Faculty

Deidre Lodrig is a proud graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, earning a B.A. in liberal arts. A native Houstonian, Deidre graduated from Bellaire High School and is enrolled in a master’s degree program in education at Endicott College in conjunction with the TIES international correspondence program for Montessori educators. Deidre is thrilled to be a part of The Post Oak School again. She first entered the campus of Post Oak as a delighted parent. After enrolling her then 18-month-old daughter, Deidre soon joined the staff at Post Oak as an occasional substitute and then later as a full-time assistant in the Infant Community.

After earning the acclaimed A.M.I. diploma from the Montessori Training and Research Center of Dallas, Deidre taught as a lead teacher for three years. Her career in early childhood education began as lead teacher at a traditional private school in 1994. Deidre enjoys working with the infant- and toddler-aged children. Deidre enjoys working with the infant- and toddler-aged children. She loves to share in their curiosity of the world and their first steps toward independence. In 2001, she authored a set of children’s picture books, inspired by her young daughter and the needs of all young children to have books that are simple, colorful and realistic. In her spare time, Deidre enjoys time with her family and church, serves as a volunteer at the Star of Hope Transitional Living Center, and is training for her first full marathon.

Diana Ayala graduated from Houston Community College in 2008 and is currently pursuing her bachelor of science in sociology at the University of Houston. She began working with children in 2004 and is excited to continue her experience in a Montessori environment at The Post Oak School. While taking a psychology class during college she first learned about Maria Montessori and began to take interest in Montessori education. She is also fluent in both speaking and writing Spanish.

As a native Houstonian, Diana loves to spend time with her fiancé and their wonderful 3 year old daughter. She adores animals, enjoys watching movies, cooking and doing volunteer work in her spare time.

Sarah Moudry began working at The Post Oak School in 2010. In addition to her role as lead teacher in a Half-Day Infant Community classroom, she teaches infant-parent classes at the Motherhood Center. Sarah Moudry received her AMI Assistants-to-Infancy Training (prenatal to three years) at The Montessori Institute in Denver, Colorado and her AMI Primary Training (three to six years) at the Montessori Training Center of Minnesota. She has worked with children from birth to 14 years and is the mother of three children at Post Oak. Sarah is also known for her work on the What is the Montessori Toddler Community video filmed at Post Oak in 2008 for the North American Montessori Teachers’ Association.

Sarah holds an associate of applied science from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, a bachelor of science in environment, textiles, and design from the University of Wisconsin, and a master's degree in Montessori education from Loyola University Maryland.

In addition to her experience in the world of Montessori education, Sarah is an experienced clothing designer. In her most recent work at Arborwear, she was tasked with “making sure your pants fit and your witty t-shirt is baby-skin soft.”

In her spare (!!) time, she enjoys running, travel (four continents down, three to go!), and seeking out new adventures.

Yolanda Bucio graduated from Alverno College in Milwaukee, WI (2000) with a BA in the liberal arts (English literature major with supports in professional communications and business & management), and immediately began her teaching career as an ESL teacher (English as a Second Language) abroad in Spain.

Yolanda has about 5 years of experience in Education that includes teaching in the areas of ESL, Bilingual Education (SP/EN), and in Waldorf Education. She has taught people of various ages, but finds that she most enjoys the toddler community. Yolanda is delighted to have recently learned about Montessori education and is excited to continue pursuing her goal of becoming a certified Montessori teacher for the Infant Community.

Farah Ricles has a BA in English literature and psychology from the University of Karachi, Pakistan, and also holds three AMI dipomas: Assistants to Infancy, Primary, and Elementary; as well as one AMS diploma (0-3). After receiving her bachelor's degree, Farah decided to take the Primary training in 1988 from the Karachi Montessori Institute. She fell so much in love with the Montessori method that in 1990, her passion brought her all the way to the United States to take the Elementary training from Washington Montessori Institute.

After her Elementary training, Farah taught at the Elementary level (ages 6-9 and 9-12) for three years. In 1995, she became the proud mother of twins and at that point, she decided to work with much younger children and completed the AMS (0-3) certification from the Montessori Institute of Barrington, IL. In 2005, Farah received her Assistants to Infancy diploma from Denver, CO.

Farah spends her weekends and holidays reading, cooking, and listening to music, and spending time with her children

Elizabeth DiCesare is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Family Counseling, and has always enjoyed working with children. She was attracted to Montessori education after reading about how it values the personal and emotional development of each child. She is excited to be a part of such a wonderful educational experience!

Elizabeth was born in Mendoza, Argentina, and moved to Texas when she was 18. She has four wonderful children (five including a son-in-law) and two infant grandchildren. She enjoys reading, music, and volunteering with Child Advocates of Fort Bend.

Lilia Magdalena Garza was born and raised in Mexico. She graduated as an Elementary teacher in 1982 from the Centro de Estudios Universitarios in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. In 1995, she moved to live in Houston where she has been working with children since 1998. She earned the CDA credential in 2000, and she obtained the A.A.S in Early Child Development from H.C.C.S in 2009. Her hobbies include reading and watching movies.

Diana Onofre grew up in Mexico. She received her B.A. in Accounting and Business Administration from the Instituto de Contabilidad y Administración de Empresas, an d also studied and trained for over twelve months in Montessori Ideology at the Colegio 18 de Marzo.

Diana worked in a Primary class from 1993 to 1995. In 1995 and 1996, she took time off in order to continue her education. From 1997 to 2006, Diana came back to The Post Oak School to work in Primary Home Environment. Since 2006, Diana has been working in the Full-Day Infant Community (FDIC). In her spare time she attends the continuing education program at the University of Houston.

Diana is married and has two sons. Her hobbies are traveling, folkloric ballet, watching movies, listening to music, and spending most of her time with her family.

Tamara Basham Tamara grew up in El Paso, Texas, and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with high honor with a degree in applied learning and development. She worked in Austin as a public school Pre-K English as a Second Language teacher for seven years. After the birth of her daughter in 2007, she decided to pursue her interest in Montessori education. With the support of her wonderful husband, she and her family traveled across the country to Portland, Oregon to take her Primary teacher training and to work on her master’s degree in education.

In May of 2009, Tamara earned her AMI Primary certification and will be awarded her master’s degree in January of 2010. Tamara and her family were delighted to return to Texas in July. They brought with them a new addition to the family, their new Brittany spaniel puppy. Tamara is looking forward to joining the Post Oak community both as a teacher and as a parent. She enjoys reading, music, art, cooking, camping, and doing anything at all with her family.

Celia Rodriguez was born and raised in Maracay, Venezuela. In 1993 she graduated from the Antonio Jose de Sucre University Institute of Technology with an Associate Degree in Tourism, but at the same time began to work as instructor of music in her own music kindergarten with children from 3 to 7 years of age. This experience motivated her to study music education at the Libertador Pedagogical University, where she graduated in 2001 with a B.A. in arts.

Celia has lived in Houston since 2005 with her husband and son and enjoys many classical music concerts, as well as attends soccer tournaments where her son is involved. Since 2008, she has been a member of The Post Oak School as an assistant in primary school.

Barbara Hacker discovered Montessori at the College of Wooster, and took AMI Primary training in Philadelphia in 1971. She also has an Ed.M. in Human Development from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Barbara has taught in Massachusetts, inner-city Philadelphia, rural South Carolina, the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, and Yokohama, Japan. In 1986 she completed the AMI Assistants to Infancy training in Houston and began work at Post Oak. After two years she moved to Primary, and has been there ever since.

Outside school, Barbara helped create the non-profit Center for the Healing of Racism, and has conducted workshops throughout the country. Her main hobby is exploring history, through genealogy in particular. She also loves antiques and gardening (especially with the children.)

Norma Paulin studied law for two years at the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León in Monterrey, Mexico. She has worked at The Post Oak School since 1986; four years in Infant Community and thereafter in Primary. She and her husband have three children who are 20, 16, and 7 years old, and also have a one-year-old granddaughter. Norma likes to spend all of her free time with her family. She also enjoys soccer, volleyball, and cooking. Norma and her husband find time to help at their church as leaders of their community.

Emily Hansen joined The Post Oak School community as an assistant in 2005 and quickly fell in love with the Montessori philosophy. She began her Primary training in 2006 and was fortunate to intern with both Miriam Winton and Mirani Smith. In July of 2008, Emily received her AMI primary diploma from the Montessori Training Center of St. Louis under trainer Dr. Annette Haines. Emily just completed her summer course work at Loyola University in Maryland and will be receiving Master of Education degree this year.

Emily received a B.A. in psychology and sociology from George Fox University, and then served two years as an AmeriCorps volunteer for the "I Have a Dream" Foundation in Portland, Oregon. Before moving to Houston, Emily lived in Costa Rica, where she taught English classes.

When not at school, Emily enjoys traveling with her family, camping, riding her bike and taking long walks with her husband, daughter, and their two wonderful dogs.

Ruth Cañas joined The Post Oak School in 2009. She has an A.A.S. in graphic design and recently received a B.A. in dual-language elementary education from The University of St. Thomas. She also just began her M.A. program in educational leadership.

Ruth enjoys traveling, reading, learning new things, and is also a beginning runner. Most of all, Ruth is very excited to begin her first year as an assistant teacher at Post Oak!

Julie Parraguirre, a Reno native, has a B.A. in Economics from the University of Nevada and a J.D., cum laude, from the University of San Diego School of Law. For eleven years she practiced labor and employment law in Houston, representing management. After the birth of her third son in 1998, Julie decided to become a Montessori teacher and earned her AMI Primary diploma in 2001 and began teaching Primary at Post Oak that same year.

Julie has three beautiful, kind, and curious sons. She is currently training for a marathon and expects to ride in the MS 150 in March 2009. Julie loves nature and exploring new placs. She is, however, deathly afraid of grasshoppers, crickets, and mantids of all kinds.

Herlinda (Nina) Strane is a native of Lima, Peru. Nina worked as an executive secretary for an advertising agency in Lima from 1974 to 1978. She then lived in Cologne, Germany from 1978 to 1982, arriving in the United States in 1983.

Nina worked as an assistant for ten years before earning her AMI Primary diploma in 2002 from the Montessori Training Center of St. Louis, after which she taught as a lead teacher in a local Montessori school.

Nina has two full grown children who are actively pursuing successful careers. Nina enjoys cooking, crocheting, listening to music, and spending time with her two dogs in her free time. Nina is actively involved with her church, and especially enjoys participating in the women’s bible studies.

Erin Smith grew up on Long Island in NY. She earned a BA in English from the University of Mary Washington in 2001. She began her career in Montessori education in July of that year, as an assistant in a Nido, or infant, class and was inspired to pursue the AMI Assistants to Infancy training in Denver. She earned her Assistants to Infancy diploma in 2004 and her M.Ed. from Loyola College in Maryland in 2005. She went on to complete the AMI Primary training in St. Louis in 2008. Erin lived in Washington, DC, for eight years and is looking forward to exploring Houston, her new home! Erin loves reading, camping, hiking, practicing yoga, and eating!

Alma Armendariz studied as an executive secretary in accounting in Monterrey, Mexico. At the University of Nuevo León, she studied Computer Science. She is currently studying at HCC. She has worked at The Post Oak School since 1993 as an assistant. She enjoys running and biking.

Miriam Winton was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She received her B.A. in Education from the University of Florida, and earned her M.Ed. from Florida International University while teaching in a public elementary school in Miami. She married Chip, the love of her life, and has followed his career, living in Los Angeles, Chicago, and now Houston. In 1996 she came to Post Oak as a substitute teacher, and then worked as a Primary assistant for two years while taking her Montessori teacher's training. She received her AMI Primary diploma in August of 2000. Miriam enjoys traveling, cooking, and reading in her free time.

Christine Karnabe was raised in Houston, Texas, where she attended Duchesne Academy and lived her adult life. As a scholarship recipient, she attended the University of St. Thomas and earned a B.A. in liberal arts with a concentration in Spanish and theology in 1997. Her career has been in education as a teacher and a private tutor, and she comes to The Post Oak School with 10 years of experience. She returned to the University of St. Thomas for further studies. In 2007, she obtained an M.A. in liberal arts with a concentration in women, culture, and society. She is also an active member of her church where she has taught Sunday school. In her leisure time, she enjoys traveling, reading, art, music, and ballet.

Dinah Chetrit received her B.A. in modern languages and international relations from Beloit College, and continued her studies of linguistics in Paris, France, with a specialization in bilingualism and the early acquisition of two languages. Her interest in and appreciation of Montessori grew when her children were young, and she received her Primary certification while living in London with her family. Upon returning to France, she worked as a lead teacher in both English-speaking and bilingual Montessori schools. In addition, she was program coordinator in a newly established Montessori school that placed great emphasis on nature studies. In 2007, after a 27-year stint overseas, she returned to the U.S. and served as a lead teacher in a Montessori inclusion classroom in New York, working closely with special needs children and Special Education teachers.

Dinah has two adult children whose independent and curious nature she often attributes to their early roots in Montessori education. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, cooking, and travel.

Marisol Benner  was born in Mexico City. She studied high school in the States and earned an academic scholarship at the University of Houston, where she earned a B.S. in interdisciplinary studies in 2003. She then took an opportunity to travel to Switzerland and around Europe during the summer as an au pair and taught the children English and Spanish. She ended up staying in Europe for two years, living in Madrid and Tenerife primarily and teaching Spanish and English independently and traveling around Europe. At the end of her work visa, she returned to Mexico City to work for an American company training and teaching employees at call centers in a special program for English accent reduction. At the end of that contract, she moved to Cancun to work for a hotel teaching their staff English and Spanish accordingly as part of their HR incentive programs. She then got married and moved to California and Hawaii most recently where her daughter was born. As a parent, Marisol experienced the Waldorf methods and community in Maui, while raising her daughter and living there. Marisol has numerous years of experience teaching and training in different settings and countries. She most recently moved back to Houston to be closer to her family and for her daughter to enjoy her grandparents.

Marisol enjoys yoga,meditation, traveling, dancing, music, reading, hiking, and her family and friends.

Millie Chavez received her baccalaureate in Education from El Salvador National Institute of La Unión in 1990. After graduation, she joined the movement to fight illiteracy and traveled to the outskirts of her city to teach reading and writing to the campesinos and military officers. She joined The Post Oak School in 1994 and is currently working with the Primary Home Environment. Millie teaches Spanish to the older children in her class. She enjoys spending time with her family. In her spare time, she likes to swim, fish, and travel.

Orly Kluk was born in Mexico City. She took both Primary and Elementary training in Mexico, where she received direct training from Nan Hanrath, a student of Dr. Montessori. Orly has taught since 1992, in both Primary and Elementary. She moved to Houston in 1996 and worked as a Primary directress and teacher of Spanish and art in another Montessori school until joining The Post Oak School in 2003.

Orly and her husband, also from Mexico City, have one son and one daughter, both current students at Post Oak. Orly enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with family and friends. She loves the Montessori philosophy not only as a way of teaching but also as a way of living.

Jamie Ward is very excited to return to the Post Oak family in 2010. Her teaching experience includes teaching dance at numerous dance studios, and within the Fort Bend Independent School District. She was an Infant Community assistant at Post Oak School during the 07-08 school year, and a full-time substitute in the spring semester of the 09-10 year.

Jamie is married, and she and her husband have two small dogs. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, cooking, working in her garden, and spending time with family and friends.

Kathy Long received her B.A. in English from Albertus Magnus College. She served in the Peace Corps from 1973 – 1975 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Since 1977, Kathy has worked in five Montessori schools. From 2001 – 2008 she served as the lower school director at Post Oak. She returned to teach in the Lower Elementary in the fall of 2008. Kathy has two M.Ed. degrees and three Montessori certifications. She also has a strong interest in nature education and sustainability issues.

Kathy and her husband John have two adult sons. When not at Post Oak, she enjoys working as a volunteer at the Houston Arboretum. She completed her Texas Master Naturalist certification in 2008 and she is also a VIP (Volunteer in the Park) at Rocky Mountain National Park.

Melanie Koehn was born and raised in College Station, Texas. Wanting to be a part of a larger and more diverse community, she came to Houston. She has a BA in English from the University of Houston. Melanie was a stay at home mom for two daughters for ten years. She fell in love with teaching while substituting at their school for four years. Melanie has lived in Bellaire for 20 years, and is also a professional portrait photographer who still prefers and uses an analog camera with film!

Currently, Melanie teaches night school English at Houston Learning Academy (HLA). She has 15 students in her class in grades 9-12. She has also worked for the Center for Disease Control conducting the 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior and Tobacco surveys in Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, and New Mexico, and she says it was an "incredible experience."

"I had the unusual experience of being in a school in the French Quarter in New Orleans that had no textbooks, materials, or computers. I also worked at a school outside of Waco with every educational advantage available. I feel blessed to be at The Post Oak School."

Hifa Sobhani completed her AMI Elementary training at the Washington Montessori Institute in 2009. She earned her M.Ed. from Loyola College in Maryland in 2008 and her AMI Primary diploma in 2007. Hifa received a B.A. in English from the University of Houston in 2006.

Hifa attended a Montessori school as a young child and rediscovered Montessori in 2004 in Beijing, China. She wholeheartedly supports the Montessori method, and believes that her work helps build the foundation of a more peaceful society.

Hifa first came to The Post Oak School in the fall of 2006 as part of her AMI Primary training. She observed in Julie Parraguirre’s classroom and returned in the spring to practice teach. She joined the Post Oak staff in 2007 as an assistant/intern in Miriam Winton’s classroom. Hifa returned to Post Oak in 2009 as an assistant/intern in Orly Kluk’s Lower Elementary classroom, and in 2010 took on a lead teaching role in Lower Elementary.

Lupe Lopez joined Post Oak in 1986 and worked as a classroom assistant with Infant Community and Primary before moving into her current position in the Lower Elementary in 1997. One of Lupe's responsibilities as an assistant is to teach Spanish to the children in her classroom.

Maya Pinto attended a Montessori school in India as a child. She has a B.A. (Honors) in English Literature from the University of Delhi, India, and also holds both the AMI Primary and Elementary teaching diplomas. She has been a Montessori teacher since 1983. After teaching a Primary class for six years in a Montessori school in Hong Kong, Maya worked at the Vancouver Montessori School in Canada for sixteen years in both Primary and Elementary levels. She joined the Post Oak family in 2005 as the Elementary Aftercare director. Since 2006, she has taught in a Lower Elementary classroom. She is equally fluent in English, Czech, and Hindi, and her hobbies and interests include reading, cooking, and crafts. She and her husband Errol have two adult sons who live in Canada.

Anita Taj was a Montessori child growing up. Her passion for teaching as a teenager motivated her to pursue a career of it. Her credentials include an undergraduate degree in education and sociology from Northeastern Illinois University as well as Montessori paraprofessional training. Her future plans are to earn a master's degree in education. Anita also has six years of teaching experience at a prestigious Montessori school in Chicago, Illinois, as well as a year in kindergarten and second grade enrichment program at a Chicago public school.

Her Hobbies include spending time with family, traveling, creating scrap books, cooking and trying new restaurants (when not in cooking-mode).

She feels her enthusiasm and her ability to create and apply new techniques for teaching make her a valuable asset to Post Oak.

Debbie Nickerson, Lower Elementary teacher, has been involved in Montessori education for over twenty years. She has served as an assistant, intern, and lead teacher in both Montessori Primary and Elementary classrooms. Debbie earned her AMI Primary diploma from the Texas Montessori Institute and her AMI Elementary diploma from the Montessori Training Centre of British Columbia. She graduated from LeTourneau University with a B.A. in Business Management. She has been at The Post Oak School since 1995. She and her husband Rick, both native Houstonians, have been married for 31 years. They are the parents of two adult children.

Sandra DeLeon has a biography in preparation.

Errol Pinto holds both the AMI Primary and Elementary teaching diplomas and has been a teacher since 1991. He joined Post Oak in August 2003 as a Lower Elementary teacher, and since 2004 he has taught in Upper Elementary. Before joining Post Oak he taught in the Primary and Lower Elementary levels at the Vancouver Montessori School in Vancouver, Canada. Errol also holds degrees in Business Administration and Economics. Prior to taking up teaching, he worked in international banking, coffee cultivation, and the airline industry. His wife, Maya Pinto, is also a teacher at The Post Oak School and teaches a Lower Elementary class. They have two adult sons who live in Canada.

Jessica Samano graduated from the University of Houston with a B.S. in bilingual education in 2008. She was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She worked for Katy ISD in 2006 and completed her undergraduate work in Alief ISD in 2008. She joined The Post Oak School in 2009 and will be joining Errol Pinto in Upper Elementary. She will be teaching Spanish. Jessica is excited about joining the Post Oak community and looks forward to gaining additional knowledge on Montessori education.

Jessica married in 2007. She and her husband are both active members of their church where she has taught Sunday school since 2002. In her leisure time, she enjoys football (Dallas Cowboys to be exact), reading, cooking, and traveling.

Laura Roark has a biography in preparation.

Kimberly Magill has a B.A. in women’s studies and English from the University of California at Davis. From 2001-2004, she mentored children and adolescents through the English Club. After graduation, she enrolled in the University of Houston’s M.F.A program in creative writing poetry. There she taught English composition and poetry workshops for two years.

Though Kimberly enjoyed academia, she noticed a wall between herself and her college students. She felt called to work with adolescents in need of more guidance and shelved the option of being a professor. From 2008-2009, Kimberly worked at Houston Can Academy, a charter school for at-risk youth, a population of teens who are either pregnant, on probation, and/ or have been expelled from most HISD schools. Surviving that year was one of the most heart breaking and illuminating experiences of Kimberly’s life. It was there that she realized that children’s needs must be met holistically as early as possible. An educator’s dedication cannot thrive in a system that merely views a child as a test score. When Kimberly heard about the Upper Elementary teaching assistant’s position at The Post Oak School and began to research Maria Montessori’s pedagogy, she knew she had to work in that environment.

When Kimberly is not teaching, she is most content cooking vegetarian meals in the late afternoon, dancing salsa and bachata in the evening, and waking early in the morning to practice meditation, yoga and martial arts.

Shekkola Barnett Gray graduated from William Marsh Rice University in 1995 with a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering. She worked for eleven years as a process engineer and an environmental engineer for Rohm and Haas Chemical Company (now The Dow Chemical Company) before deciding to pursue her life-long dream of becoming an educator. Shekkola believes that students achieve excellence in education by applying what they have learned to real-world experiences.

In 2000, she received an outstanding volunteer award from the Houston Independent School District for establishing a middle school mentoring program. In 2008, The Houston Museum of Natural Science honored her with the Wilhelmina C. Robertson Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching Award. She completed the NAMTA Adolescent Orientation in 2009. She has also completed some coursework toward an M.Ed. at the University of St. Thomas.

Shekkola has three children. In her spare time, Shekkola enjoys desktop publishing, scrapbooking, digital photography, reading, and writing essays and short stories.

Kelly McNamara has come to Post Oak from Houston Independent School District’s Wilson Montessori where she taught at the Middle School level for two years. In preparation for a change in careers to teaching from auditing, she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Houston in biology, and further studied at the University of St. Thomas to obtain her state teaching credential. She studied with the Houston Montessori Center to enhance her knowledge of teaching and to incorporate a Montessori paradigm into the Middle School classroom at Wilson Montessori.

Kelly McNamara shares her life with a teenage daughter on the north side of Houston and they in turn share their space with two dogs, who work hard at keeping the squirrels, rabbits, opossums, and birds on their toes.

Kelly McNamara enjoys taking in the Houston sites from the perspective of an urban bicyclist. She and her daughter take in movies, plays, and may find themselves enjoying the opera on occasion.

Joshua Noah is a native of Alabama and graduated with an Advanced Academic Diploma from the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science. From there he went on to earn his B.A. (cum laude) in theatre studies from Maryville College in Tennessee. While in college, Joshua worked as a teacher’s assistant in a public elementary school. This is where his love for teaching began. After graduating from college, he moved to Houston with his wife, a Houston native, in 2002. Since that time, Joshua has exclusively taught at the middle school level. He took off two years to pursue graduate study in theatre arts: performance and pedagogy at Texas Tech University, where he also taught undergraduate courses in cinema and theatre appreciation. However, his love of teaching adolescents brought him back to the classroom. He spent three years teaching gifted and talented middle school students before starting his tenure at Post Oak in the fall of 2009. Joshua attended the NAMTA Montessori Orientation to Adolescent Studies program during the Summer of 2009. He believes that students, especially adolescents, learn best when they are engaged in solving problems and discussing issues relevant to them and the real-world.

Joshua and his wife have one child in Primary. Josh is active in his church where he serves as the volunteer director of youth ministries, sings in the choir, and occasionally preaches. He is an inquirer for ministry in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and is currently working towards a master of divinity degree with a focus in youth, family, and culture from Fuller Theological Seminary – Texas.

Alma Armendariz studied as an executive secretary in accounting in Monterrey, Mexico. At the University of Nuevo León, she studied Computer Science. She is currently studying at HCC. She has worked at The Post Oak School since 1993 as an assistant. She enjoys running and biking.

Norma Paulin studied law for two years at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León in Monterrey, Mexico. She has worked at The Post Oak School since 1986; four years in Infant Community and thereafter in Primary. She and her husband have three children who are 20, 16, and 7 years old, and also have a one-year-old granddaughter. Norma likes to spend all of her free time with her family. She also enjoys soccer, volleyball, and cooking. Norma and her husband find time to help at their church as leaders of their community.

Asenet Garcia attended Texas Southmost College in Brownsville, TX, majoring in education. She went on to be certified by the American Montessori Society's Houston Montessori Center as a Primary teacher. For seven years she ran her own Montessori school, serving children from infancy through third grade. She joined the Post Oak community in 1997 as the lead teacher in the Primary Home Environment. Her hobbies center around her family and running for exercise. In August 2006 Asenet Garcia became the director of Post Oak's Aftercare Program.

Jenna Pel joined The Post Oak School as an Elementary After-Care assistant in 2008. She is currently pursuing a B.A. in history and Teacher’s Certification at the University of Houston. Prior to that she worked both as an assistant at Kumon in The Woodlands helping children with math and reading, as well as a private tutor. When not at work or in class, Jenna volunteers with the UH Cougars for Kids program. She also enjoys reading, pop culture, family time and is an unapologetically huge sports fan.

Andrea Dilger grew up in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. She received an athletic scholarship to play fastpitch softball at Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida, where she earned her B.S. degree in physical education. After graduating from Barry, Andrea went on to play and coach professional fastpitch softball in Germany for five seasons. After completing her career, Andrea moved to Tampa, Florida, to teach physical education to Elementary and Middle School students.

Andrea and her husband moved to Houston in 2009 and in their free time, enjoy fishing, sports, and traveling. Andrea looks forward to being a part of the Post Oak Community.

Luiza Grandchamp, art specialist teacher, received her AMS elementary (ages 6-9) Montessori training in 1992, and specialized in working with children diagnosed with learning disabilities. She graduated from the University of Houston in 2000 with a B.F.A. (emphasis in jewelry) and a minor in Art History. Luiza has also completed certification in the Primary level in Piaget.

Luiza was born and raised in Brazil. She has two daughters, and also works as a volunteer for the World Institute for Incurable Diseases, traveling to Brazil and countries in Africa to empower families, loved ones, and caregivers with strategies and techniques to help in the healing process of incurable diseases like HIV/AIDS and sickle-cell anemia; to provide care with less stress, more optimism and greater peace of mind; and to cope with grief. Luiza enjoys and practices martial arts, international traveling, volleyball, music, and art.

Diana Muñiz holds a bachelor's degree in Christian education from Twin Cities University. She is both an artist and an arts educator who has taught visual art for children in kindergarten to twelfth grade through Multicultural Education and Counseling Through the Arts (MECA) since 1998. She has represented MECA as an artist-in-residence for the Texas Commission on the Arts and has been a creative writing teacher for elementary students through Writers in the Schools (WITS). Among other local dynamic arts organizations where she has worked are: The Contemporary Arts Museum (CAMH), where she has been a gallery teacher; and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH), as a mural artist and parent workshop facilitator. She has also worked as a visual artist for Children's Prison Arts Project (CPAP), an arts education project for incarcerated youth within the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department.

Diana will be finishing her master’s degree in marketplace chaplaincy from Liberty University Seminary this fall and completed one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) while working as a chaplain intern at Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital. She has also worked as a volunteer in the Spiritual Care Department at Texas Children’s Hospital. One of her passions is the fusion of the arts with the sacred and the spiritual. In her spare time she loves to teach art to adults, participate in local art shows, and curate exhibitions for MECA. Diana is a poet and a reader with the Flamenco Poets Society and has been active performing her own personal essays and poems in different local venues. Diana is also represented by several talent agencies and books for private parties as a caricature artist.

Patricia Onofre is originally from Mexico. She has worked at The Post Oak School since 1992. She graduated from the Texas School of Business and attended Houston Community College and the University of Houston. Since 1995, Patricia has worked as a part-time Spanish instructor at the University of Houston, Center for Language Immersion. She enjoys learning other languages as well, and is currently learning Italian. In her free time, Patricia enjoys reading, arts, music, craft-making, dancing, and traveling.

Donna Scott is a music educator who has taught all genres including performing arts for over a decade doing such works as The Nutcracker, They Sing Christmas Up in Harlem, Wee B. Doin It, Hairspray Medley, High School Musical, Suessical the Musical Revue to name a few. Donna holds a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University and a master’s degree from the University of Kansas in communications. She is currently finishing her master’s in music education with a minor in jazz studies.

Donna has performed with the legendary Joe Sample and has performed at the Trinity Jazz Festival, Monterrey Jazz Festival: the next generation, TSU Jazz Festival; Jazzin' on Jefferson, and has performed on venues that featured such notables as Dianne Reeves and Kirk Whalum, the Sun Messengers, Dezzi McCullers, Tim Smith and Krunk, and more.

Donna plays in TSU's ensemble orchestra (trombone), Latin jazz ensemble (vocal, trombone) and will be playing with TSU's jazz ensemble in Fall 2010 (under the direction of jazz great Horace Alexander Young). She also taught summer music camp for The River Performing Arts Center in Houston Texas.

Her main instruments are vocal, piano, trombone, although she has studied violin and is studying saxophone.

Donna has studied with jazz giant Andre Heyward (trombone) Dr. Jane Perkyns (classical piano), Dr. Joanne Clark ( piano), Joy Amati (piano) and Dr. Carl Stone (percussion).

BR Simon graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1969 with a B.S. in Child Development and a minor in Psychology, then pursued AMI Primary training with Margaret Stephenson at the Montessori Institute of Atlanta. B.R.’s first teaching job was at The Little Schoolhouse, an earlier name for Post Oak. After marriage, she stopped teaching to have two daughters who started Montessori school at 16 and 22 months.

B.R. started the Montessori school at United Orthodox Synagogue, and worked at Westside Montessori, St. Stephen's, and Post Oak before becoming a librarian at Post Oak. She enjoys the combination of working with books and children, and occasionally in the classroom! Her personal time is spent with family and friends, Jazzercise, and travel.

Phylis Tomlinson is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) in private practice and she works part-time at The Post Oak School. She holds a B.S. in education from James Madison University, M. Ed. in educational psychology from the University of Houston and early childhood certification from Texas Southern University. She completed post-graduate work in art therapy at University of Houston at Clear Lakeand the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Phylis has worked in public and private schools as teacher, counselor and consultant for more than 30 years. She opened her office in private practice more than 20 years ago working with children and adults. In addition, she is a continuing education provider for therapists and counselors facilitating workshops and seminars. Her mission is to help people live their lives on purpose, creatively, and in balance with self and others.

Her family lives in the Dallas area and is happily growing; her second grandchild is due soon. Phylis loves to travel, while at home she enjoys gardening, painting/photography and knitting (collecting yarn!), a great grandmotherly activity.

Mark Tucker has taught at The Post Oak School since March of 1984. He attended a junior college to play baseball after graduating from Aberdeen High School in Aberdeen, MS. Mark has worked as a park ranger, a park and recreation director, and a fitness specialist in a treatment program. Mark’s wife Nancy is also a teacher, working in the Humble Independent School District for twenty-two years as a special education teacher. Mark and Nancy have three children.