I discovered Montessori in 2005 when I was looking for the best preschool for my 3-year-old daughter. I will never forget my first visit to a Montessori classroom. Natural sunlight was pouring through the windows, the atmosphere was warm and nurturing, the beautiful wood Montessori materials were carefully displayed and looked very inviting. What struck me the most was how quiet and peaceful the classroom was. There were twenty or so children ages three to six independently working with the hands-on materials. Every child was happy, every child was focused and engaged in purposeful activities. This is what I wanted for my child. My daughter thrived in the Montessori classroom. I loved having the opportunity to observe a few times, particularly her Kindergarten year when she was working on a math work called the 45 Layout. I was blown away watching her do this big Montessori math work where she combined concrete and abstract learning by building a physical place value chart with golden beads and numerals. This work took a lot of focus, concentration, and patience as she counted and labeled each bead from 1 to 9999. It was incredible to watch her working independently with these beautiful concrete materials and self-correcting herself along the way. I was so happy she had the opportunity to learn this way! Unfortunately, when my daughter was in her kindergarten year her Montessori school closed suddenly. I began homeschooling her and a small group of her friends concentrating on music (per my Bachelor of Music degree) and natural science (per my passion for the environment and all living creatures). I took my daughter and her friends to Mohonk Preserve for special hikes and nature lessons with Betty Boomer, one of the Preserve’s educators at that time. Betty showed us her cage of monarch caterpillars and chrysalises. I was as mesmerized as the girls the first time I saw a butterfly burst out of its chrysalis. I’m thrilled that I talked Betty into being the Naturalist for Montessori of New Paltz. I still gasp each time I see a new Butterfly emerge. My love for Montessori deepened as I created this homeschooling environment and researched more about this incredible way of learning. I spent the next year taking my first Montessori training and making plans to open a school. In September 2010, I started Montessori of New Paltz as a home-based day care with 3 students. A few years later we had a waiting list and purchased the house which is our current school on Dubois Road. My goal was to create a beautiful and nurturing atmosphere where a child’s love of learning would begin. In September 2020, to celebrate our 10-year anniversary we expanded and started our elementary program. Our program is such a success that in 2021 we built an addition to create more classroom space. I’m so proud of the extraordinary work our teachers do every day, but particularly during the pandemic creating a safe and nurturing environment while following the strictest CDC guidelines. Our focus continues to be on educating the whole child, with their emotional, physical, social, and academic growth all of equal importance. A little bit more about me… I am an incredibly proud mother of a marine biology student who is passionate about saving our planet, particularly our oceans and all its living creatures. I am a MACTE trained Montessori teacher. I also have a Bachelor of Music Degree in Theory and Composition from Montclair State University. My path to teaching really began in the 7th grade when the organist of my school and church suddenly quit. I was asked to lead the music and play the organ for all of the school masses and taught the 8th graders the music for their graduation. A similar story happened my sophomore year in high school when we were suddenly without a music teacher. I taught all of the music and played the piano for all of the school masses and events including my own graduation. I was also hired by various schools and churches on Staten Island and in New Jersey as well as community and professional theatre companies to musical direct and play the organ and/or piano throughout my high school and college years. From age 16-34 I was the Director of Music, organist and choir director at St. Margaret Mary’s parish as well as St. Paul’s seminary. Prior to becoming a mother and a Montessori teacher, I was a five-time Emmy award-winning Senior Producer of the Rosie O’Donnell Show. I loved creating all of Rosie’s production numbers and booked and produced all of the Broadway performances in addition to producing hundreds of celebrity interviews. The best days of my television career were producing two hour long specials with Barbra Streisand. My prime-time TV credits include the Tony Awards, the TV Guide Awards, and A Rosie Christmas. My love of music and musicals was obvious in my classroom where my philosophy is, “Why say it if you can sing it?” For over 30 years I have volunteered for Stockings with Care, an all-volunteer organization that fulfills the wishes of children living in crisis. I am a co-founder of this wonderful non-profit and was co-president from 1992-2010. I also created and ran our subsidiary organization First Day NY from 2007-2013. Donors for First Day created a personalized backpack for a child which included an outfit for the first day of school as well as books for his/her personal library and all the necessary school supplies to start a successful school year.