Jump to: Young Children's Community | Primary | Elementary | Junior High | Substitutes
Nido
|
|
AMI Assistance to Infancy Diploma, Montessori Northwest, Portland, OR Annie has worked at the children’s house since the spring of 2018. She recently completed her AMI Assistants to Infancy training through Montessori Northwest and is now teaching in the Nido. When she is not with the babies, Annie enjoys traveling, eating, and spending time outside with her dog. |
|
|
|
 |
Katelin Murphy, Classroom Support Katelin has been working at The Children's House since 2013. When she and her husband moved to TC, she left a career in chemical engineering to follow her passion of working with children. In her free time, she enjoys playing sports, crocheting, reading, and spending as much time as possible outside adventuring with her husband and their vizsla! |
|
|
|
Young Children's Community |
|
|
|
B.S. Family Studies, University of New Hampshire Jenny grew up in Leelanau County, but lived in Colorado for 12 years where she learned to fly fish, row whitewater and skied her heart out. There, she found Montessori and her passion for working with toddlers. She moved back to the area in 2016 with her husband, Jacob, two children, Evelyn and Henry, and dog, Ada. In her spare time, she enjoys downhill and XC skiing, sewing, cooking, gardening and spending time outside. |
|
|
Emily Palmer, Classroom Support Emily has two children at TCH and enjoys motherhood more than anything else. When she has time for herself, it usually involves running or some other form of exercise. Her other passions involve animal rights and veganism. Her motto in life is, "In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” |
 |
Emily Walton, Classroom Support Emily started working at The Children's House in 2019. While working she is also studying to get a B.S. in Allied Health Sciences with a goal of becoming a pediatric physical therapist. Emily loves finding joy in movement and exercise, reading, and making music any chance she can!
|
|
|
Katie Burley, Classroom Support Katie has been married to her husband, Patrick, for over 24 years. Together they have three daughters, Kaylie, Taylor & Anna, who are all nurses and/or in nursing school. Katie grew up in Glen Arbor, love animals, and her happy place is the beach. |
|
|
Jeanette Kania, YCC Guide (on Maternity Leave) A.A. Science & Arts, Early Childhood emphasis The Children's House experience (2015- present) Jeanette has been working with children for over ten years having previously worked as a nanny for a few families in Traverse City. In her spare time, she enjoys knitting, volunteering at the Old Town Playhouse, practicing Spanish and German, and camping with her husband and their rambunctious dog, Powell. |
 |
Elgin Community College and NW Michigan College The Children's House experience (2001- present) |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
B.S. Krakow University, economics Agnes and her husband live on a farm with Icelandic sheep, Nubian goats, chickens, ducks, peacocks, two dogs, three cats and a tortoise. She loves reading mystery stories and classic literature. She is interested in art and history, especially in how people used to live a long time ago. She strives to preserve forgotten skills such as spinning wool and making soaps pioneer style. She likes baking and working in her flower garden. |
|
|
Heidi Benvin, Classroom Support
|
|
|
|
 |
Brian Thelen, Classroom Support B.S. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, Applied Science & Engineering M.S. Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, Engineering Management AMI Montessori Adolescents Certification, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH Brian has been at Children’s House since 2018 serving in different capacities from Nido to Junior High. Previously, he was a Montessori Adolescent Guide for 15 years at International Montessori in Brussels, Belgium. The Montessori approach falls in line with Brian’s other interests as a Circular Economy consultant and land steward for a local nature conservancy. |
Primary |
|
|
|
Alison Breithaupt, Primary Guide
Alison@traversechildrenshouse.org Alison is a native of Traverse City. She knew when she graduated from college and met her husband, Eric, this is where she wanted to stay to raise her family. She enjoys all of the outside amenities this area has to offer. Alison has three sons who have all attended The Children's House and feels so fortunate to have found the Montessori philosophy and this school. It has played a big part in her life as an educator and a mom. |
 |
Taylor Fielding, Classroom Support Taylor Fielding has been with The Children’s House for about 6 years and has enjoyed calling Northern Michigan her home since childhood. Her passions include child development, exploring new ways being creative, and plant studies. |
|
|
Marisa Farr, Classroom Support Marisa moved to Traverse City after graduating from Western Michigan University in 2014. In 2019 she joined the Children’s House community and began working in Alison’s classroom as a primary assistant. In her spare time she loves to take her dogs to the beach, paddleboard, rock hunt, hike, travel, garden, and tend to her business, TC Picnic Co. |
|
|
AMI Primary Diploma, Montessori Training Center North East (MTCNE), Hartford, Connecticut The Children's House experience (2014- present): 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. |
|
|
Bnnar Taymour, Classroom Support Bnnar has been working at The Children's House Since 2022. She has been teaching Montessori for over 23 years. Her passions are cooking, music, traveling and spending as much time with her family as possible. |
 |
Grace is joining The Children's House after receiving her bachelor's in Childhood Development and Educational Studies from Earlham College. She has over eight years of experience working with children of all ages and abilities. She has worked in multiple educational settings and is excited to learn more about the Montessori approach. Thus far, her favorite positions working with kids have been as a private nanny, camp counselor, and volunteer yoga/mindfulness teacher for an after-school program. Her joys in life are hiking, journaling, being by the water, and spending time with her young niece and nephews. |
|
|
B.S. Boston University, Early Childhood Education Megan@traversechildrenshouse.org Megan spent her childhood moving around South America and spending summers in Suttons Bay. She enjoys speaking Spanish, cooking, and practicing yoga. Megan moved to Traverse City in June 2016 and has enjoyed getting to know the area with her Daschund Terrier, Molly. |
 |
Brooke Loseke, Classroom Support Brooke is a parent at The Children’s House and has worked here since 2020. Brooke is dedicated to children inside and outside of the classroom through her parent coaching business, Beyond the Room, as well as YouTube channel where she reads children’s books aloud and they can follow along. It’s called Books with Brooke. |
 |
|
|
|
Britny Tollstam, Primary Guide B.A. Family Relations, Spring Arbor University, Spring Arbor, MI The Children's House experience (2003- present): Britny@traversechildrenshouse.org Britny has been with the Children’s House for over 15 years, both as a parent and as a guide. Her two children had the privilege of attending TCH for many cherished years. Britny is passionate about being a life-long learner. She is constantly in search of new classes to attend, hobbies to adopt, or music to listen to. She also enjoys traveling, hiking, camping, and afternoons at the beach. |
|
|
Anna Foulkrod, Classroom Support Anna has been working at The Children's House Since 2010. She was born and raised in Italy and has a son named Peter who moved to traverse City 9 years ago. Her passions are cooking, walking and spending as much time at the beach as possible. |
 |
|
Elementary |
|
|
|
Sandra Besselsen, Lower Elementary Guide B.S., Hope College, Education-Language Arts Composite The Children’s House experience (2016-present) Sandra has been a part of the school community as both a parent and teacher. She feels privileged to work in a community that I have valued as a part of our family for so many years. Before beginning her work at The Children's House, Sandra was Director of Libraries at Interlochen Center for the Arts for 6 years and the K-12 Librarian at Glen Lake Schools for 3. When she is not at work, she loves spending time working in her yard, cooking for friends and family, playing games, taking camping trips in the summer and just goofing around! |
|
|
|
|
|
Nadine Elmgren, Lower Elementary Guide B.A. Marylhurst College, Portland, OR, Education Nadine@traversechildrenshouse.org Nadine lives in Suttons Bay with her husband David, their son Patrick, a TCH alumni, and their Golden Retriever, Sally. She loves being active outdoors year around by enjoying cycling, hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing and skiing. In the summer Nadine spends time in the gardens of Omena Cut Flowers, as the bouquet maker. |
 |
Jana graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BS in elementary education in 2001. She has received her Montessori primary certification from The Seton Montessori Institute in Illinois. She has been a part of TCH off and on since 2003, first as a primary guide, a sub and now elementary support staff. She has two children who are current students at TCH. Jana enjoys traveling, reading and rock hunting. |
|
|
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 Karin enjoys spending time with her two children, Marguerite and Nicolas, her husband, Bill, and dog, Beckham, especially on great swimming days at Elberta Beach. She also loves to go on long, slow runs, ride her bike on the TART trail, read good books, hike Pyramid Point and discover new campgrounds around Michigan. |
|
|
|
|
|
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 dabbling in new art projects, reading books about other cultures, writing poetry in new forms, growing her own food and trying new recipes, picking up new instruments and sports and experimenting with woodworking. She enjoys acquiring new skills and continuing to learn while making time to get outside and enjoy this beautiful place she calls home. |
|
|
JJ Janiszewski, Classroom Support B.A. in Speech Communication from East Central University The Children’s House Experience: (Fall 2020 – present): JJ Janiszewski’s love of and passion for Montessori education began as she watched her children grow and flourish in their Montessori school in Nashville, TN. JJ started at TCH as a parent in the Fall of 2019. In 2020, she began working as a permanent sub, and from 2021 to present as classroom support in Jamie Schaub’s Upper El classroom. In January of 2021, she completed the AMI Elementary Assistant Certification course. In June of 2021, she finally began the journey to get her AMI Elementary diploma and recently completed the 2nd of three summers of training in Dallas, TX with the Montessori Institute of North Texas. JJ loves all things theatre and improv, to explore the outdoors in all seasons, and spending time with her family, Ed, Mollie and Maxon. |
|
|
|
Junior High |
|
 |
Treenen Sturman, Junior High Guide B.A. College of the Atlantic, Maine, Human Ecology Treenen@traversechildrenshouse.org Tree’s interests include the Sciences, US History, and Human Ecology. His hobbies are rock hounding, gardening, ceramics, and hiking. |
 |
Kristina Weidenfeller, Junior High Guide
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. |
|
|
Substitutes |
|
 |
Jack Lankford, Permanent Sub 2 Year Vocational – Early Childhood Education Jack has been working with children for over 4 years. He has experience as a private nanny, in childcare centers as well as internships in various styles of education. He is currently studying child development and education practices through a variety of opportunities. His dream is to make sure every child has access to high quality education. He found The Children’s House through an internship and was interested in Montessori practices. He joined The Children’s House team in October of 2020. In his spare time, Jack can be found in the local gardens and hiking trails or on the bay. Jack also enjoys and participates in the visual arts, botanical studies, public health and education as well as community services. Jack is a lifelong learning who is excited to learn how to aid you and your children through your journey in life! |
 |
Penny Krebiehl, Permanent Sub |
|
Melissa Cole M-F |
Christine Magiera T-F |
Lauren Magnatta M, T, Th, F |
|
Kristi Wassa M and W |
Marie Voss M only |
Rachel Goodman M-F |
