Nido |
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Jeanette Kania, Nido Guide A.A. Science & Arts, Early Childhood emphasis The Children's House experience (2015- present)
Jeanette grew up in Traverse City and found Montessori almost ten years ago. She has worked in every 0-3 classroom at the school and loves partnering with families to support children during the first years of their lives. In her spare time, she enjoys knitting, reading, and being outside with her husband and their sons, Sascha and Laszlo. |
Young Children's Community |
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Annie Botsford, YCC Guide AMI Assistance to Infancy Diploma, Montessori Northwest, Portland, OR The Children's House experience (2018- present): Annie@traversechildrenshouse.org Annie has worked at The Children's House since the spring of 2018. When she is not at school, Annie enjoys traveling, running, reading, cooking, and spending time with her dog, Willow. Annie was born and raised in Traverse City but spent time living in the Upper Peninsula and Georgia before returning to the area in 2018. She also spent a summer in Portland Oregon, where she completed her Montessori training in 2021. Annie has been a guide in both the Nido and Young Children's Community and continues to be very passionate about the first three years of life. |
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Betsy Bloomquist, YCC Guide Elgin Community College and NW Michigan College The Children's House experience (2001- present) Betsy@traversechildrenshouse.org Betsy has always loved interactions with toddlers and started babysitting at a young age. Betsy has been a part of The Children's House family for over 20 years, as a consistent and positive role model to our Young Children's Community. She feels fortunate to belong to the TCH community as an employee and a parent. Betsy loves spending time with her children, Eva, Estelle and Ephrem, at the beach, at the park and dancing in the living room! Betsy also enjoys running. |
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Emily Walton, YCC Guide B.S., Grand Valley State University, Allied Health Sciences The Children's House experience (2019- present) Emily@traversechildrenshouse.org Emily finds joy in movement and exercise, thrifting, baking, and making music any chance she can! She is a lifelong learner who rarely sits idly, unless she's at the beach with snacks and a good book. |
Primary |
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Chelsea Seals, Primary Guide B.A. Alma College, Elementary Education and Early Childhood Development The Children's House experience (2008 - present): Chelsea@traversechildrenshouse.org Chelsea was born and raised in Traverse City and then moved away to complete her B.A. and Montessori training. After meeting her husband, Mark, and getting married, life took them from coast to coast and back again. They have spent the last six years living in Ohio and made the jump in 2023 to move back to the Traverse City area. It has been such a gift recreating their favorite memories here with their three children - Avery, Piper, and Ollie. We are elated to be a part of The Children's House family. |
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Kristi Johnson, Primary Guide AMI Montessori Primary Certification, Montessori Training Center North East (MTCNE), Hartford, Connecticut The Children's House experience (2023- present): Kristi@traversechildrenshouse.org Kristi has been in Montessori for six years, with three years of experience as a Lead Guide. Kristi recently moved to Michigan in the summer of 2023 from Massachusetts. Prior to her time in New England, Kristi grew up in South Carolina and Georgia. She enjoys backpacking, mountains, flyfishing, thrifting, and playing board games with her partner Taylor Vancil, and their son Steven. |
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Megan Fellows, Primary Guide B.S. Boston University, Early Childhood Education Megan@traversechildrenshouse.org Megan moved to Traverse City in 2016 to join The Children's House community. She spent her childhood moving around South America but always returned to Leelanau County for the summer. Now, she feels lucky to call Michigan her permanent home. Last year, Megan also became a TCH parent. Her daughter, Kennedy, is in the Nido community. Megan is delighted to watch her family fall in love with her happy place. |
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Taylor Vancil, Primary Guide AMI Primary Diploma, Montessori Training Center North East (MTCNE), Hartford, Connecticut The Children's House experience (2014- present): Taylor@traversechildrenshouse.org Taylor graduated from Florida State University in December of 2012 with a degree in Social Sciences. During her time at FSU she played on the Seminoles nationally-ranked soccer team. In her time away from TCH she enjoys spending as much time as she can hiking, kayaking, or road-tripping to the Upper Peninsula. |
Lower Elementary |
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Jaime Janiszewski, Lower Elementary Guide AMI Montessori Elementary Certification, Montessori Institute of North Texas The Children's House Experience: (2020 - present): jaime@traversechildrenshouse.org Jaime is a member of the TCH community as a parent and teacher. She enjoys spending time with her family and animals by exploring Northern Michigan and its abundant beauty on hikes, at the beach, camping, and riding bikes. Jaime also enjoys improv, theatre, learning new things, and reading. |
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Carey Wendell, Lower Elementary Guide B.S. Genetics, University of California-Davis The Children's House Experience: (2025 - present): carey@traversechildrenshouse.org Carey attended Montessori for primary school, where she grew up, in Berkeley, CA. She has experience working in private Montessori schools. She also serves as an Elementary Montessori teacher trainer at the Michigan Montessori Teacher Education Center. When she is not teaching, Carey enjoys gardening and baking, as well as listening to and performing music. She and her husband Doug have two children (both Montessori kids). They live and work on the East Coast, Liz in New Haven, CT, and Jae in Brooklyn, NY. Carey's mom, Patt, and her extended family have deep roots in Leelanau County. You may even spot Patt serving up cider at 2K Cider and Winery. Carey is looking forward to joining the TCH staff and moving to the TC area! |
Upper Elementary |
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Jamie Schaub, Upper Elementary Guide B.A. Kalamazoo College, psychology and art The Children's House experience (2012-present) Jamie@traversechildrenshouse.org Jamie is a lifelong learner choosing to spend her moments working on art projects, reading books, growing food and flowers, trying new recipes, canoeing and hiking. She lives in a home she built with her partner Brenin in the woods with her dog Rue, cat Pancho, and is awaiting a foster placement. |
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Karin Church, Upper Elementary Guide B.A. University of California at Davis, French, International Relations J.D. Boston University School of Law Karin@traversechildrenshouse.org Living in the Traverse City area since 2005, Karin has greatly enjoyed spending time with her family at home and on the many stunning beaches and gorgeous trails available. Recent empty-nesters, she and Bill also love to visit their children at their respective colleges, garden, read and attend a variety of music and theatre performances at local venues. |
Compass Junior High |
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Kristina Weidenfeller, Adolescent Guide B.A. Michigan State University, Special Education K-12 Kristina@traversechildrenshouse.org Kristina has been a parent at TCH since 2006, and an employee since 2009. She has had many roles during her tenure; room parent, summer yoga instructor, coach, Kitchen Classroom, Earth to Table, and Junior High Guide. She enjoys time with her family, outdoor sports of all seasons, reading, and new adventures. Kristina appreciates that TCH community provides so many opportunities for not only students to explore and share their interests, but adults are encouraged to as well. |
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Tori Craig, Adolescent Guide B.A. Psychology, Portland State University The Children's House experience (2021-present) After a decade working with nonprofits and farms for food justice, Tori realized being with young people was the common feature of her favorite jobs and decided to pursue teaching. She is energized by the potential for creativity and change she finds in the classroom. The Montessori method felt like home right away. Her favorite of Maria Montessori's books is Education for Peace. Tori grew up in Cincinnati, OH and Portland, OR where she learned to love the northwoods. She lives in Maple City at the end of a dirt road. |
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Isabel Forster, Adolescent Guide B.A., Oglethorpe University, International Studies
MSc, London School of Economics and Political Science, Environment and Development
isabel@traversechildrenshouse.org A native of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Isabel bounced around the East Coast United States, United Kingdom, and Norway for her higher education. She recently pursued a postgraduate at the London School of Economics Department of Geography. When not reading and writing, Isabel enjoys learning about all things ecology and exploring the great outdoors. She is thrilled to join The Children's House community as an Adolescent Guide this year and continue her education in the Montessori method. |
