It is a pleasure to serve as the Director of Montclare and a privilege to be part of such a warm and welcoming community. My door is open to our families and staff and I work closely with Montclare’s leadership team and faculty throughout the year to ensure the success of our students.
Over the past 34 years, I have been an educator of preschool and elementary school students and before joining Montclare, I served as Principal at ACS Athens Elementary School, an American school in Greece. I am a certified International School Administrator with a Bachelor of Arts degree from LaVerne University and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Lehigh University. I enjoyed serving as a member on the committee of Institution-Wide-Accreditation of the Middle States Association (MSA). Additionally, I was selected to be a member of the European Council of International Schools (ECIS) Early Childhood in 2010 and has remained an active member of this committee.
Being the Director of Montclare Children’s School allows me to continue pursuing my passion for excellence in education for young children!
I am delighted to be the Education Director for Montclare Children’s School. Prior to becoming the Education Director, I had been a teacher and member of the Montclare community for fifteen years. In that time, I worked with multiple age groups ranging from the youngest two-year-olds all the way up to the oldest four-year-olds. I earned my Master’s Degree in Education from Hunter College and hold professional teaching certification in Early Childhood Education.
As an educator, I have always believed that children learn in many ways and it is essential to expand and adapt teaching philosophies in order to inspire many types of learners. As Education Director, it is my pleasure to work with students and families while supporting the ever-evolving best practices in classroom curriculum.
I am looking forward to meeting your family at the start of your Montclare journey and continuing to get to know you all the way through the end!
I am thrilled to be at Montclare Children’s School as Director of Admissions. Born and raised in upstate NY, I spent many years in Boston where I earned an M.Ed in Guidance and Counseling from Boston University and a BA from Brandeis University. Over the past 20 years, I have worked as a professional and volunteer in educational institutions and non-profit organizations. I taught children with traumatic brain injuries and have directed student services, admissions and public relations, most recently at a NJ private school for toddlers through eighth graders. I am the proud mother of four daughters and I served on the board of trustees and as PTO president at the private school they attended. Please feel free to reach out any time – and share with me what you love about MCS!
When I came to Montclare in 2007, I knew I found a home. I was drawn to the spirit of community and impressed by the commitment to provide the best possible learning foundation for all students. After six years as a head teacher in the Panda Room, I took on my current role in Exmissions.
I began my teaching career in a parochial school on the Lower East Side, and then spent seven years teaching at a private school on the Upper East Side. With a focus on literacy, I became certified in Elementary Ed at St. Peter’s University. In Jersey City, I worked with learning-disabled children in under-served communities. My experience led me to children with communication disorders, especially those on the autistic spectrum, teaching at Learning Spring Elementary and The Rebecca School.
As a head teacher, I was privileged to team with a host of talented educators and related-service providers. At that time I also did private work and collaborated with psychologists to help children with attentional issues and anxiety disorders meet success in the classroom. After a decade of special needs work, I returned for my Masters in Early Childhood at Hunter College.
It is now my privilege to help Montclare families find the right fit for their children as they pursue their educational life in the ongoing schools.
I joined Montclare in 2000, when its doors first opened. Actually, before the doors opened! My most vivid memory of those early days is of sitting in the basement, putting address labels (old-school) on hundreds and hundreds of postcards announcing the opening of our school. We held an open-house on the 2nd floor when it was just a big open space. Before the construction of all the beautiful classrooms you see today, this 2nd floor could have been a roller-skating rink.
After raising my two sons and prior to joining the Montclare team I worked for many years in HR. Now, my day begins by greeting smiling faces at the door and hearing a chorus of “good mornings. Sometimes, on a really good day, I hear “good morning Billie!” Then the real work begins. As the Director of Operations, it is my job to ensure that the school runs smoothly on a daily basis. Feel free to call me a “smooth operator.”
I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to have a job that I love and I am deeply proud to be a part of the Upper West Side, Montclare Community we have built together over the years.