Faculty
Kristen Martin - Head of School
Kristen joined the Montessori School of Central Vermont in the Fall of 2005. Kristen began working with the Montessori School of Central Vermont, Inc. as a Primary Guide and Site Director at MMS. In 2010 the Montessori School of Central Vermont launched its Elementary program and Kristen took the position as Elementary Guide, as well as continuing to serve as Site Director at MMS. In 2012 Kristen accepted the position for Head of School, a position she continues to serve. She received her Montessori elementary training at Seacoast Center in NH and her Primary training through the New England Montessori Teacher Education Center in MA and the North American Montessori Center in WA.
Lana Bodach-Turner - Administrator/ Toddler Guide
Lana has been with the Montessori School of Central Vermont since 2003, first serving as a Children's House classroom assistant. She quickly took on administrative support resposibilities as well, and in 2007 moved to a full time administrative position working alongside the Head of School. Lana helped start the Toddler Program at the Montessori School of Central Vermont in the Fall of 2015. She currently serves as the Financial Administrator and Toddler Guide.
Lana received her Bachelors of Arts degree from Ithaca College, with the goal of working in the early education field. She completed the Assistance to Infancy program at the Montessori Institute Northwest in Oregon and a Master's Degree in Early Education with a concentration in Montessori (0-3) from Loyola University in Maryland.
Lana lives in East Montpelier with her husband and two children. Both her daughter and son attend the Montessori School of Central Vermont. When not at school Lana enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and being outdoors.
Mercy Sheehan - Elementary Guide
Originally from Rhode Island, Mercy received a B.S. in Wellness and Alternative Medicine from Johnson State College in VT 2005.
She began her AMI Elementary teacher training in the summer of 2013 and will complete her training during the summer of 2015. From the age of 11yrs old she took babysitting jobs and realized that her work would always be with children. Mercy discovered Montessori education at MSCVT in 2006 and says she had her "aha" moment, realizing that this was the work that she wanted to do. Mercy has filled various roles at MSCVT over the years; primary assistant, early and aftercare provider, and office support. Now Mercy supports our growing elementary program as a lead Guide. Mercy currently lives in Montpelier with her son. In her limited free time she loves to cook, garden, read, and paint.
Emily Reiss - Primary/Children’s House Guide
Emily discovered Montessori education in 2008 when she began assistant teaching for MSCVT. With a background in sustainable agriculture and environmental studies, and big questions about how to build sustainable communities, Emily realized that social change begins by teaching sustainable ways of being to children. After assisting in the classroom for three years, Emily returned to school to study herbalism (Vermont Center for Integrated Herbalism), yoga (Kripalu), and completed a Bachelor's of Arts at Goddard College (Health Arts and Sciences, focusing on maternal psychology and the importance of community support structures in child rearing). In 2014, she returned to the Montpelier Montessori school, and in 2015, began training to become a Montessori Primary guide. She will complete her training at Montessori Northwest in the summer of 2017. She is also currently enrolled in Loyola Maryland's M. Ed program with a concentration in Montessori Education (ages 3-6).
Emily is passionate about food: growing, harvesting, cooking, and eating it! She enjoys bringing all aspects of healthy food to the classroom. Her training in herbalism and yoga also informs her classroom offerings to the children. When not in the classroom, Emily enjoys cooking for friends and family, gardening and wild crafting, woodland runs, and traveling to new places.
Minori Hirayama - Primary/Children’s House Guide
Minori was born in a small fishing village in rural Japan. She earned her teaching degree at Daito-Bunka University in Tokyo. While in Tokyo, Minori was introduced to jazz and modern dance, which became a lifelong passion for performing on stage. Following college Minori taught high school English for over a decade at various schools in Japan. She also spent a year in Australia teaching Japanese language and culture.
In 2001, Minori moved to Vermont. Since then she has taught in a variety of settings. Immediately prior to joining the Montessori School of Central Vermont, Minori was a pre-school paraeducator at Barre City Elementary. In the summer of 2016, Minori completed the New England Montessori Training Program in Boston.
Minori lives in Barre with her husband and two teenage children.
Hailey Colburn
Hailey Colburn is a native Vermonter and graduate of Norwich University with a degree in Education. Hailey began working at MSCVT as a part-time assistant in the Toddler community in the fall of 2015. Through her experience in the Montessori Toddler and Primary classrooms Hailey became more and more curious about the Montessori education model. Hailey received her Montessori Primary training in 2017. She lives in Barre with her husband and 18 month old son.