Susan Cohn is twice a recipient of the Johns Hopkins Excellence in Teaching Award. She has been a Montessori teacher since 1982 and a Teacher Trainer since 1990. Ms. Cohn has a distinguished history as a school Director, and was honored with the CTY Director’s Award from Johns Hopkins University. Before taking over as Director at Brush Creek Montessori School, Susan founded her own school in Santa Rosa, Montessori Visions, which taught toddlers through third grade from 1984 to 1995. Ms. Cohn has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and holds Montessori Certification for Primary, Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary.

Susan Cohn holds the distinction of working and training with two Montessori mentors, Dr. Elizabeth Caspari, who was trained directly by Maria Montessori in India in 1942, and Ursula Thrush, who was trained by Mario Montessori (son of Maria) in England and Italy. It is the course taught by Ursula Thrush in the Bay Area that Susan maintains today.

Susan also heads the Maria Montessori Teacher Training Center at Brush Creek Montessori School, where she has trained many teachers, including the entire BCMS teaching staff, in the two-year intensive course, accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE), recognized by the American Montessori Society, and credit units obtained through California State University East Bay

Pauline is a graduate of Prescott College with a BA in Education. She also completed her Montessori Teacher Training at Clay Platte Children's House in 1984. She has worked as a Montessori Head Teacher in the Preschool and Lower Elementary Classrooms for 22 years. Pauline is married and has four grown children.

Chris designs and teaches a comprehensive art program for 3 year olds to Middle School age students. Creativity is encouraged as art concepts and experiences are introduced through various media. Disciplines include painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics and crafts. Upper Elementary students receive additional Art History curriculum. Chris’ training includes a Bachelor of Fine Arts from North Texas State University, Montessori Training, and a California Teaching Credential from Sonoma State University. Starting with Susan Cohn at her Montessori Visions School in 1992, Chris has been working with children for more than 15 years. She has been teaching at Brush Creek Montessori School since 2003. Chris lives in Santa Rosa with her husband, Wendell, and has one grown son.

Jed is a graduate of Sonoma State University and holds a Bachelors degree in Art History. He attained his Montessori teaching credential through the Maria Montessori Teacher Training Center with graduate units through California State University East Bay. Before joining the teaching staff at BCMS in 2005, Jed worked as a counselor in a group home for deaf teenagers in the foster care system. He shares his knowledge of American Sign Language with his students at BCMS.

Mary Cooney grew up in California and attended Humboldt State University where she graduated with a degree in Home Economics. After marriage, she and her husband Tom moved to Guatemala where they lived for seventeen years. Tom worked with youth programs, camping and leadership development while Mary home schooled their two adopted children. Tom and Mary now work with Spanish speakers in Sonoma County. Mary has taught Spanish at Brush Creek Montessori since 2004.

Jessi is well known to the students at BCMS. Along with her previous responsibilities as early-morning childcare provider, she has also spent time helping in each classroom during the school year; classrooms she knows well as a BCMS alumni. Jessi has completed her Montessori teaching credential through the Maria Montessori Teacher Training Center. She has a passion for theatre and serves on the Board of Directors for a local theatre company.

Jessica has taught at Brush Creek Montessori School since 2004. She holds a Montessori teaching credential from the Maria Montessori Teacher Training Center. She graduated from Sonoma State University with a BA in education and Liberal Studies. Before joining the BCMS staff, Jessica spent a year working at Little Oaks Montessori in Petaluma, CA.

Julie has been Office Administrator at BCMS since 2007. As the first person most people meet when calling or visiting the BCMS campus, Julie is a well-informed source of school information for prospective and enrolled parents and students. See Julie for questions regarding required forms, school and event schedules, attendance, the hot lunch program, banking day, community service hours or tuition.

Susan Morrell is a graduate of Sonoma State University with a BA in Liberal Studies. She earned a Montessori teaching credential from the Maria Montessori Teacher Training Center. Before joining the staff at BCMS in 2006, Susan spent six years as an Assistant Teacher at the Montessori Schools of Petaluma. Susan is married and has two sons.

Kim Mrad majored in child development at the Santa Rosa Junior College, where she received an Associate Teacher Certificate. Before joining the staff at BCMS, Kim was an assistant teacher at the Montessori Schools of Petaluma for four years. While working at MSOP, she received a Montessori early childhood assistant teaching certificate from the Montessori Teacher Education Center in the San Francisco Bay Area. Kim is married with a son and daughter.

Holly is our Creative Arts specialist. In addition to being our Elementary Drama instructor, Holly also teaches creative writing to the Upper Elementary students and serves as Creative Director of the school newsletter, which she helps the Upper Elementary students publish each month. Beginning in 2008, Holly will also head our morning and afternoon daycare program. Holly was Head Teacher and founder of Gateway School in Los Angeles and taught Phonics and Language Arts there from 1967 to 1977. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from the International College in Westwood, California.

Holly received a 2008 Boho Arts Award from the North Bay Bohemian paper, which honors her 20 plus years of mentoring young performers as an acting coach and theater director here in Santa Rosa. In honor of Holly’s contribution to children's theater in Santa Rosa, the Six Street Playhouse recently renamed their summer theater camp; a camp Holly began more than 14 years ago; the Holly Vinson Summer Theater Workshop.