AMS adheres to a 6:1 ratio of children to adults in the toddler classes (under 3 years of age) and a 10:1 ratio in the preschool classes (3-6 years old) as required by municipal licensing code. Each class has a Montessori certified teacher and at least one teacher assistant. At the Elementary level, AMS policy is to assign an assistant to any class with more than 15 students.
Amanda Ungerecht, a teacher in the toddler program, has
taught for eight years and held her Montessori certificate for the last two. A
creative soul, Amanda has toured with "Up With People" and enjoys art, yoga and
reading. Not surprising, for a teacher of little people, her favorite artist is
Eric Carle and she likes to snack on jelly bellies and blueberries. Her travels
have taken her all around the United States, including working with inner-city
youth in Boston.
Angie Knowlton is the teacher in the full-day AMS preschool class. Raised in Golden, Colorado she received her Montessori certificate seven years ago from the Montessori Education Center of the Rockies. She also has an associate degree in fine arts from Red Rocks Community College. Angie spends her time outside of AMS painting portraits, creating crafts, hiking and in church-related activities. A raspberry hot chocolate will give her the energy to keep up with all of her many activities.
Betsey Howard, Director of Education at Anchorage Montessori School, founded the school in 1977 after receiving her Montessori certificate in 1975 from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. She also attended Miami University in Ohio, majoring in Spanish with a minor in Portuguese. Betsey has traveled all over the world, including a 3-week Geology field trip to Iceland. Betsey says her parents are her heroes, and she enjoys many outdoor activities as well as reading and word games
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Julie Matthews
has degrees in Elementary Education and Art. She maintains a ceramic art
studio and has executed over fifteen major installations since 1983,
including BP, Northrim Bank and several 1% for Art commissions. Julie
joined the Anchorage Montessori School auxiliary staff in 1996 and
teaches elementary art..
Kelly Hamlin, the lead staff person in the AMS Summer Recreation program and the Before and After School Care program, was raised in Alaska and has lived here 41 years. For the last eight years, Kelly has been with AMS, providing loving care and attention to all the students. Kelly has made AMS a bit of a family affair, with two of her own adult children having worked at AMS. Her son, Jason, used to staff the Summer Recreation and After School Care program, and her daughter, Liz, currently teaches in the Toddler program. Kelly's time outside of AMS is dedicated to enjoying her family.
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Liz Hamlin has been at Anchorage Montessori School for 7 years, and just recently received her toddler certification at MECR in Boulder, Colorado and is now a teacher in the toddler program. She was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska and she says her mom (who is also a valued staff member at AMS) is her hero. Liz enjoys spending time with her family and outdoor activities.
Micha Thompson, a teaching assistant in the full day preschool class, grew up in Columbus, Ohio and has been an Alaskan since February 1999. She is currently attending the University of Alaska in the early childhood development program. Reading, dancing and writing are Micha's hobbies, as well as listening to gospel music. Hot chocolate and honey-roasted peanuts give her the energy to keep up with students.
Sarah Schwickt, one of the teachers in the upper elementary classroom, is in her second year at AMS. A twenty year Alaskan, Sarah attended Colorado College, majoring in biology with a minor in African studies. Her university studies included a semester in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Sarah currently is attending MECR in Boulder, Colorado to further her Montessori training. When not teaching, Sarah enjoys hiking, camping, knitting, reading, cross-country skiing and playing the trumpet. To keep up with her energetic students, you can catch Sarah snacking on Chai and tamari almonds!
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Sheryl Lick, who has worked in the AMS front office for three years with student accounts, has lived in Alaska for seven years. She was raised in Illinois and Texas before heading north. You might catch her sipping her favorite mint hot chocolate while reading or making scrapbooks in her spare time.
Shirley Miller came to Anchorage Montessori School in 2003 to teach in the preschool program and assist in a lower elementary classroom. She is now a teacher in the preschool program. Shirley grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, and received her Montessori certification from CMTE, New Rochelle, New York in 1991. She has lived in Germany, England and France, and her hobbies are walking, reading, films, and her grandchildren.
Wende Wilber, teacher in one of the lower elementary classrooms, has a B.A. in comparative literature and French, and an M.A. in Urban and Regional Planning. She received her Montessori training at the Montessori Education Institute of the Pacific Northwest, and has been teaching at AMS for four years. Wende has studied and worked overseas in Nice, London, Niger, Chad and Tokyo. Wende is also a Picasso fan, with a sweet tooth for chocolate brownies.
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