Contact us: (505) 582-3898
Now Enrolling for 2022-2023 School Year.
2022-2023 School Year with After Care:
M-F 8:00 am - 5:30 pm
OUR STAFF
Administration Team
Ms. Tricia (she/her) has been involved with St. Mark’s Montessori school since 2015. Prior to becoming our Director of Curriculum and Compliance, Ms. Tricia served many roles at the school including substitute teacher, board member, chair of the school board, Assistant Director, and Director.
Ms. Tricia grew up in North Dakota and attended the University of North Dakota, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology. She later earned her post- graduate degree in Secondary Education from the University of Hawai’i, where her teaching career began. Because of a teacher shortage on the islands, Ms. Tricia was able to work in grades K-12. Her enthusiasm for Montessori began in Germany. Ms. Tricia extended her path in education by working on grants and policy, as a member of the school board of a public Montessori school in Columbia, SC.
Ms. Tricia is an active member of St. Mark’s Episcopal church, and several community programs. Ms. Tricia loves to spend time with her family and friends. She also loves to travel, read, try new foods, and avoid cooking.
Ms. Tricia
Director
Administrative Staff
Ms. Madison (she/her) is joining our St. Mark’s Montessori School teaching family this year as an Administrative Assistant. She graduated from Valley High School in 2020 and has studied at New Mexico State University.
Ms. Madison
Administrative Assistant
Ms. Keelin
Administrative Assistant
Ms. Keelin (she/her) joins our staff family this year as an Administrative Assistant. Her Montessori experience began when she attended a Montessori preschool while her family was living abroad in Germany. She has first-hand experience of how the Montessori classroom translates internationally and across communities having later attended Montessori schools in both South Carolina and at Escuela del Sol Montessori here in Albuquerque.
Ms. Keelin is a recent graduate of the Early College Academy and is attending the University of New Mexico to explore her interests in the sciences, particularly biology. She is also a member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church and is a natural in the kitchen with both cooking and baking. When not attached to the school's label maker or laptop, she can often be found knitting and/or hanging with her cat and dog.
Primary Program
Ms. Laura (she/her) is a keystone of our St. Mark’s Montessori School family. She has been a Montessori teacher for 14 years, both as a Lead Montessori Guide with St. Mark’s Montessori School since its inception in 2013 and as an Assistant Montessori Guide at St. Timothy’s Montessori School from 2008-2013. She was the Lead Guide in our Toddler Classroom for many years before moving to the position of Lead Primary Guide in 2019.
Ms. Laura has a special knack for creating a beautifully prepared Montessori classroom environment and is proudly providing an authentic Montessori experience to our Primary students. When you step into Ms. Laura’s classroom you will likely find a calm and peaceful energy. Her patience and caring nature with the children are remarkable and her students often report that she is quite “funny”.
Ms. Laura
Lead Montessori Guide
Primary Classroom
Ms. Caitie
Assistant Lead Montessori Guide
Primary Classroom
Ms. Caitie (she/her) is joining our staff family this year as an Assistant Lead Montessori Guide in our Primary Program. Ms. Caitie brings with her many years of experience in schools, including Montessori knowledge and a desire to pursue certification in Primary Montessori education.
Ms. Caitie earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of New Mexico in 2015. She is currently finishing her Child Development Associate credentialing and has taken various Master's level courses in the areas of early childhood development and learning.
When not in the classroom, Ms. Caitie enjoys hiking with her husband, identifying insect and plant species and collecting animal bones.
Ms. Melanie (she/her) is joining our Primary Program this year as an Assistant Montessori Guide after spending the 2021-22 school year as our school's substitute teacher. She brings not only a familiar face to the students and staff, but a long history of experience in a variety of childcare settings including as a nanny and with the St. Mark's church children's program.
Ms. Melanie is a graduate of the Albuquerque Academy and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pitzer College in International and Intercultural Studies, as well as Master of Business Administration from Strayer University. She also brings with her the invaluable experience of motherhood as a proud mom of a teenaged daughter.
Ms. Melanie
Assistant Montessori Guide
Primary Classroom
Ms. Lucinda (she/her) joined our staff family in 2021 as an Aftercare Teacher in our Toddler Classroom. She served as an Assistant Teacher in our 2022 Summer Program and is a familiar face, of which our returning students are quite fond.
When not working with our Toddlers at SMMS, she is working towards her Bachelor's degree in Psychology at the University of New Mexico with a minor in religious studies. Additionally she is currently pursuing a certification in addiction counseling. She enjoys making art, dancing, figure skating, and hiking. She has two cute cats, Stellaluna and Frida. Ms. Lucinda became interested in working with children while helping her mom in her classroom when she was younger.
Ms. Lucinda
Assistant Teacher
Toddler Program
Ms. Morgan
Lead Montessori Guide
Toddler Classroom
Ms. Morgan (she/they) returned to SMMS this summer and is our Lead Toddler Guide and Movement Enrichment Teacher.
Ms. Morgan began with our school in 2020 as an Assistant Montessori Guide in our Primary Program, followed by the Lead Toddler Guide in our 2021 Summer Program. Ms. Morgan has also led a variety of our Enrichments including music, dance, art and foreign language.
Ms. Morgan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in University Studies with focuses in special education and psychology from the University of New Mexico. Additionally, she has earned her Infant/Toddler Montessori Certification from the North American Montessori Center. Students of all age groups are drawn to Ms. Morgan’s natural ability to be present and engage in whatever creative place their little minds might be, at any particular moment.
Ms. Morgan was born and raised in New Orleans and came to Albuquerque to study at UNM. In her free time she enjoys hiking with her two chihuahuas. She had always wanted to become a teacher but while she was assisting Ms. Laura in her classroom she was inspired to go into Montessori.
Ms. Madeline (she/her) will be an Assistant Montessori Guide in our Toddler Classroom. She has successfully held many different positions at SMMS. She began as an Assistant Guide and Aftercare Teacher in our Toddler Classroom in 2019 followed by our Administrative Assistant and Floater Teacher in 2021. She has also served as the Interim Lead Toddler Guide and Summer Program Lead Primary Guide in 2022.
Ms. Madeline is a native New Mexican who attended Montessori school from preschool through middle school, graduating from Albuquerque High School in 2018. In addition to her full-time position with our school, she is also a student at Central New Mexico Community College, pursuing study in her interests areas of cosmetology and early childhood education. She has the “special something” that the students of every age respond to and is skilled with both the Toddler and Primary students.
Ms. Madeline
Assistant Montessori Guide
Toddler Classroom
Aftercare Program
Tr. Lily
Lead Aftercare Teacher
Primary and Toddler Classrooms
Teacher Lily (she/her) is joining our SMMS staff family this year as our Lead Aftercare Teacher. She is currently a student at the University of New Mexico working on a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and French. Teacher Lily grew up in New Mexico and attended the Montessori School as a child, later graduating from La Cueva High School in 2019. More recently, she worked as an assistant teacher at a public Montessori charter school here in Albuquerque. Teacher Lily is conversational in French, dances ballet, practices fencing, and is a film buff. She is passionate about education and believes that Montessori is the best approach to a well rounded education
Teacher Meghan (she/her) joined our St. Mark’s Montessori family in 2021 as an Aftercare Teacher in our Primary Classroom and continues in that role for the 2022-23 school year. She is a native of New Mexico and graduated from Amy Biehl High School in 2014. Teacher Meghan spent recent years living in Denmark and then moving to Maine and studying Marine Biology there.
Tr. Meghan
Aftercare Teacher
Primary Classroom
Mr. Cole (he/him) is joining our St. Mark’s Montessori School teaching family this year as a Primary Aftercare Teacher. He graduated from Valley High School in 2020 and attends Central New Mexico Community College.
Mr. Cole
Aftercare Teacher
Primary Classroom
Teacher Kelly (she/her) is joining our St. Mark’s Montessori School teaching family this year as a Primary Aftercare Teacher. She is a native of New Mexico and theater enthusiast who is currently attending Central New Mexico Community College to study both Theater and English.
Tr. Kelly
Assistant/Aftercare Teacher
Toddler Classroom
Substitute Teachers
Tr. Brady (he/him) is joining our St. Mark's Montessori School teaching family this year as a Substitute Teacher.
Tr. Brady
Substitute Teacher
St. Mark's Montessori School
Chapel Leaders
Mother Sylvia
Associate Rector
St. Mark's Episcopal Church
Sylvia Miller-Mutia (she/her) serves as part time assisting priest at St. Mark’s with a focus on outreach, evangelism, and family ministry. She has previously served as Rector of St. Thomas of Canterbury Episcopal Church in Albuquerque, NM (2015-2018), Assistant Rector at St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco, CA (2010-2015) and Pastoral Associate for Youth & Families at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Belvedere, CA (2002-2009). She is married to Donnel (grief counselor, couples coach, artist, best dad ever), and they have three awesome kids: Lucia, Johanna, and Alex.
Sylvia holds a BFA in Ballet Performance from the University of Utah, an MA in Liturgy and the Arts from Pacific School of Religion, and Certificates of Anglican Studies and Theological Studies from Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, CA. As a priest, dancer, and mother of three, she is passionate about inviting people of all ages to join in seeking the divine through worship, prayer, and practice that is embodied, sacramental, participatory, and inter-generational. Creation, creativity, and connection with family and friends are the gifts by which God nourishes, stretches and sustains her. You can learn more about Sylvia and explore various resources she’s created to support your spiritual growth at www.mothersylvia.com.
David (he/him) grew up in Hannibal, Missouri. He attended the University of Kansas and lived in Kansas City, New York City, and Santa Fe before settling in Albuquerque. He has worked as an architect, interior designer, writer, waiter, bartender, male nanny (“manny”), and a church musician.
David was ordained as a Vocational Deacon in June of 2017 and is happy to serve at St. Mark’s – a parish filled with diverse and wonderful people. As a married gay man, David knows how organized religion has made many people feel unwelcome at church or unworthy of God’s love. It is David’s mission to spread the true message of the Gospel: – that God’s mercy and love are available to everyone – regardless of how they identify, where they have been, or what they have done. David finds it especially important to impart these principles to youth. Through his position as our Director of Christian Education, David works to make sure every young person knows they are a blessed child of God and loved for exactly who they are.
Having needed help through difficult times, David knows what being a part of a loving, supportive, spiritual community has done for him. He wants everyone to understand they can have the same experience.
Deacon David
Deacon
St. Mark's Episcopal Church