Staff

Miss Camille, Director of Education

It is difficult to write my biography without acknowledging the many teachers in my past who have guided me and have provided excellent learning experiences. I owe so much to education and to those who have devoted their lives to sharing their love of learning with children. I am proud to join their ranks.

As a child, I attended school in Lakota, North Dakota. I enjoyed participating in many extracurricular events and organizations and was excited to graduate and begin my college career at Valley City State University. After completing a degree in Elementary Education, I attended Minnesota State University Moorhead and earned my Master's Degree in Special Education. Professionally, I began to teach in both public and private schools and earned a credential in Montessori Education. I am currently a Doctoral Candidate in Curriculum and Instruction, studying at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota, where my field of study includes both general and special education and autism. My current position at Children's Montessori Center is that of Director of Education. I also teach at Minnesota State University in the School of Teaching and Learning.

I enjoy reading biographies, studying art, hiking and camping, and writing. I am involved in church and volunteer activities, and believe it is important to spend time with friends and family. My husband and I, along with our four children, love to explore the North Woods of Minnesota. We also enjoy traveling - our most recent family trip was to Washington, D.C. While I presented at a Montessori conference, the rest of my family visited museums and landmarks. We all had a wonderful and memorable time.

I have a strong respect for families and children, and hope to devote my professional career to supporting early education and the education of those who wish to become teachers. I believe in partnering with parents and families to bring out the best in each child, and am honored to be a part of the lives of young learners.

Mr. Jason, Administrator/Director

As a child my family moved quite a bit. Though I primarily grew up in Austin, Texas, I lived for short periods of time in cities in Wisconsin, Illinois, Tennessee and Minnesota. Without a doubt, living in so many places was in some ways a great experience, giving me an opportunity to know the diversity of people and places. The changes and transitions that I made throughout my childhood certainly had an effect on how I would deal with my everyday situations and my relationships with people. I was happy but also unsure, insecure of how I fit in with my peers. The idea of being 'part of the group' seemed to pass me by. Ultimately these experiences are what lead me to teaching and working with children.

As a young adult, the last thing I would ever have done was stand in front of a classroom full of people and talk. This to me seemed to be the kind of situation to avoid, something I was growing accustomed to doing. I attended college at Bemidji State University where for the first couple of years was not sure what I really wanted to do. Music has always been my passion and I studied theory and composition for a short time. But again, I didn't feel like I fit into the program and eventually left it. Then my son was born and he became my world. The thing I remember most about raising him in the early years was that there would be a lot of things I would need to do with him if he were to have the experiences and opportunities that I wanted him to have. I didn't necessarily want him to be a 'little me'. So, we went places and did things that were out of my comfort zone but as he grew up I could see in him the joy and curiosity that came as a result of his experiences.

Using what I had learned in my life, I realized while still in college that what I really wanted to do was help kids. I know, still, that feeling of having to say goodbye to my mom on the first day of school and wanting to cry. Or wondering who I could sit with at lunch time when I didn't really know anybody. This is why I especially wanted to work with younger children. I graduated from Bemidji State with an elementary teaching degree and immediately found a job in Moorhead. So for 12 years I stood up in front of a classroom full of people and talked. Each year I enjoyed it more and more. And it never was about 'standing up and talking' but rather working with and getting to know people and hopefully make a difference in someone's life along the way.

The other wonderful thing that happened is that my wife, Camille, was also a teacher at the same school. She more than anyone has helped me continue to grow and learn about myself. Together we have four great kids and a truly complete life. It has always been our desire to have our own school and, thanks in particular to my dad's hard work, vision and determination, Children's Montessori Center is that school. I left Moorhead Public Schools in the summer of 2008 to devote all of my time to this school. I have enjoyed getting to know the families and especially the children and look forward to each new school year.

Miss Anne Marie, Instructor

I recently moved to Fargo from St. Paul where I taught in a Montessori school for the past 10 years. I grew up in the north woods of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, so the plains of North Dakota are a different landscape for me. We moved here when my husband Bruce was offered a position at NDSU. He is a professor at NDSU in the English department. The two of us were introduced by a longtime friend of Bruce's, when her son Dominic was a student in my class. Sometimes matchmaking does work! This past year has been full of changes for both of us-recently married, new jobs, and a new home. We both feel blessed to have found jobs that fit both our passions and life work. We would like to become involved in the community and growth of Fargo.

I have a BA degree in Elementary Education from St. Norbert College and received my Montessori certification through the College of St. Catherine. I had the honor of being trained by a native Sri Lankan woman who was trained by Dr. Maria Montessori herself. I also bring a new prospective to the traditional Montessori educational method with my experience and training in the Reggio Emilia approach. I did a study tour of the early childhood schools in the city of Reggio Emilia, Italy, in 2003. My own Italian heritage is a definite component in my interest in Montessori and Reggio Emilia, which are both Italian teaching methods.

I discovered Montessori when I was a nanny for a young boy in a Montessori school in Connecticut and was intrigued to learn more about the method. I lived in Connecticut and Massachusetts and discovered a natural affinity for the history and landscape of New England. While there, I lived a somewhat gypsy life, working various jobs and travelling. Years later I moved to Minnesota to be nearer my family. Currently, my family is scattered from coast to coast. I settled in a St. Paul neighborhood with a Montessori school, reentered the early childhood teaching profession, and earned my Montessori certification.

My own interests and passions in life are integrated into my work with children. Children have a natural sense of wonder and curiosity. Everything is new and fresh to them. My wonder in the world is captured in my interests. I love reading and poetry. Animals and nature are instant pleasures for me. I love dogs--especially large breeds. Golden and Labrador retrievers are my favorites. My husband and I recently bought a house here in Fargo with a fenced backyard. Perfect for a dog(s). My small town upbringing gave me a natural curiosity to explore new places. Travel allows a fresh and different perspective on cultures and people. My most unusual travel was when I lived on a small Pacific atoll for a month while my sister was a volunteer in the Peace Corps in the Marshall Islands. I also have had the privilege of tracing my ancestry and visiting the villages of my grandparents in Italy and Slovenia. Along with travel, I equally enjoy the thrill of flight. Years ago I took flying lessons. One of my proudest achievements was the day I soloed my own plane. Even today, I love flying on commercial jets. My interest in space and moon explorations are an extension of my love of flight.

It is a privilege to be working alongside such a dedicated and professional team of teachers and management.

Miss Kristal, Instructor

I am content to say "I am living my dream". As a young girl, you might guess my favorite game was playing school. For Christmas one year I got a huge stand-up double-sided green chalk board that I could spin and write on both sides. As an only child, my stuffed animals were often my pupils but occasionally I was able to get even my most unwilling friends to playschool. Here at Children's Montessori Center, I am challenged with the purpose of guiding the most capable children to become 21st century learners who are ready to excel and become leaders in today's changing world. I am invigorated by all the ideas that the children give me to prepare work that is both beautiful and purposeful to them. This lets me channel another love of mine, which is a love of making art, through guiding the children to read, write, build, paint or use other artistic media.

I grew up in South Carolina and lived there until I went to college in Florida. Originally, I stared my teaching program at Daytona State College, Daytona and later transferred to the University of Florida, Gainesville. After obtaining my B.A. in Elementary Education, I went on to teach in a Multi-Age program while obtaining my M.Ed. in Special Education. My mentor teacher, whom I value dearly, was inspired by the Reggio Method, and encouraged me to find out about it for myself. Through her training, I learned how to prepare hands-on interactive materials, integrate activities which allow for multiple intelligences in order to encourage children to use their strengths to learn. I learned to follow my students' interests and create project-based activities while encouraging and teaching collaborative structures in which children strengthen academic and socials skills by becoming "experts" and sharing what they know with others. Lastly, along with my mentor's help I was able to empower the children and document their learning by listening and recording their words and actions while collaborating with them to co-author classroom books, encourage independent creative and non-fiction writing, and create portfolios that strengthened the children's positive behavior while serving as a concrete example of all the hard work that occurred throughout the year. Before I graduated, I began assisting at Flower's Montessori School, which has been in operation for 32 years, under the direction of another mentor whom I deeply value. Now I am so appreciative of the opportunity to be a lead teacher here at Children's Montessori Center, Fargo, North Dakota.

My personal interests are reading all kinds of books and tea tasting. I have two pet cockatiels that I love and like to spend time with. Now that I have achieved my dream of becoming a successful teacher, it is time for me to "dream bigger"! I would like to write books or articles about teaching methods and learning outcomes: I would also like to write and illustrate my own children's books. I know that with the wonderful children and families that I am fortunate to work with daily, I will have the energy and inspiration to achieve this dream too!

Bob Brandt, Administrator/Owner

I grew up in Hibbing, Minnesota, a small mining town in the North East corner of that wonderful state. After graduating from Hibbing High School, I attended Hibbing State College. In the early 70's I began my career in the retail food business. I was responsible for a group of stores while holding the position of General Manager for my own retail unit. I was a member of various civic organizations including different Chamber of Commerce and Kiwinas chapters throughout the state of Texas. I received various recognition awards while in the grocery business but the one I am especially proud of was called "Heroes for Children" presented by then Governor of Texas, George Bush. I retired in 2005.

While most people retire and move South, my wife Rosemary and I were lured out of the state of Texas by our wonderful grandchildren. We moved back north to Alexandria, Minnesota. There, we enjoyed being closer to two of our sons, Todd and Jason both of whom lived in Fargo, North Dakota. We have a third son Jon who lives in Portland, Oregon. We currently reside in Moorhead, Minnesota.

The format for the Children's Montessori Center was enthusiastically researched and formulated in late 2005 by my wife and me along with my son Jason and his wife Camille. My two other children Todd and Jon also played a big role in the school. Todd hand crafted a great deal of the furniture while Jon created the web site for the school. The heart and soul of the school belong to Jason and Camille.

It is my goal that the school provides the best possible learning environment for the children. I stand behind our mission statement: Our commitment and passion will guide us to provide the highest quality of early childhood education where students thrive as respectful, joyful, healthy children.