Barbara Gray Assistant Director

Assistant Director Barbara Gray oversees the operations side of The New School Montessori which includes admissions, finances, food, office management and development. She especially enjoys sharing TNSM with prospective parents and visitors. During her twenty years at TNSM, she has seen many changes - purchase of the Mansion, renovation of the Annex, construction of the Growing Room and enhancement of the outdoor spaces, all made possible through the strong support and efforts of TNSM parents.

Like many other TNSM staff members, Barbara first came to TNSM as a parent. Her son, Alex, ('87 TNSM grad) recently graduated from U.C.'s law school. Her daughter, Lydia, ('91 grad) received her Montessori training from Xavier and has been teaching at TNSM in the Preprimary program since 2000.

Barbara's primary interest outside of TNSM is building a vacation getaway in northern Michigan, an area which she has enjoyed for many years. She has a strong interest in writing, especially poetry. And enjoys attending MUSE concerts with her good friend and fellow TNSM staffer Shawn Dougherty.

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Beth Barton Office Manager

Office Manager Beth Barton's job description includes more different activities than any one else's at The New School Montessori. In addition to being the telephone voice of TNSM, Beth coordinates key office functions such as tuition billing, maintaining student records, paying invoices and offering support services to the teaching staff and the administration. She provides money collection and bookkeeping support for TNSM fundraisers like the magazine sale and the Auction as well.

TNSM students know Beth as the person most likely to patch up a skinned knee, take their temperature or give daily medication. Many of them also know her as the person with the fascinating collection of fossils which she occasionally brings in for a classroom presentation.

The historic North Avondale neighborhood has been home to Beth, and her family for over 25 years. Her daughter Amanda has taken over TNSM Web site design and maintenance, while her son, Adam, works as a chemical engineer.

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Ann Baumgartner Marketing

Staff bio coming soon.

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David Tape Environment Manager

Every year since 1983, David Tape has been either a formal or an informal member of The New School Montessori staff. Prior to taking over as Environment Manager, he served as Kitchen Manager, Assistant Teacher and Preprimary coordinator as well as supporting fundraisers and other New School projects along the way. As Environment Manager, he sees that everything in TNSM's buildings and the campus area is in good working order - a formidable job for one person.

David has always been and continues to be active in the Cincinnati community. He is a trustee of the Findlay Market Corporation and a member of the Friends of Findlay Market. He served as the Mayor's representative to the Regional and Cultural Alliance and is finishing a four year term on the Subsidy Board of the Aronoff Performing Arts Center.

David is also Board President of the Gaden Samdrup-ling Buddhist Monastery and has traveled to monasteries in different parts of India. He has shared Buddhist artifacts from his trip with classroom teachers and students at TNSM.

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Ryonen Ignatius Chef Assistant

Staff bio coming soon.

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Sunny Rhein Teacher

Sunny Rhein joined TNSM Preprimary staff in 1987 after teaching kindergarten in the public schools. She is a graduate of The Western College in Oxford, Ohio and earned her Masters in Montessori Education from Xavier.

Natural science is Sunny's special focus in the classroom and she enjoys sharing her interest in plants, animals and the environment with the children. She plays a large role in the development of the Preprimary gardens and enjoys using the gardens as a teaching tool. She obtained grant to establish a wild bird habitat where children can observe birds at the edge of the play area.

Outside of TNSM, Sunny pursues her interests in both peace education and the environment. After attending a class at The Center for Peace Education, she was trained as a workshop leader/presenter of "Creating a Peaceful Classroom for Young Children" and has presented that workshop throughout Ohio. She is also actively involved with the Environmental Educators Council of Ohio. Sunny and her husband Jim have three children, Megan, Nathan and Nick, a 1998 TNSM grad.

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Angela David Teacher (South)

The New School is fortunate to have some great additions to our staff for the 2006-2007 school year.  In the Preprimary, Angela David has taken the position of Teacher in the South Room.  Her first exposure to Montessori was as an art specialist at a Montessori school in Tucson; she “left 6 weeks later for Chicago to take the 3 to 6 training.  Angie has taught Preprimary children for 6 years, including 3 years at Montessori Center Rooms.  Her role at TNSM this year includes physical science with the non-nappers.  She hopes to incorporate what she learned in a "Children as Writers" course at Xavier this summer into both morning and afternoon curriculums.  Angie loves gardening, motorcycling and live music shows and is looking to join a soccer team.  She says "I love TNSM’s commitment to community building, celebration of diversity and peace education."

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Margaret Kellar Head Teacher (South)

Margaret Kellar began her career as a 6 to 9 Teacher and, over the past eighteen years, has served as 6 to 9 Head Teacher, 3 to 6 Teacher and Spanish Teacher for the Preprimary program. She earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Elementary Education from Xavier and is certified in Montessori education at both the 3 to 6 and 6 to 9 levels.

Margaret was born in the Philippines and lived overseas while growing up. Her extensive travel experience accounts for her special interest in people and cultures, as well as her fluency in Spanish. Before coming to TNSM, Margaret tutored and taught English as a second language to children and adults. She also worked as a model for Kodak while living in Japan.

Along with her husband, Kevin, Margaret has two children, Paul who is a first year student in the 6 to 9 class and France who started at TNSM as a three year old in 2004.

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Jennifer Frank Teacher (North)

A "Montessori kid" through 5th grade, Jennifer graduated as a dance major from SCPA and a design major from U.C.'s DAAP program. Her Montessori training came from the North American Montessori Center. Jennifer likes TNSM’s commitment to “outstanding education "both in academics and in respect, understanding and love of all others." Jennifer has 3 children and has worked as an instructor at Cincinnati Ballet for the past three years

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Stacy Armstrong Teacher

Stacy Armstrong has a Bachelors degree in therapeutic recreation from Ohio University and a Masters in Education from Xavier. Her passion for Montessori education began when she served as an intern at TNSM. She joined The New School Montessori's 6 to 9 staff in the fall of 2000 and says "TNSM is special to me because of its peaceful atmosphere."

Stacy and her husband Chresten keep busy with their daughter Ryan who was born in January of 2004. She enjoys reading and walking in her free time.

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Rosie Gibson Teacher

Rosie received her BS in Montessori Education from XU in the spring of 2006. She has worked in The New School Montessori's summer and vacation care programs since the summer of 2003 and interned in the 6 to 9 class during the fall of 2005.

In her limited free time, Rosie spends time with friends at Ault Park and enjoys family meals with her parents and three sisters.

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Jennifer Shultz Teacher

The Elementary program includes Jennifer Shultz, who is both a Teaching Assistant and an Intern in the 6 to 9 program.  She has her Child Development Associate Degree and directed a preschool for 5 years before returning to Xavier for her certification in 6 to 9 Montessori.  She feels TNSM "is a wonderful environment for children as well as teachers." Jennifer especially appreciates the opportunity to work with all three 6 to 9 teachers and says "I feel I have three different role models."  In her free time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her husband, Mark, and son Colin.

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Ceara Thalinger Teacher

Ceara Thalinger has had a direct connection to The New School Montessori for the past fourteen years. She began as a volunteer in the Preprimary program and then worked in the Summer Program and as a Preprimary classroom Assistant. Nine years ago, Ceara began teaching in the 9 to 12 program and has both an undergraduate degree from Xavier and Montessori certification for ages 6 to 12 from the Center for Montessori Teacher Education in New York. Ceara's indirect connection to TNSM goes back even further as she is the daughter of Preprimary Teacher Shawn Dougherty.

Ceara loves the team teaching collaboration at The New School Montessori and finds it both inspiring and supportive. She likes the way students collaborate with teachers in creating their own education. In the last few years, she has worked with 9 to 12 students in the formation of a Student Board, an experience which she feels is "a wonderfully empowering process for every student, even those not on the board."

Ceara feels that teaching children how to love learning in a Montessori environment "creates your own enhanced appreciation for life." Her son, Kelen, started at TNSM when he was three.

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Jeff Groh

Staff bio coming soon.

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Nancy Buchman

Staff bio coming soon.

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Sunny Rhein Teacher

Sunny Rhein joined TNSM Preprimary staff in 1987 after teaching kindergarten in the public schools. She is a graduate of The Western College in Oxford, Ohio and earned her Masters in Montessori Education from Xavier.

Natural science is Sunny's special focus in the classroom and she enjoys sharing her interest in plants, animals and the environment with the children. She plays a large role in the development of the Preprimary gardens and enjoys using the gardens as a teaching tool. She obtained grant to establish a wild bird habitat where children can observe birds at the edge of the play area.

Outside of TNSM, Sunny pursues her interests in both peace education and the environment. After attending a class at The Center for Peace Education, she was trained as a workshop leader/presenter of "Creating a Peaceful Classroom for Young Children" and has presented that workshop throughout Ohio. She is also actively involved with the Environmental Educators Council of Ohio. Sunny and her husband Jim have three children, Megan, Nathan and Nick, a 1998 TNSM grad.

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Yeon Gyeong (Kimmie) Kim Teacher

Kimmie has a degree in food nutrition from Hang-Yang University in Seoul, Korea and completed a M.Ed in Montessori education from Xavier in 2004. Before receiving her formal teacher training, she had worked with children at various schools, a Korean hospital and a welfare center.

Kimmie loves art, swimming, math and says "I love to learn anything." She enjoys making classroom materials and likes to incorporate origami into classroom decoration. She also has played the piano for seven years.

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Colleen Blumer

Staff bio coming soon.

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Jeanne Speier Dance

Jeanne has a BA in Communication through Movement from St. Louis University and a M.A. in Dance Therapy from Hunter College. She has taught both dance and after school yoga at TNSM in the past two years. In her spare time, she enjoys playing the piano and work as an amateur naturalist.

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Andrea Rosenthal Music

Andrea has a BA in theater and English from Ohio Northern University and a J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. She brought extensive experience in teaching piano and other instrumental music as well as vocal and dance to her first year at TNSM. Andrea's band, Venus Mission, released a CD in the fall of 2005. She enjoys biking, cooking, gardening and spending time with her two daughters, Eva and Mae.

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J. White joined TNSM staff in 1992 as a classroom Assistant and Program Coordinator for the Preprimary Extended Day program. She especially enjoys teaching Civil Rights and Civics to the sixth year students, using a curriculum she developed with 9 to 2 Head Teacher Laura Slanker. J. is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a background in Education and Psychology.

J. observes that the children and parents of TNSM community make the school special for her. She remembers one kindergarten parent who wanted to uphold The New School value of "giving back to the community." At Preprimary graduation that year, that parent "gave back" about 20 pounds of New School sandbox sand, collected from his child's shoes and clothing over the course of three years.

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