— Maria Montessori
Our Staff

Primary
Primary 1

Julie Shores - Head Teacher
When Julie first encountered Montessori, she was a nanny for a KMS family. While working for them, Julie volunteered at the school. She listened to readers, drove on field trips, and substituted in the classroom.
In 1999, Julie started working as an assistant in the classroom for three years. She then went on to do her Montessori teacher training through Northeast Montessori Institute and earned her primary Montessori AMS teaching credential. Now in her twenty second year here at KMS. She also holds an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from KVCC and earned her BA from UMA in Applied Science with a minor in Early Childhood Services.
She enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching the Red Sox, and working with flowers and plants. You might even spot her selling and taking tickets at many different Winslow High School sporting events. Julie resides in Winslow with her cat, Pumpkin.
Primary 1

Maureen Vashon - Assistant Teacher
Maureen Vashon has been an Assistant Teacher at KMS since 2004. She graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 1990 and moved to Pennsylvania shortly after. Maureen first encountered the Montessori method of teaching at a preschool in Pennsylvania and worked there for two years before having twin boys and moving back to Maine to be closer to family. Once she was back in Maine, she finished her Montessori training and started working at KMS in 1999.
In March of 2000, Maureen left KMS to have her youngest child. Once all her children were in school full time, Maureen returned to KMS as the Assistant Teacher in P-1 with Julie, where she continues today. Maureen has loved being in Julie’s class and has really enjoyed developing her teaching skills in every area of the classroom. She loves watching the children blossom as they grow in Montessori and especially likes doing music and movement with the children any chance she gets!
In her spare time, Maureen loves to sing and is in a community band and sings at church. Maureen also loves to give back by volunteering throughout the community in various capacities. She lives in Winslow with her husband Mike, and three boys, who all attended KMS.
Primary 2

Tabitha LaChance - Head Teacher
She began her journey in education by receiving an associate’s degree in Biotechnology. While working in the Bioscience field, she soon realized it did not suit her. As she moved on to pursue a BA in Biology, she also began working as an Assistant Teacher, here at KMS, in 2005. It was that position that led her to switch gears and complete a BA in Early Childhood Education at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. She also earned an AMS primary credential during her 10 years as assistant to Mary Lou Ogden.
Having seen firsthand the value of the Montessori education for her child, she feels privileged to continue this work in her current role as Head Teacher to provide a solid foundation for continuous growth for other children.
Primary 2

Michelle Cronau - Assistant Teacher
Primary 3

Katie Gilley - Head Teacher
Katie is a Maine native, growing up right here in Central Maine. She studied elementary education at the University of Maine at Orono.
Her very first teaching job was here at KMS as an assistant teacher in the elementary classroom in 2005. Not only did she fall in love with all things Montessori, she decided she would like to pursue her own certification and become a head teacher. That very next summer, Katie began her Montessori teacher training and became the primary 3 classroom teacher that fall. She later went on to earn a Masters of Education from Endicott College in Beverly, MA.
Katie is a mom of two young children, a daughter and son, who both attend KMS. She loves spending time outdoors and staying active with her family.
Primary 3

Angela Gimond - Assistant Teacher
Angie was born in Bolivia but grew up in northern Chile. She moved to the US in 1989, and spent a few years in Virginia before moving to Florida. There, she worked as a daycare teacher at a public elementary school. After many vacations to Maine, she and her husband quickly grew fond of the state and decided to seek a homesteading lifestyle there. In 2006, they moved to Maine, and they bought a 150-year-old farmhouse where they grow food and raise chickens.
Angie started work at KMS in 2007, where she first learned of the Montessori philosophy—a philosophy she was quick to embrace. She enjoys working with children and is particularly keen in sharing in their curiosity of life in general.
Outside of work, Angie enjoys gardening, camping, crafting, and zumba.
Elementary
Lower Elementary 1

Elizabeth Hoffman - Head Teacher
Elizabeth graduated summa cum laude from The State University of New York with a B.S. in Environmental Science. She holds an AMS teaching credential for Elementary I-II, as well an M.Ed in Special Education. Elizabeth is a proud faculty member at the Montessori Elementary Teacher Training Collaborative, a renowned Montessori training center based out of Lexington, MA. In the classroom, Elizabeth finds great joy in cultivating vibrant, inclusive classrooms where children’s natural curiosity, creativity, and leadership skills flourish.
Outside of the classroom, Elizabeth enjoys cooking, homesteading, and yoga. Elizabeth resides in Madison, Maine with her husband and a menagerie of animals.
Lower Elementary 1

Sonia Fan - Assistant Teacher
Prior to teaching at KMS, Sonia taught six years at primary bilingual academy and public school in Taipei, Taiwan. She has experience teaching both in English and Mandarin, to children of all ages. In her free time, she loves yoga, zumba and swimming.
Lower Elementary 2

Bridget Christen - Head Teacher
Bridget started her career at Waterville Public Schools after graduating from the University of Maine at Farmington.
After ten years of teaching Title 1 Literacy and Kindergarten, she transitioned to teaching at KMS and has completed her Elementary Certification at METTC.
Bridget lives in Benton with her husband and two sons and enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time with her family. Both of her sons attend KMS.
Lower Elementary 2

Jody Welch - Assistant Teacher
As an elementary school educator of 30 years, Jody has been fortunate enough to travel to and work with parents and students in Samoa, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, the former Yugoslavia, Aruba, Missouri, and now her home state, Maine. Though each location offered interesting perspectives in education, she found the most compelling style to be the Montessori method.
She is enjoying her current role here at KMS, teaching children in a multi-age, self-directed environment, and believes it supports a true learning experience.
Her three children are in college, graduate school, and the workforce. Currently, she lives with her husband as the third generation on her grandmother’s farm. During the summers they manage a small organic CSA and farmers’ market.
Upper Elementary

Amy Murphy - Head Teacher
She moved with her family to Goshen, New York, found a beautiful Montessori school, and began her journey. In 2013, she completed her Elementary II certification from the CMTE in New Rochelle, NY. She moved from New York to Maine to continue her journey in another welcoming Montessori environment.
She currently lives in Waterville with her husband, two sons, three dogs, and two cats. She is enjoying all that Maine has to offer which includes swimming in lakes, riding bicycles, kayaking, and hiking. She has a love for books; both reading for herself and reading aloud to her students. Soccer is a favorite sport in the house, and Amy has enjoyed coaching previously in New York.
Enrichment Programs
Enrichment Programs

Holly Hubbard - Art
Having enjoyed working with children, she decided to continue her education by earning a Masters of Education degree, also from UNH. She holds a professional level, Maine teaching certificate with an endorsement in visual arts grade K-12. During her master’s program, Holly spent half a year interning as an art teacher at an elementary school in Madbury, NH, and half a year at a high school in South Berwick, ME. After graduation, she and her husband, Tim, moved to the Midwest, where she taught middle school art in Iowa for four years.
As a believer in the tremendous potential to engage students through the art-making process, Holly is passionate about working with both children and teachers to develop an integrated art curriculum with expanded opportunities for creativity in the classroom. She lives in Waterville with Tim and their two boys, Harper and Oliver—who also attend KMS!
In her spare time, Holly enjoys being with family and friends, being in the great outdoors of New England, playing sports, and creating art of her own, mostly in the form of photography, mixed-media drawings, and oil paintings.
Enrichment Programs

Cynthia McGuire - Music
Enrichment Programs

Sonia Fan - Mandarin Language
Prior to teaching at KMS, Sonia taught six years at primary bilingual academy and public school in Taipei, Taiwan. She has experience teaching both in English and Mandarin, to children of all ages. In her free time, she loves yoga, zumba and swimming.
Enrichment Programs

Jody Welch - Outdoor Classroom
As an elementary school educator of 30 years, Jody has been fortunate enough to travel to and work with parents and students in Samoa, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, the former Yugoslavia, Aruba, Missouri, and now her home state, Maine. Though each location offered interesting perspectives in education, she found the most compelling style to be the Montessori method.
She is enjoying her current role here at KMS, teaching children in a multi-age, self-directed environment, and believes it supports a true learning experience.
Her three children are in college, graduate school, and the workforce. Currently, she lives with her husband as the third generation on her grandmother’s farm. During the summers they manage a small organic CSA and farmers’ market.
Enrichment Programs

Maegan Conway - Before & After Care
Administrative Staff
Administration

Kristin Gagnon - Office Manager
Administration

Erika Verrier - Head of School

Join the Team!
Open Positions Available
Board of Directors

The environment at KMS fosters independence, Working with a team of adults who model diversity, love of learning, and respect for ourselves and the world makes the environment we build for the children deeply rich with experiences. The culture of high-fidelity programming, coupled with an ethos for collaboration and growth ensure that each year we all grow together.
Elizabeth Hoffman, LE 1 Head Teacher

The environment at KMS fosters independence, Working with a team of adults who model diversity, love of learning, and respect for ourselves and the world makes the environment we build for the children deeply rich with experiences. The culture of high-fidelity programming, coupled with an ethos for collaboration and growth ensure that each year we all grow together.
Elizabeth Hoffman, LE 1 Head Teacher
Kennebec Montessori School
38 Sheridan Dr
Fairfield, ME 04937
Phone: 207-453-6055
Fax: 207-453-8155
Email: info@kennebecmontessori.org
Hours:
Monday - Friday
7:15 AM - 5:30 PM