Head of School
"The task of the teacher becomes that of preparing a series of motives of cultural activity, spread over a specially prepared environment, and then refraining from obtrusive interference. Human teachers can only help the great work that is being done, as servants help the master." (page 3, Education for a New World).
India Adams
Head of School
Middle School Teacher
Upper Elementary Teacher
India has eleven years teaching experience in Montessori classrooms as well as six years as a Montessori teacher trainer in Elementary I math. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Belmont Abbey College where she graduated cum laude from the honors program. She then completed studies to become Montessori I & II certified (grades 1-3 and 4-6). Presently, she is enrolled in the Endicott College masters program to earn middle school Montessori credentials. At the completion of this program, India will receive a Masters degree in Education specializing in Montessori and Integrated Learning.
George E. Meeks, Jr.
Assistant Teacher, Upper Elementary
Science Instructor (All Elementary)
In 1985, George E. Meeks, Jr. earned a Bachelors of Science degree in the Biology from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. After graduating, George worked as an In-School Suspension Teacher and Substitute Teacher in Roanoke, VA. In 1987, George decided to pursue a career in the corporate arena and secured positions with ITT Technologies, Hercules Incorporated, Coca Cola Bottling, and Pepsi Bottling. During his corporate career, he worked in Quality Assurance in various positions ranging from Laboratory Technician to Quality Engineer to Laboratory Supervisor.
In late summer of 2005, George returned to education and became a long-term substitute teacher for the IB Middle School Science Program in the Roanoke city school system. In this role George was challenged to teach science to seventh graders from diverse background as well as those who had been labeled as “not likely to succeed in the pursuit of their education”. This experience reacquainted George with his love for educating others and inspiring them to succeed. George has been praised for his patience and ability to simplify complex subject matter into more understandable components. In a desire to move closer to family members, George relocated to NC and joined Phoenix Montessori Academy as the Assistant Upper Elementary Teacher in August of 2006. He uses his multiple talents to serve as the Science Instructor for all elementary students and also serves as the After-School coordinator.
Brandi Kilgore
Middle School Intern
Brandi has four years teaching experience, three of which have been at Phoenix Montessori. Her son Liam began attending Phoenix at the Toddler level and is now in the Primary program. Brandi earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she graduated cum laude from the Honors Program. Currently, she is enrolled in Secondary I&II training program at the Houston Montessori Center under the direction of Dr. Betsy Coe. Dr. Coe is the American Montessori Society’s recipient of the Living Legacy award for 2008.
Brandi will also enroll in Endicott College to pursue a Master’s degree in Education specializing in Montessori and Integrated Learning.
Carla McGrath
Middle School Intern
Originally from Louisiana, Carla has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of New Orleans. In 1996 she earned her Montessori Primary credential and became a Lead Primary teacher at that time. Carla has earned numerous continuing education hours and certificates in areas as diverse as Reading, Special Education and Pyschology. She has spent this past summer in Houston earning her Montessori Middle School credential and will be moving to the Middle School/High School enironment, beginning Fall 2008.
Carla is married and has a son in high school.
Steve Benfield
Lower Elementary Teacher
Physical Education Teacher (all grades)
Steve has ten years of Montessori classroom teaching experience. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from University of North Carolina-Wilmington and then continued studies to become Montessori I & II certified (grades 1-3 and 4-6). In addition to teaching in the classroom, Steve has been the physical education coordinator and instructor to children enrolled at all levels of the Montessori curriculum, primary through middle school.
Kathy Brennan
Assistant Teacher, Lower Elementary
Art Teacher (all grades)
Kathy began her teaching career after earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education with a major in Art. Her first position was as an instructor in a Behavior Disorder classroom. She then became a one-on-one teacher for a special needs student. Before moving to North Carolina, she held the position of Art instructor for two years in a traditional classroom environment. For the past seven years, Kathy has been teaching Art in a Montessori environment. In addition, she has worked as assistant teacher the past three years in both Upper and Lower Elementary Montessori classrooms. She says she is loving every minute!
Beverly Pope
Teacher, Primary I Classroom
Beverly has been teaching children in the Primary level of the Montessori curriculum for seven years. She earned her A.A.S. degree in Chemical Technology then attended UNCC for Elementary Education: Kindergarten through 6th grade. She also serves as a Christian Formation Leader for children ages 6 - 9 years old in a Montessori based program called The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Beverly’s two youngest children, who are now twenty-three and twenty, attended a Montessori school both beginning at the primary level through to middle school
.
Heidi Kelly Sanders
Teacher, Primary II Classroom
Heidi’s teaching experience began with the YMCA child watch and preschool programs in 1997. In 2001, she discovered Montessori while researching educational alternatives for her children, and left her preschool position to accompany them on their journey at local Montessori school. She worked as a teaching assistant, first under Ms. Tammie at the toddler level and then as an assistant at the Primary level. In 2003, she and her husband added a Montessori classroom in their home, when she home schooled her children for 2 years. In 2005, Heidi enrolled her children at Phoenix and was finally afforded the opportunity to pursue her AMS Primary Montessori credential with Montessori Opportunities, Inc. under Peter Larrow. In 2006, she was thrilled to be invited to join the PMA family as a staff member.
In Heidi’s life before marriage and children, she earned her associate’s degree in Horse Science Technology and then attended William Woods University in Fulton, MS, where she studied Equestrian Science under Gayle Lampe.
Tammie Wilson
Lead Teacher, Toddler I Classroom
Summer Camp Coordinator
Tammie received her B.A. in Business Administration from Belmont Abbey College in 1994. She then earned Infant/Toddler Credentials from the Center for Montessori Teacher Education in New York in 1998. She is currently seeking her Daycare Administrator Credential from CPCC.
Her Montessori teaching experience includes: 11 years as a Toddler Lead Teacher and 6 years as a Summer Camp Coordinator in a Montessori Program serving children 18 months to 12 years of age. Tammie also worked for one year as an After School Coordinator in a traditional setting, serving children ages 4 years to 13 years of age. Before entering the field of education, Tammie was a nanny for 3 month old twin girls and a 6 year old boy.
Brandy Anovick
Assistant Teacher, Toddler I Classroom / Music Instructor
Brandy earned her bachelors of Music from Belmont University, in Nashville, TN where she studied vocal performance. She began giving voice lessons after she got married and moved to Connecticut. In Fairfield, Connecticut, she did graduate work at Sacred Heart University and earned her Elementary Education Certification and taught in a public school for one year. She has two children, MacKenna, 6 and Cooper, 3, and they are the reason she came to Phoenix. She has been teaching music at Phoenix for 3 years and is now the assistant toddler teacher. She has been performing since she was 8 years old, so music has always been a very big part of her life. She hopes her love of music shines through and helps the students to develop their own life-long love of music!
Roxanne Cooper
Teacher, Toddler II Classroom
Roxanne received her Associates degree in Early Childhood Education from Central Piedmont Community College. She taught one year at Bethel Presbyterian Church Weekday Program. It was during that year that a parent introduced her to Montessori.
Roxanne attended the North Carolina Center for Montessori Education where she received her Infant/Toddler Certification. She has taught in a Montessori classroom for ten years, serving as the lead instructor for most of that time. After taking some personal time off, Roxanne joined Phoenix in 2006 to serve as the Assistant Teacher in the Toddler classroom with Tammie Wilson.
Dominique Rabouin
Dominique Rabouin was born and raised in France and Africa. She earned a Master’s Degree in English from the University of Pau, spent a year in Ireland, then returned home to earn another Master’s in Teaching French as a Foreign Language. After moving to the U.S., she taught at VCU in Richmond, VA, and at a language school in Princeton, NJ. There she used the conversational method in which she trained other instructors.
She is eager to combine her academic and professional experiences to create a method for her Phoenix students that enables them to learn and speak French.
Her 4 children attend Phoenix Montessori. She has called Cornelius home since June 2006.
Bonnie Thompson
Director of Admissions
Bonnie happily joins the Phoenix Montessori staff as one of the original founding parents. Her twins, Olivia and Vaughn, part of the original 17 students, have also been with the school since its inception.
Her career background includes 10 years experience with the payroll and HR information management company, PAYCHEX Inc., in servicing businesses, accounting firms and bank relations. She was their District Sales Manager for Jacksonville and Orlando, Florida, then moved to manage 5 offices covering the North and South Carolina region. She also worked as an Account Executive for ADP in Southern California and with Barrickman & Ernst CPA Firm. She was educated in Business/Finance at East Carolina University.
© 2008, Phoenix Montessori Academy
Photos and videos taken were through the talents of Ms. Gayle Shomer Brezicki.
