Our Staff

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.

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.

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.

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.

Carrie was born and raised in Central Maine. She is the mother of three young children, two of which attend KMS. Carrie is in the process of completing her BA in Child Development and Family Relations through the University of Maine at Orono.

She has 7 years of hands-on
experience in the field of early childhood education. Carrie discovered her love for all things Montessori upon enrolling her oldest child in the Primary program at KMS. After watching her daughter thrive in the classroom environment at KMS, Carrie decided to dive more specifically
into the Montessori field.

In her spare time, Carrie coaches a varsity high school cheerleading team. She enjoys
reading, practicing yoga, and spending time with her three children bouncing from one activity to the next. Carrie is eager to continue her Montessori experience working with young children and helping to guide each child along their journey through their early childhood years.

Amy started her teaching career at the tender age of 14, tutoring students in Hebrew and Jewish studies at Temple Beth El Hebrew School in Augusta, ME. Her love of teaching and working with children has since led to many positions, including Arts Educator at an after-school program at the Snow Pond Center for the Arts, Artist Mentor/ DSP at an arts-based enrichment program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and Classroom Support Mentor with the AmeriCorps program, First4. Amy has a BA in Liberal Studies with a minor in Fine Arts from the University of Maine at Augusta and also studied abroad at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Amy’s passion for Montessori education began here, at Kennebec Montessori School, where she started as an assistant in the Upper Elementary program, all while undergoing training at METTC, an AMS accredited teacher training program located in Lexington, MA. In her free time, Amy enjoys spending time in nature, hiking, canoeing, and camping. She is also an avid reader and artist and teaches the occasional ceramics class at the Ticonic Studios and Gallery in Waterville, ME.

We are currently looking for a motivated educator to join our team as the Lower Elementary 1 Assistant 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.

Joy began her time in Montessori as a three-year-old in Maryland. Twenty years later, she returned to that classroom as an intern while working toward her Primary Montessori Teacher certification. Shortly after that, life led her to a small Montessori school in Jacksonville, Florida. She spent two decades there guiding students from ages three to eleven while earning her Lower and Upper Elementary teacher certifications. After all this time, she is still inspired by the insight and wisdom of her students. She truly values the opportunity to work with students in a partnership and develop meaningful relationships with them.

Joy’s husband joined the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, giving her the opportunity to become a member of the community at Kennebec Montessori School. They will be continuing their adventures with their black lab in an off-grid home nearby. Joy is looking forward to learning about all the wonderful wildlife in Maine and entertaining everyone with her efforts to learn to snowshoe and cross-country ski. While indoors, she is always trying to master a new creative skill. Most of all, she is eager to get to know her students and their families and continue to learn and grow together.

We are currently looking for a motivated educator to join our team as the Upper Elementary Assistant Teacher.

Jen has an M.A. in Art Therapy from Lesley University in Boston. She worked as an art teacher
and art therapist in New Hampshire and as an art educator at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
prior to relocating to Maine. She finds that the process of art making is where the greatest
learning and growth can happen. This philosophy is in wonderful alignment with Montessori’s
teaching philosophy. Jen lives in Hallowell with her husband and two daughters, all artists at
heart.

We are currently looking for a motivated educator to join our team as the Lower Elementary 1 Assistant Teacher.

Katie first encountered KMS as a student at Colby College, when she did a semester of classroom observation in the KMS Upper Elementary classroom. She went on to study child development in Scandinavia through a semester abroad in Denmark, where she completed her practicum at a Danish forest kindergarten.

After graduating with a BA in Education from Colby in 2020, Katie moved to Eau Claire, WI. Here, she spent her first year as a full time teacher leading the 3 year old classroom at the UWEC Children’s Nature Academy. During her time at this early childhood center, she also created a campus garden, developed a trail system map for the 120 acre campus, and headed the school-age summer program for children K-3rd grade.

Katie and her partner moved back to Maine in October, 2021. She was thrilled to become an assistant teacher in P3, and she spent the year learning many hands-on Montessori skills and techniques from seasoned KMS teachers. This year, she is excited to help design the new Whole Health program, and particularly looks forward to tapping into her background in outdoor education.

Katie loves living in Waterville with her partner, Kyle, and two dogs. She spends her free time walking the dogs, swimming in local lakes and rivers, gardening, cross-country skiing at Quarry Road, and crafting.

Danielle (They/She) is a University of Maine graduate with a master’s in human development. Their experience includes several years teaching in early childhood settings and experience as an education technician in an elementary school. Danielle also has a background working with blind and visually impaired students in a university setting. They are dedicated to cultivating inclusive environments. In her free time she enjoys kayaking, snowshoeing, knitting, embroidery, quilting, drawing, and painting. They also have experience leading outdoor camps and are always eager to incorporate nature into the classroom.

“I have met many teachers, visited many schools, worked in many educational institutions, and I strongly believe that Jeff Beedy is the finest educator and administrator (and human being) I’ve met in two decades of teaching and doing education observation research.”

Dr. Robert Coles Pulitzer Prize Winner and former Harvard University Professor

Dr. Jeff, a Harvard Educated Scholar, has spent most of his career developing the theory framework for relationship-based learning. His highly respected contribution to pedagogy and education at large can be witnessed in the many schools and programs he has founded or directed around the globe. Jeff has led two Montessori schools in Alabama and California and believes deeply in the principles of Montessori education. Jeff was the founding director of the first American boarding school in the Global Education City on Jeju Island, South Korea in 2010.  Today, the Korean International School in South Korea is thriving with over 1000 students. Dr. Beedy is also the founder of the Positive Learning Using Sports model which is used at The Skills Center in Florida and the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi, Africa. Jeff lives on a farm with his wife Karyn Beedy and they play professionally in the Nadia and Jocko Band. Jeff and Karyn enjoy skiing with their daughters, grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

Becky Haskell graduated with a BA in Psychology from the University of Maine at Farmington. She has spent much of her career working with children, first as a licensed social worker, and later as an educator, coach, and stay at home mom. Becky lives in Sidney with her husband, son, and daughter.

She enjoys reading, painting, crafting, and loves spending time with her family. Together, they enjoy the great outdoors; golfing, kayaking, hiking, snowmobiling and skiing. Becky prioritizes family and giving back to the community through volunteerism.