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Administration & Faculty

Martha Carver
Head of School
Children’s House Lead Teacher

Ms. Martha joined the Rock Prairie Montessori staff in 1998. She received her American Montessori Society preprimary certification from Seattle University in 1988, certification in Montessori Applied to Children at Risk from Southern Methodist University and a Nursery School Management Certificate from California State at San Bernadino. She taught for 12 years at Crystal Lake Montessori in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and also taught at Heritage Montessori in Ridgecrest, Calif., and Countryside Montessori in Gurnee, Ill. In addition, she has taught English and reading at an International School in Yokohama, Japan. In volunteer service to the community, Ms. Martha was appointed a trustee of the McHenry County Conservation District in Illinois, a public open space agency with land holdings of over 21,000 acres. She and her husband Andy have a small business that has grown out of their interest in native prairie seeds and plants and two adult sons.

 

Robyn R. Doege-Brennan
Operations Manager

Ms. Robyn begins her fifth year at Rock Prairie Montessori School with “a passion for music” and a “love of children”. This enthusiasm combined with her experience, both in private and group instruction, and education (including a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance with Piano Minor from Illinois Wesleyan University, as well as a certification in Kindermusik ) will give the RPMS students a great experience in the world of music. She also provides private piano lessons after school. Robyn will also utilize her over fifteen (18) years business experience, ten (10) of those being in a management capacity, in oversight of the day-to-day operation of our business office.

 

Linda Maybee
Director of Development and Planning

Ms. Linda begins her sixth year at RPMS and has a bachelor’s degree from UW-Whitewater with majors in both Psychology and Organizational Communications. For the past five years she has served as an Assistant Teacher with Ms. Nancy.  Last year she also was the Music Teacher for the Children’s House and Young Child Classes.  Before joining Rock Prairie Montessori School, she spent several years at home raising her two children. During that time she successfully built a home business, established and coordinated a local MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) Group and was a substitute aide for the Janesville School District.  Some of her interests include cooking, reading, spending time with family and friends, golf, music and singing. It is her desire to continue to positively impact the lives of children and their families as she builds relationships with the children and families of Rock Prairie Montessori in her new position this year.

Faculty

Casey Alderman
Montessori Enrichment Lead Teacher

Ms. Casey is starting her second year at RPMS having joined our staff in 2007.   She earned her Wisconsin Early Childhood I and II certification from Blackhawk Technical College in 2004, and is near the completion of her associates degree in Early Childhood Education. Before coming to Rock Prairie Montessori School Casey taught preschool in Beloit for two years. She was also a before and after school program supervisor in the Janesville Public School system. In her spare time, Casey enjoys cooking, reading and spending time with family and friends.

 

Kristen Canfield
Young Child Assistant Teacher

Ms. Kristen is new to Rock Prairie Montessori School. She looks forward to being a part of the Young Child class this fall. Miss Kristen received her Bachelor of Art’s degree in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis in fine arts from Bradley University. Next year she is looking forward to taking Montessori training. Before coming to Rock Prairie she worked at Christ United Methodist Preschool Center in Rockford, Illinois. She has also worked at a Montessori school in Moline, Illinois prior to getting married in October 2007. After which she moved to the Beloit area with her husband Jon, 2 cats and turtle. In her spare time she enjoys cooking, golfing, scrap booking, traveling, watching movies and decorating her new home in Rockton.

 

Amy Daniel
Young Child Lead Teacher

Ms. Amy begins her eighth year at RPMS. Amy has a bachelor’s degree from Edgewood College in Madison and is certified in preschool-sixth grade education, with an emphasis on nutrition and Spanish.   She received her Montessori certification from Montessori Education Centers Associated. Before joining the Rock Prairie Montessori staff in 2000, Miss Amy worked at the Gingerbread House Learning Center in Janesville. She has taught in both the Children’s House and Young Child programs at RPMS and implemented the Spanish language program at RPM. Her interests include physical fitness, knitting, and spending time with her husband, Matt and two children: Jack and Katherine.

 

Nancy Horabik
Children’s House Lead Teacher
Extended Day Teacher

Ms. Nancy will begin her ninth year at RPMS. She received her Montessori certification from Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center in 1972 and attended UW-Whitewater where she studied communicative disorders. She's taught at Montessori schools in Appleton and Racine, Wis., and, for 10 years, at Gingerbread Learning Center in Janesville. She raised four children, including one set of twins. Ms. Nancy's youngest daughter is deaf so she learned sign language to communicate with her and went on to teach sign language to children for seven years. She continues to support her children's interests and enjoys her grandchildren. "My greatest interest has always been children, and helping them to have a great start in life," says Nancy.

 

Mary Kline
Children’s House Lead Teacher
Extended Day Teacher
Montessori Enrichment and Summer School Director

Ms. Mary begins her eighth year at RPMS. Mary received her Montessori Certification from Montessori Education Centers Associated, Claredon Hills, Illinois in 2006. She earned her Wisconsin Early Childhood I and II certification from Blackhawk Technical College in 2002. From 2003 through 2005 Mary developed and was lead teacher for the Montessori Enrichment Program at RPMS. As current Director of Montessori Enrichment Mary will continue to supervise curriculum for this successful program as well as perform her duties as a Children’s House/Extended Day lead teacher. In 2008 she became the Director of RPMS Summer School Program.  Mary brings over 13 years of experience working with young children having taught pre-kindergarten at Community Presbyterian Preschool in Hampton, Virginia prior to moving to Wisconsin. When not in school, Mary enjoys reading and spending time with her family.

 

Kris Klobucar
Elementary Co-Teacher

Ms. Kris begins her sixth year at RPMS. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in Secondary Education, Broadfield Social Studies major, and History minor. She taught civics and geography at FJ Turner High School in Beloit for eight years.  Kris is in the process of earning her Elementary I certification through Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center. She enjoys spending time with her husband Jerry and their children Jack, Sam, Will.

 

Marian Schnieder
Physical Education Instructor
Library Program Coordinator

Ms. Marian will begin her fifth at Rock Prairie Montessori School.  She brings many skills and talents to the RPMS staff such as being fluent in German, an accomplished organist and a certified USAG Gymnastics Instructor. Ms. Marian received her BS in Microbiology (with German minor) from Purdue University in Indiana where she earned distinguished student status. She has worked in both public and private schools in Janesville as well as developing and maintaining several gymnastics programs at the YMCA. In her free time, Marian enjoys biking, roller blading and jumping on the trampoline with her children.

 

Camille Vetterkind
Children’s House Assistant Teacher

Ms. Camille is beginning her second year with RPMS. She holds an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education and in Teacher Preparation from El Paso Community College, which she completed in 2006.  She plans to continue to pursue a degree in Education. Camille is fluent in the Spanish language. She enjoys working with children and being a positive part of their lives. Camille comes to us from Texas and now resides in Wisconsin due to her husband being active in the military. Camille enjoys spending time with her husband, Vincent, and their two children Vida and Cisco. She also enjoys reading and playing board games.

 

Bonnie Sue White
Elementary Teacher

Ms. Bonnie Sue joined Rock Prairie Montessori Staff in 2007. She and her husband relocated to Wisconsin from Central Illinois to assume the position of lead elementary teacher. Bonnie Sue received a BS degree in Elementary Education from SIU-E and taught for a couple of years before becoming a stay-at-home mom while raising four children, but always working with many children outside her family through church, neighborhood, and school volunteering. She formally reentered the field of education when her youngest child began school. She taught for ten years in a Christian school, 1 year of social studies in a public middle school, and another ten years in a public Montessori school. Bonnie Sue holds Montessori certificates in Early Childhood (3-6), Elementary I (6-9) and Elementary II (9-12) from Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center. Bonnie Sue and her husband continue to enjoy their growing family. She currently finds her Early Childhood Montessori training very valuable for their grandchildren and loves the opportunity to use her Elementary Montessori training with the students at Rock Prairie Montessori School.


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“Going Beyond the Common Classroom ExperienceSM” by enhancing the lives of children, families and society through a peaceful, diverse, Montessori-guided education where children gain appreciation and respect for themselves, nature, the arts, humanity, and the community in which they live.”

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