Faculty and Staff

Toddler Program

Aarthy Anbarasan

Toddler Lead Teacher
Prospect Street Campus
aanbarasan@shrewsburymontessori.org

Unable to ignore her curiosity for human development, even though Mrs. Anbarasan started her academic training in science, she later changed career paths to pursue a Maters degree studying sociology. Upon arriving in the U.S., she discovered the magic of the Montessori and her favorite age range, the toddlers. She is an experienced Montessori Toddler Lead Teacher who is skilled at setting up a nurturing environment to guide children to uncover and take ownership for their innate independence and creativity from early on in their educational careers. SMS is incredibly fortunately to be able to obtain Mrs. Anbarasan as our founding Toddler Lead Teacher to start the school’s Toddler program. Apart from working with children, Mrs. Anbarasan enjoys cooking, spending time with her family, and caring for her collection of indoor plants. Mrs. Anbarasan has a AMI A to I (birth to 3 year old) Certification from Montessori Training Center Northeast (CT), a Master of Arts in Sociology from Annamalai University (India), and a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Fashion Technology from Reach Institute of Fashion and Information Technology (India).

Rika Ishiwata

Toddler Lead Teacher
Prospect Street Campus
rishiwata@shrewsburymontessori.org

Born and raised in Japan, Mrs. Ishiwata fell in love with working with young children, and has worked in two Montessori schools in the past 22 years. As an experienced Toddler and Children’s House Lead Teacher, Mrs. Ishwiata is dedicated to helping children reach their full potential. Mrs. Ishwiata holds a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts from Lesley College and an AMI diploma (3-6) from the Rochester Institute of Montessori Training. In her spare time, Mrs. Ishwiata enjoys baking and spending time with her family.

Nicole Plude

Toddler Assistant Teacher
Prospect Street Campus
nplude@shrewsburymontessori.org

Ms. Plude has ten years of experience working with young children starting off in her family owned daycare center. After graduating from Worcester State University with a B.A. in Sociology, she found her passion working with toddlers. Ms. Plude also has experience as a Developmental Specialist in Early Intervention. Ms. Plude’s passion belongs to the classroom and she is very happy to join SMS this school year.

Kiera Valentine

Toddler Assistant Teacher
Prospect Street Campus
kvalentine@shrewsburymontessori.org

From her experience taking care of her sister born with Autism from nine years and on, Ms. Valentine recognized her passion to work with children. As a result, she pursued her studies in Early Childhood Education with a special focus on special needs children. For her first job out of college, she took a job working with high risk children and families. Three years ago, she had the experience fostering two children. Professionally, she has broadened her experiences working with children in a number of Early Childhood institutions in the past seven years in capacities such as a Toddler Lead Teacher and Preschool Lead Teacher. Her experience with children allows her to recognize the value of Montessori education and motivated her to join the SMS community. Ms. Valentines earned an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education from Rasmussen College (FL).

Children’s House

Brenda Alfreds

Children’s House Assistant Teacher
Oak Street Campus
balfreds@shrewsburymontessori.org

Mrs. Alfreds has 20 years of experience as an Assistant Teacher guiding children through the Montessori Method of learning at the Oak Street Campus. Brenda assists in all areas of the classroom and helps make a happy, healthy, and safe environment for the children to learn. Her hope is that all children have the opportunity to learn in a supportive environment!

Kathy Falcucci

Children’s House Assistant Teacher
Prospect Street Campus
kfalcucci@shrewsburymontessori.org

Ms. Falcucci joined the SMS team in September of 1997. She has an associate degree from Newbury Junior College of Business. Kathy holds a Preschool Teacher certificate through the MA Department of Early Education and Care. She has worked in Children’s House since her start in 1997. Before coming to SMS, Kathy was a stay at home mom raising her three boys. In her spare time, she likes visiting wineries and spending time at North Beach in NH.

Kathy Finn

Children’s House Lead Teacher
Oak Street Campus
kfinn@shrewsburymontessori.org

Mrs. Finn attained her Montessori Children’s House (3-6) credential through the AMS certified New England Montessori Teacher Education Center. Kathleen holds her Director I and Lead Teacher certificate through the MA Department of Early Education and Care. Mrs. Finn has worked in the MetroWest area as a Montessori Lead Teacher and Director for over 20 years. She loves working with children as “they are full of possibilities!”.

Sonika Gupta

Children’s House Assistant Teacher
Oak Street Campus
sgupta@shrewsburymontessori.org

Mrs. Gupta has over 20 years of experience working with children as an educational support professional. She has a Master’s degree in Human Development and holds her Lead Toddler/Preschool Teacher Certificate through the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. She loves going on long walks, listening to music and cooking Indian cuisine

Lauren Kennedy

Children’s House Assistant Teacher
Oak Street Campus
lkennedy@shrewsburymontessori.org

Mrs. Kennedy has twelve years of experience as a Montessori Assistant and Children’s House Lead Teacher. She is certified through North American Montessori Center. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Social and Rehabilitation Services with a Concentration in Gerontology. Her mother, Mrs. Michalak, worked at SMS for more than thirty five years and her two children are SMS alumni. Mrs. Kennedy loves teaching and helping each child to be successful and lifelong learners. She enjoys going to baseball games and vacationing on Cape Cod with her family and three dogs.

Elizabeth Mason

Children’s House Lead Teacher
Oak Street Campus
emason@shrewsburymontessori.org

Elizabeth is eager for her first year at Shrewsbury Montessori to get underway. She has been nurturing and guiding children’s development for thirty years. She earned an AS Degree in Early Childhood Development, followed by her BA Degree in Liberal Arts and Studies with a Psychology Concentration. She is licensed by the MA Department of Early Education and Care as an Infant/Toddler and Preschool Lead Teacher, and is also Director II Certified. Elizabeth attended the Northeast Montessori Institute and received her American Montessori Society Teaching Credential. Spending time with her three children keeps her very busy when she is away from the classroom. She truly basks in the joys of motherhood. Elizabeth loves listening to live music, the ocean, and enjoys summer reading.

Shloka Shroff

Children’s House Lead Teacher
Prospect Street Campus
sshroff@shrewsburymontessori.org

Mrs. Shroff joined SMS as a Children’s House lead in September 2019. She has a bachelor’s degree in Accounting & Early Childhood Education from the University of Mumbai, India. Shloka holds her Director I and Preschool Lead Teacher certificate through the MA Department of Early Education and Care. She also holds her 3-6 Montessori teaching certification from the Center for Montessori Education in NY. Mrs. Shroff has taught in various capacities over the last 18 years. She also ran a home-based daycare when she lived in Buffalo, NY. In her downtime, Mrs. Shroff enjoys spending quality time with her family, traveling, listening to music, and gardening.

Debra Shupe

Children’s House Lead Teacher
Prospect Street Campus
dshupe@shrewsburymontessori.org

Mrs. Shupe grew up in northern New York and received her Bachelor of Arts in Early Education from SUNY-Potsdam and a Master of Science in Deaf Education from the State University of New York-Geneseo. She attained her Montessori Infant, Toddler, and Children’s House (0-6) certification through the St. Nicholas School in London, England. Mrs. Shupe loves to incorporate nature into the daily curriculum of Montessori education through gardening and observation as a means to tap into all the five senses. Mrs. Shupe enjoys skiing, riding horses, biking, and traveling.

Lower Elementary

Christine Abysalh

Lower Elementary Assistant Teacher
Oak Street Campus
cabysalh@shrewsburymontessori.org

Mrs. Abysalh joined the SMS community as a Lower Elementary Assistant Teacher in September 1999. Previously, she had volunteered in Holden Public Schools and worked for Shrewsbury Public Schools in the Special Education Department as a Child Specific Aid. She enjoys spending time with her family, cooking and traveling to the sandy beaches of Maine.

Krista Maynard

Lower Elementary Lead Teacher
Oak Street Campus
kmaynard@shrewsburymontessori.org

Miss Maynard began her career at SMS in 2011. After working as a Lower Elementary Assistant and finding a passion for the Montessori philosophy, she pursued her Montessori certification. She completed her training in Elementary I (6-9) in 2015 from the AMS certified Montessori Education Teacher Training Collaborative and has enjoyed being a Lower Elementary Lead Teacher ever since. Krista graduated from Salve Regina University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Business Administration and furthered her schooling in Elementary Education at Worcester State University. We are fortunate to also have Miss Maynard help chaperone the 6th Year students on the Bahamas trip for four years. In her free time, she loves cheering on all Boston sports teams.

Emilee Spampinato

Lower Elementary Lead Teacher
Oak Street Campus
espampinato@shrewsburymontessori.org

Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education, Emilee is excited to join SMS as a Lower Elementary Assistant to start her teaching career. To become a teacher owning her classroom has been a dream Emilie single-heartedly pursued and she has gathered experiences along the way. She worked with early childhood education at Wonder Years Learning Center for sevens prior to joining SMS. She is eager to meet her students and learn more about Montessori this school year.

Upper Elementary

Talia Harris

Upper Elementary Lead Teacher
Oak Street Campus
tharris@shrewsburymontessori.org

Having attended Montessori schools from first to sixth grade, Mrs. Harris intimately understands the deep impact a Montessori education can have on a child or life. Steamed from her desire to truly see and meet students’ needs, she devoted her career to working with students with special needs for the past decade. Mrs. Harris is no stranger to independent schools and culture either, as she served as the Lead Teacher at Manville School in Boston whose mission is centered around helping students with learning differences for six years. “Following the child” is her educational mantra, and she is excited to contribute her skills and experiences to her SMS classroom as a Montessori teacher. She looks forward to receiving Montessori training and deepening her experience at SMS. Her favorite subject to teach is science and enjoys hiking in the mountains, spending time with her family and friends, as well as baking and cooking. She has a Master of Science in Integrated Elementary and Special Education from Wheelock College (MA), and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Hartwick College (NY).

Beth McGillicuddy

Upper Elementary Assistant Teacher
Oak Street Campus
bmcgillicuddy@shrewsburymontessori.org

Mrs. McGillicuddy started working at SMS as an Upper Elementary Assistant Teacher in 2006.  She has completed the Intro to Montessori and 3-6 Overview at the Montessori Elementary Teacher Training Collaborative.  Mrs. McGillicuddy received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Foreign Affairs from Assumption College. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, going to the beach, and is an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan.

Michelle Meyer

Upper Elementary Assistant Teacher
Oak Street Campus
mmeyer@shrewsburymontessori.org

Ms. Meyer has joined SMS having served as a technology and digital arts instructor with Empow Studios, often spending her summers leading local area camps. Recently, she also worked as an assistant in Shrewsbury Public and Worcester schools. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Drama from Ithaca College. She loves creative arts, performing, travel, and spending time in her garden.

Johanna Wilbur

Upper Elementary Lead Teacher
Oak Street Campus
jwilbur@shrewsburymontessori.org

Johanna grew up in central Massachusetts and received her Bachelor’s in Russian Language and Literature from Harvard University. She then studied elementary education at Smith College where she received a Masters of Education. During her time at Smith, she worked as a research assistant for a study about the long-term success rates of Montessori-educated children. This is how she first fell in love with Montessori education. She holds both 6-9 and 9-12 certifications from the Center for Montessori Training and Education which has now become the Montessori Elementary Teacher Training Collaborative. After a decade of teaching in Montessori classrooms, she went back to Mount Holyoke to study math education and received a second Master’s degree in Math Teaching. She has two children, three dogs, and loves reading, knitting, and going for long walks.

Co-Curricular Teachers

Grace Coberly

Music Teacher
gcoberly@shrewsburymontessori.org

Mx. Coberly is thrilled to be joining the team as the Shrewsbury Montessori School music teacher. Raised in a musical family, they have always believed that music is the key to forming strong communities. They completed a double major in Music and Linguistics at Haverford College, where they wrote two senior theses on children’s music socialization. An experienced singer and composer, Mx. Coberly studied chorale conducting at the Eastman School of Music and also in Milan, Italy. They play ukulele and melodica and are learning piano and guitar. Mx. Coberly has a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Linguistics from Haverford College (PA).

Kristin Combs

Art and Gardening Teacher
kcombs@shrewsburymontessori.org

Kristin Combs graduated from Connecticut College with a major in Religious Studies and a minor in Studio Art. She has taught both art and academic subjects to preschool through ninth grade children for more than 20 years. She joined the SMS community as a parent in 2011 and as a teacher in 2012. Before becoming the Art and Gardening teacher in 2018, she has worked in several roles at SMS, including Music assistant, Children’s House trainee, and occasional substitute. She is the parent of one SMS alumna and one current Upper Elementary student. Outside of school, Mrs. Combs enjoys knitting, gardening, house renovation projects, and watching her children’s sports and music activities.

Cindy Erle

Librarian
cerle@shrewsburymontessori.org

Mrs. Erle joined the teaching staff at SMS in 2018. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Northeastern University, Masters of Education, Elementary 1-6, from Anna Maria College, and a Masters of Education, Library K-12, from Cambridge College. Mrs. Erle taught fifth and sixth grades and served as librarian at Sherwood Middle School in Shrewsbury before moving on to the Nashoba Regional district as a school librarian in elementary and middle school. She retired from teaching in the public sector after 22 years. Of course, she loves to read in her spare time, but she also enjoys spending time with her family, weaving, rug hooking, scrapbooking, and all crafts.

Mark Kobel

Technology Teacher
mkobel@shrewsburymontessori.org

Mr. Kobel joins Shrewsbury Montessori School after teaching Technology/Engineering for 36 years. He received his bachelor and master degrees from Fitchburg State University and a STEM certification from UMass Boston. He has taught T/E classes including digital photography, digital video production, vex robotics, graphic arts, auto maintenance, woodworking, drafting, 3D computer modeling, and 3D printing all with a focus on helping students to develop skills for solving real-world problems. When not at SMS he enjoys music, gardening, photography, home maintenance projects, and playing guitar.

Aurélia Layec

World Language Teacher, French
alayec@shrewsburymontessori.org

Grew up as a native Parisian, Mrs. Layec had a passion for education. She started her educational career teaching elementary and middle school students for five years in the French education system.  Upon moving to the U.S. in 2010, for seven years, she served as a Second Grade Lead Teacher in a premier French dual immersion school in Salt Lake City in Utah, created an immersion curriculum to teach American children core subjects in French. Since moving to MA in 2018, she taught French language lessons in private settings. Mrs. Layec is excited to join the SMS community to share her passion for the French language and culture with students. In her spare time, Mrs. Layec enjoys sewing, hiking and traveling. Mrs. Layec has a Masters of Science in Sciences and Techniques of Physical and Sports activities (STPS) from University Montpellier I (France). She has a Bachelor of Science in STPS from University Paris Lacretelle Paris V (France).

Support Staff

Jenna Bird

School Nurse
jbird@shrewsburymontessori.org

Bringing with her a wealth of experience, Ms. Jenna Bird has gained the majority of her experience as an Emergency Room nurse at Boston Children’s Hospital. Ms. Bird graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2017, and is currently studying to achieve her DNP- FNP degree at UMass Amherst. In her free time, she loves to read, walk her dog, Lucy, travel, and take Orange Theory classes. Due to her love for children, she applied to the School Nurse position at SMS. She looks forward to meeting and getting to know all the students and families.

Allyson Brunner

Learning Specialist
abrunner@shrewsburymontessori.org

Mrs. Brunner earned her M.Ed. in Special Education and B.S. in Exercise Science from the University of Toledo in Ohio. Trained in Foundations through the Wilson Language Training and Orton-Gillingham through the Institute of Multi-Sensory Education, she brings to SMS over 12 years of experience of instructing diverse learners in a variety of educational settings in Ohio, Arizona and Massachusetts. With a passion for literacy and educating the whole child, Mrs. Brunner is looking forward to supporting the students, families and staff as Learning Specialist. Outside of the classroom, you can find Mrs. Brunner at the beach, walking her dog with her husband or cheering on her son’s hockey team.

Kyra Delano

Administrative Assistant
Oak Street Campus
kdelano@shrewsburymontessori.org
Kyra grew up in western New York where she graduated from SUNY Fredonia with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She is a classically trained clarinetist, playing since age 10. She is an avid reader and loves the theater. At home, she enjoys spending time with her fiancé and spoiling her two dogs, five cats, and the quaker parrot.”

Nick French

Administrative Coordinator
nfrench@shrewsburymontessori.org

Nick French grew up in Central Mass, and graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a B.A. in Business Management. Nick is taking on the role as the Administrative Coordinator to manage the school’s information databases, implement marketing initiatives, coordinate events, and fill in to support the administrative team when and where necessary. During his free time, Nick likes to go rock climbing, snowboard at Wachusett Mountain, and spend time with his two French bulldogs Tucker and Izzy.