Brush Creek Montessori School

"So here begins the new path, wherein it will not be the teacher who teaches the child, but the
child who teaches the teacher."
Maria Montessori

Faculty/Staff

Susan F. Cohn - Head of School at Brush Creek and teacher of Latin, Math, Science and Geography to the Upper Grades. Susan has spent 26 years teaching Montessori education to children and adults. She holds Montessori diplomas in Primary, Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary. She also is Co-director of the Maria Montessori Teacher Training Center, which carries on the legacy of Ursula Thrush, who founded the center in San Francisco in 1962. Susan has been teaching teachers for over 15 years.

Before taking over the Directorship at Brush Creek, Susan had her own school in Santa Rosa,Montessori Visions from 1984 to 1995, for toddlers through third grade. She has also started elementary and middle school programs in Bentonville, Arkansas and Fremont, California.

Susan Cohn holds two "Excellence in Teaching" awards from Johns Hopkins University. She supports their Center for Talented Youth program for children from 2nd through 8th grades through seminars, instruction, services and education programs. Susan has two grown sons.

Holly Vinson - Assistant Teacher in Upper Elementary Classroom (children ages 9 through 12).
Holly is our Creative Arts specialist, in addition to being our school Drama instructor. She also teaches History, and works with the 6th grade on publishing the newsletter for the school each month.
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 has led "Kids for Kids" Theatre Productions for over 20 years. Her background includes writing screenplays, directing, and scripting for local theatre. Each year, Brush Creek Montessori School puts on a play, under Holly's direction, with the Elementary students playing the roles.

Chris Adams - Art Teacher - Was born and raised in the South. Chris earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from North Texas State University. For ten years she worked in the design and building industry. After moving to Santa Rosa, Chris became the art teacher at Susan Cohn's first school, Montessori Visions, where Chris's son Ben also attended. She received her California teaching and art credential from Sonoma State in 1996. For 5 years Chris worked for Santa Rosa City Schools in a second-grade job share. Happily, she is back teaching art in a Montessori environment. Her family includes son, Ben, her husband, Wendell, an engineer for Agilent, and an unruly cat named Turbo.
Chris's program is designed to encourage creativity at every age while learning and gaining experience with all media. She also supports art appreciation and traditional art skills.

Jessica Heric - Jessica has been a Montessori Teacher for four years here at Brush Creek Montessori School. She received her teaching credential through the Maria Montessori Teacher Training Program here at Brush Creek. Before that she worked at Little Oaks Montessori in Petaluma for two years. Jessica is Head Teacher in Amber classroom (Primary).

Lauren Frost - Lauren is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a BA in Fine Arts. She has been the music, environmental science and physical education teacher here at BCMS for three years. She is also the choral director for the elementary classes.

Jed Burchett - Jed is a graduate of Sonoma State University 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. Jed has been an intern here at BCMS for one year and will co-teach with Jessica in Amber class.

Susan Morrell - is a graduate of Sonoma State University in Liberal Studies. She worked as an Assistant Teacher at the Montessori School of Petaluma for six years. She is an Assistant Teacher in Redwood Classroom (Primary) and will begin her Montessori Teacher Training in January, 2007. Susan is married and has two sons.

Amorie Goins - is a graduate of Sonoma State University in Psychology. She began her Montessori Teacher Training in September, 2005 and has worked with us here at Brush Creek Montessori since January 2006. Amorie finished her training in the Summer, 2006 and is now Head Teacher in Redwood Classroom (Primary).

Megan Allen - is a graduate of the University of Portland and Argosy University with a BA & MA in Psychology. She has worked as a Montessori Teacher's Assistant for 5 years in Portland and Santa Rosa. Megan works in Amber class (Primary) and is Head of the Preschool Daycare Program.

Pauline Gutierrez - 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. She is the Head Teacher in Eucalyptus Classroom (Lower Elementary). Pauline is married and has four grown children.

Adrienne Nielsen - is a graduate of the Montessori Western Teacher Training Program and has been working in a Montessori classroom for over 6 years. Adrienne is married with one son. She works as a Teacher in Redwood classroom (Primary).