Faculty and Staff
A high quality education for your child starts with highly qualified teachers in the classroom. At Mountaineer Montessori, you’ll find experienced and dedicated faculty and staff who are passionate about education and committed to nurturing your child’s unique potential. MMS faculty train at AMS or AMI affiliated programs (see below) and bring more than 250 combined years of professional education experience — 200+ in authentic Montessori classrooms — to MMS. Our teachers have received specialized training in Positive Discipline and our faculty includes certified Positive Discipline Parent Educators.
You can learn more about their specialized training and credentials here.
Mountaineer Montessori is an American Montessori Society (AMS) Pathways to Continuous School Improvement program school. Pathways, a mission-driven, standards-based process that helps schools achieve and maintain Montessori excellence, is administered by AMS, the nation’s foremost Montessori organization. MMS is the only full member AMS school in West Virginia.
Meet our faculty (please see the biography section for each department for complete descriptions of each faculty member’s experience and education.)

Jennifer Carriger
Director

Beth George
Assistant Director

Julie Margolis
Financial Aid Administrator

Salma Badawi
Administrative Assistant

Brooke Young Administrative Assistant/Development Director

John Elswick Facilities

Samantha
Van Den Berghe-Lynch
Toddler Lead Guide

Sara Spolrich Toddler Guide

Tiffany Reynolds
Toddler Assistant

Brianne Parsons
Primary I Guide

Stephanie Spradling
Primary II Assistant

Angela Walker Primary II Lead Guide

Maria Kershner-Leon
All Day Montessori Primary Assistant

Margaret Lawrence
All Day Montessori Primary Assistant

Susie Newhouse
Plus Guide
Primary Specialist

Alasha Al-Qudwah
Upper Elementary II Lead Guide

Tara Fought
Lower Elementary I
Lead Guide

Becca Moore
Lower Elementary II
Lead Guide

Emily Christian Upper Elementary I Lead Guide

Sonji Byers-Baldwin
Lower Elementary I Assistant

Sarah Galaska Art Specialist/Elementary Assisant

Mike Parsons Upper Elementary II Assistant

Shannon Reeves
Lower Elementary II Assistant

Sara Lloyd Upper Elementary I Assistant

Karen Kelly
Upper Elementary I Assistant/
Elementary Specialist

Sarah Halstead
Middle School Guide

Dr. Emily Beal
Middle School Guide/ Math and Science Teacher

Maria Kershner-Leon
Foreign Language Specialist

Sarah Galaska
Creative Expression Specialist

Bernard di Gregorio
Strings Teacher

Sarah Galaska
Art Teacher

Karen Kelly Elementary Science Specialist

Maria Kershner-Leon
Foreign Language Specialist
Plus Program Assistant

Margaret Lawrence
Reading Specialist

Julie Margolis
PE Consultant

Karen Morris
Music Teacher

Dr. Ray Singleton
Reading Specialist

Darlene Spangler
Reading Specialist

Evan Young
Physical Expression
After School Enrichment Specialist
After School Plus Program Faculty

Karen Kelly
Plus Program Director

Susie Newhouse
Plus Program Guide

Janett West Plus Assistant