Montessori School Staff
Granite City

MARY BETH MCGIVERN

Head Directress and Lower Elementary Directress (ages 6-9)
Education:  A.M.I.* 6-12 Certificate from the Ohio Montessori Teacher Training Institute at Cleveland, Ohio, 1988; A.M.I.* 3-6+ Certificate from the Montessori Training Center of St. Louis, Missouri, 1974; American Montessori Society Teacher Certificate from the Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center in Chicago, Illinois, 1971; Bachelor of Arts in History with Minors in English and Education from Barat College at Lake Forest, Illinois; Master of Science in Elementary Education from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 1979; Illinois Elementary and Secondary Teaching Certificates.

Experience:  Founding Directress of The Children's House-St. Clair, June 1980; taught at the St. Clair campus, 1980-84; Montessori Directress at the Edwardsville Montessori School since 1973 and Head Directress of the school since 1973; Montessori Teacher’s Aide, 1971-72; Founder of the Children’s House/Montessori School, 1971; Teacher of the physically handicapped at the Easter Seal Society in Granite City, Illinois; two years as Kindergarten Teacher in the Granite City School District; three years as Junior High School Teacher in self-contained classrooms in private schools in Evanston, Illinois and Fayetteville, North Carolina.

REBECCA REIMANN

Upper Elementary Teacher (ages 9-12)
Education:  AMI Elementary Training Course student at Montessori Training Center of Minnesota, current; Bachelor of Science in Education with Concentration in Language Arts, Reading, Social Studies, and Music from Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois, 1980; was a member of the Northwestern Symphony Orchestra and Pit Orchestra for theater productions. 

Experience:  Teacher for 9 to 12 age group at Montessori School since 1996; Classroom Teacher for grade six at the International School of Prague, Czech Republic; taught self-contained classrooms in grade four and six in Merrimack, New Hampshire for ten years; taught grade six for two years at St. Boniface in Edwardsville, Illinois.

SARAH HUTTON

Primary Directress (ages 2½-6)
Education:  A.M.I.* 3-6+ Certificate from the Montessori Training Center of St. Louis, Missouri, 1984;  Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 1977;  Associate of Arts in Fine Arts from Meramec Community College at Kirkwood, Missouri, 1974.

Experience:  Primary Directress at Montessori School beginning 1988; Primary Directress at Des Peres Montessori School in Frontenac, Missouri, 1986-88; Classroom Aide and Substitute Directress at the Montessori School, 1985­-86; Aide at Countryside Montessori School’s Day Care and Summer Camp in St. Louis, Missouri, 1984-85.  

BRIDGET MCGUIRE

Primary Directress (ages 2½-6)
Education:  A.M.I.* 3-6+ Certificate from the Montessori Training Center of Minnesota at St. Paul, Minnesota, 2001; Master of Science in Montessori Education, 2002;  Bachelor of Arts in Human Evolution (Biology & Anthropology) from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, 1998.

Experience:  Primary Directress at Montessori School beginning 2002; Directress at Prairie Hill Learning Center in Roca, Nebraska, 2001-02; Classroom Aide at Highland Park Montessori School in St. Paul, Minnesota, 2000-01; assistant to a CFO and an Accounts Receivable Accountant for KRW International in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Literacy Coordinator for Sabathani Community Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  

REBECCA GREGORY

Business Administrator
Education:  Bachelor of Science in Computer Management and Information Systems from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 2001.

Experience:  Business Administrator at the Montessori School since June 2004; Sales Assistant at Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. in Edwardsville, Illinois, 2003-04; Graphics and Web Developer at GE Automation Services in O’ Fallon, Illinois, 2001-03; Supervisor at Westgate Research in Edwardsville, Illinois, 1998-00.

SHELLY ROMOSER

Spanish Teacher
Education:  Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education with a Spanish Major from Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Oklahoma, 1984; Teacher Certification for Secondary Education in Spanish from Oklahoma City. 

Experience:  Spanish Teacher at Montessori School since 1993; lived in Argentina, South America for eight years; taught Spanish at McLoud High School in McLoud, Oklahoma and Snyder High School in Snyder, Oklahoma for the gifted & talented classes; translator for various organizations. 

PETER BILY

Music Teacher
Peter Bily has been the Montessori School choral music instructor since 1990.  He works with the elementary students for one hour per week.  A holiday and spring concert are performed by our students under Mr. Bily’s direction every year.

PAUL DURKEE

Physical Education Teacher
Education:  Personal Trainer Certification from American Council on Exercise; Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant Certification from American Council on Exercise.

Experience:  P.E. Teacher at Montessori School since 2004; Fitness Center Program Supervisor beginning 2005 at the YMCA of Edwardsville Meyer Center; Personal Trainer and head of the Youth and Teen Fitness Programs at the YMCA of Edwardsville, 2002-present.

*A.M.I. = Association Montessori Internationale