
Together we will create an awesome learning community!
Contact:
Alison Belford
I am excited to be part of Three Rivers Montessori Charter School. My education started in the early years of my life, attending a montessori school from preschool through fourth grade. I loved working with the materials, and learning through hands-on experiences. I am excited to be on the teaching side of montessori.
I graduated from Augsburg College with my elementary education degree. I taught preschool through third grade in many types of schools (private, public, and charter). I went back to school to get my license in special education from St. Cloud State University where I received my Autism Spectrum Disorder certification. I have taught in various levels of special education the last five years.
I have two teenage boys who keep me very active. We spend a lot of time playing board games, watching movies, and just started cooking together. In my free time, I love to work in my vegetable garden, hike trails, and do stuff with my family and friends.
Contact: ali.belford@threeriversmontessori.org
Angel Adam
Hello, my name is Angel, and I am very excited to be part of the Three River Montessori team. I am thrilled to learn more about the Montessori method and the way kids learn and develop from it.
I have worked with children in the Elk River School District for the past few years and finally decided to switch to the Montessori School.
I live in Elk River with my husband Dustin and my 4 kids, three of my kids attend Three Rivers and my 7th grader is at Spectrum.
In our spare time we are either at the Hockey rink where I coach my daughter's hockey team or, in the summertime, we are at the soccer fields trying to get to 4 different practices. I also love being outdoors, swimming, fishing or just hanging out with the kids.
Contact: angel.adam@threeriversmontessori.org
Lyudmila Belair
I am very happy to be a part of Three Rivers Montessori!
I grew up in Russia and first time read about Maria Montessori and her method there. Since then, I have been very interested in her system of education.
I have a business related bachelor degree from Russian University, but always want to work with kids, because I love and cherish all children. They are the best part of humankind!
I have worked for 12 years in ISD 728 in various positions: Russian Language Interpreter, ELL Assistant, Instructional Assistant, Math Corps Tutor and then Reading Corps Tutor, EdVenture Club Childcare Worker and Summer EdVenture Club Programs Enrichment Specialist.
My husband and I have three children: Michael (19) enlisted to serve The US Air Force, John (17) is our tech guy and Kathryn (6) attends TRM.
We live in the Nowthen area, where we have 3 acres of land, where I enjoy gardening. I love all animals.
I am bilingual and have a passion for teaching my first language - Russian.
I love to read in both Russian and English. Especially Russian poetry. My relaxing time is time that is spent with a book.
I am looking forward to becoming a good and skilled classroom assistant and good facilitator of growth and development of TRM students' talents!
Contact:
Trish Gingras
Mrs. Gingras is excited to be with Three Rivers Montessori. A Michigan native, she has a degree in communications and years of Montessori experience. She and her husband Steve live in Elk River and have two grown daughters.
Outside of work, Mrs Gingras enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and walks with Daisy the yellow Lab, or snuggles with Puffin the cat.
Contact:
Rebecca Lehn
My name is Rebecca, but I will respond to almost everything except Becky. Some fun facts about me; I'm a Hufflepuff dog mom of 3, I am married to my high-school sweetheart Nathan and we just bought our first house in Big Lake.
I'm a summer to heart, I love being outdoors in the warm weather, and being in or around water. Duluth is one of my most favorite cities. I love how I can spend hours just walking and hiking around the many footpaths that Duluth offers. My favorite holiday is any holiday spent with my family and friends.
Heather Weems
I'm Heather, this will be my 4th year working in a Montessori. I have a husband and two daughters. Our girls will also attend Three Rivers this year. Our oldest is 8 and will be in second grade and our youngest is 6 years old and will be in Kindergarten this year.
We love to be outdoors, camp, kayaking, hiking and traveling in our spare time. I look forward to working with the students this year and getting to know everyone.
Contact:
heather.weems@threeriversmontessori.org
Kristen Ennis
Ms Kristen loves being part of the atmosphere and experiences that Montessori learning has to offer.
She has a degree in nursing, along with many years of experience working as a licensed childcare provider. She has a passion for working with children, and loves watching and helping them grow to their full potential.
Kristen lives in Zimmerman with her husband, three children, and their mini golden doodle - Cooper.
She enjoys watching their two boys play their favorite sport- hockey, and spending time with her daughter when she comes home to visit from college.
Contact:
Sami Maske
Ms Sami has worked with children off and on throughout the years and feels like she has found her calling within this community. She is super excited to be apart of the kids lives and watch them grow!
Her family is made up of her 19 month old daughter named Scarlett, her wonderful husband, and two cats named Oscar and Felix. They enjoy playing outside and playing games as a family.
Contact: samantha.maske@threeriversmontessori.org
Nikki Patterson
Ms Nikki enjoys experiencing the Montessori method and the variety of learning materials that go along with it. She feels that they really make learning more fun.
Nikki is currently working on her teaching degree with a minor in Special Education to accompany her degree in Psychology and AA degree.
Nikki and her husband moved to Monticello in 2017 and have enjoyed getting to know the area with their little boy, Brayden. They spend a lot of time outdoors as a family.
Nikki's favorite memories have been made camping on the weekends and she can’t wait to make many more memories with traveling and exploring.
Contact:
Rachel Wenz
I’m so excited to be joining the Three Rivers Montessori team! The staff and environment are very welcoming, and I can't wait to learn more about the Montessori method!
My passion for this field started in 2013 working as a Special Education Para. I've worked with several different age groups and nothing makes me happier than seeing them progress and succeed to their full potential.
I currently live near Becker with my husband and 8 year old son. We love being outdoors, traveling, and spending time with family as much as possible.
Contact: rachel.wenz@threeriversmontessori.org
Debbie Hutton
Mrs Hutton has worked for many years as a Montessori teacher and is thrilled to use her experience and knowledge to help TRM thrive. She also feels grateful that she can be a part of bringing a true Montessori experience to the families within her own community.
Debbie lives in Elk River with her husband where they raised their two grown children.
She received her Associates of Arts degree from Anoka Ramsey Community College and her Primary Level Montessori Certification from AMI in St. Paul, MN.
When she is not working, Debbie usually can be found at her cabin. She loves to relax, swim, and play on the water. In the winter, She is most likely knitting or reading next to the fire.
Jessica Peterson
I am so excited to be part of Three Rivers Montessori Team. Besides working at Three Rivers Montessori, I also drive school bus.
I live in Zimmerman with two kids and three cats. I love camping, reading fantasy books, playing Dungeon & Dragons with my family, and watching the Wild. I am also part of a belly dancing group.
Contact: Jessica.Peterson@threeriversmontessori.org
Emily Rossmeisl
I am 18 years old and attend Elk River High school. I enjoy going hiking on my free time as well as biking. I have a twin sister named Taylor and a younger brother named Gavin . I enjoy hiking and biking in my free time. I also love traveling to new places.
Contact: emily.rossmeisl@threeriversmontessori.org
Three Rivers is on the search for our next Office Manager. Details on this critical position to come soon.
Jonna Duke
Jonna Joins us as the Executive Assistant who will support the office of the Executive Director and also coordinate the front office answering phones and directing visitors as needed. Three Rivers is so happy to have Jonna continuing on in support of our school.
Three Rivers is on the search for our next Pathfinders out of school care coordinator. Details to come on this critical position to come soon.
Three Rivers is on the search for our next Food Service Coordinator. Details on this critical position to come soon.
Antonio Kuklok
Antonio began his career teaching preschool in Sauk Rapids MN before transitioning to the kindergarten classroom at Tatanka Elementary STEM school in Buffalo MN. He holds an Early Childhood teaching license and is a licensed K-12 Principal. Antonio was quickly promoted at Tatanka to Curriculum Integration Coordinator where h
Antonio Kuklok
Antonio began his career teaching preschool in Sauk Rapids MN before transitioning to the kindergarten classroom at Tatanka Elementary STEM school in Buffalo MN. He holds an Early Childhood teaching license and is a licensed K-12 Principal. Antonio was quickly promoted at Tatanka to Curriculum Integration Coordinator where he developed and managed the school’s newly implemented STEM and Engineering programming.
After completing his Educational Leadership program at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, Antonio was hired by Community School of Excellence, a Hmong language and culture school in St. Paul, as their Elementary Principal where he led educational programming for over 900 PreK through 5th-grade students. After two years in the principalship, Antonio was promoted to the role of Chief Academic Director where he developed, implemented, and managed academic and behavioral programming for over 1,400 Prek through 11th-grade students, 4 administrators, and 125 teachers and paraprofessionals.
Antonio believes that providing hands-on authentic learning experiences is a necessary shift our educational systems must make. His master's thesis focused on embedding student-led experiences into the classroom and showed a positive impact on standardized testing when students took charge of their learning.
He believes that we are not only sending our children into a world where they will work in fields that don’t yet exist but that our children will create these new fields themselves. He believes we need to foster independence, self-determination, and grit in our young learners so they are prepared to enter a diverse and ever-changing world outside of the school walls.
Contact: