Meet our team of dedicated educators

FOUNDER & DIRECTOR

Maria completed her American Montessori Society training at New England Montessori Training Education Center. She began her career at Newburyport Montessori School in Massachusetts fifteen years ago. Here in Austin, she helped open Austin’s first public charter Montessori school, and was also a lead instructor at a private Montessori school for 4 years. Montessori education has been her life’s passion and she is thrilled and honored to continue this work with the Childrens House families. In her free time, she loves exploring Austin with her husband and two sons.

LEAD GUIDE- PRIMARY

Emma graduated from Southwestern University with a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology and study abroad experience in Rabat, Morocco. She started her career as a nanny in Austin and developed a passion for encouraging children to be curious about the world around them and confident in themselves and their abilities. Emma recieved her American Montessori Society credential at the Gulf Coast Montessori Teacher Education Center. In her free time, she enjoys baking, journaling, and playing with her cats. This will be her forth year in the Primary community.

ASSISTANT GUIDE - PRIMARY

Noelle graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and studied abroad at Oxford University in England during her time there. For 6 years she worked in Marketing/Social Media. However, in the midst of seeking a career change, she remembered her love for working with children and her recurring dream to be a teacher! She has been a Pre-K Teaching Assistant for two years and is so excited to contiune her teaching journey at The Children's House as an Assistant Guide. When she's not pursuing her passion for helping kids grow and learn through education, she enjoys reading, writing poetry, traveling, watching movies, and hanging out with her friends in her free time! 

LEAD GUIDE - TOTS

Maggie found her passion for early childhood working as a nanny for many years. She began as a preschool guide, but quickly found a love for working with Tots in a Montessori setting. She completed Early Childhood Education coursework at Front Range Community College and recieved her training from the North American Montessori Center. She was a Lead Tots Guide at the Discovery Montessori Preschool in Fort Collins, Colorado before moving to Austin. She enjoys watching the growth of the children’s personalities and independence. She loves all things cars, cooking, and spending time with her dog, Rocco. This will be her third year in the Tots Community.

ASSISTANT GUIDE - TOTS

Emily gained her foundational knowledge through basic psychology coursework at Austin Community College and many years of experience as a nanny. She has a passion for interpersonal growth and loves to see children make strides in their communication and sense of self. She loves animals and spends as much time as she can with her two sweet pitbulls, Penny and Tuna. This will be her forth year in the Tots community.

LEAD GUIDE - AFTER SCHOOL

Brianna is born and raised in Austin, Tx. She spent most of her childhood playing sports such as basketball, volleyball, softball and kickball. She has over eleven years of early childhood experience from being a nanny, floater, and a lead teacher. She has spent most of her life caring for children and helping them grow. Working with children has always been a passion of hers. She enjoys seeing the efforts made by children and their moments of success. Her two best friends are her 2 year old niece and 1 year old nephew. She loves animals, coloring, being outside, taking walks and shopping. This will be her second year in afterschool.

ASSISTANT GUIDE-AFTER SCHOOL

Lauren has an Associate's in Behavioral Sciences from San Jacinto Community College and works to facilitate the best learning environment she can for those in her care, with a focus on the social and emotional aspect of schooling. Above all, she strives to help children feel confident, safe, and better prepared to explore the parts of life they might otherwise shy away from. Over the last four years, Lauren has worked in various childcare settings including babysitting, YMCA childcare, afterschool programs, and  even lifeguarding a children's pool play-zone. Outside the classroom, Lauren gardens, bakes desserts, plays tabletop games, and makes recycled paper as a way to unplug and enjoy the slower side of life!