DCS Montessori Charter School

Heather Anderson, Upper Elementary Teacher

Email: Heather Anderson

Chrys Globelnik, Educational Assistant

Hello my name is Chrys Globelnik. I have been with DCS Montessori since October 2000. After working in Primary for 6 years I transitioned to Upper El where I have worked for many years, the last few of which I have been very fortunate to be working with Ms. Jodi.  I have lived in Colorado for most of my life. I was born in Kansas. My husband and I have been married for 32 years. We have two beautiful children who I consider my greatest accomplishment. I enjoy spending time with family. Some of my hobbies include yoga, reading, and outdoor activities.

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Sean Grealy, Upper Elementary Teacher

Greetings. My name is Sean Grealy. I grew up in Littleton, Colorado and graduated University of Denver with a double major in Anthropology and Religious studies. My travels took me to South Korea where I spent several years as an ESL instructor.

Shortly after returning stateside, I joined the DCS Montessori Community as a parent. Both of my boys are students here (5th grade and 3rd grade). Since joining the DCSM community I have had the opportunity to work in several different capacities. I have been a volunteer, a substitute (at all levels), and have worked in the after-school program. I have worked as an educational assistant in lower-elementary, as well as upper-elementary. My experience in these different roles led me to focus on the upper elementary age group. Furthermore, these experiences also give me perspective of what experiences students at DCSM may have had and what challenges they will meet as they continue in their learning.

I have recently completed my Upper-Elementary Montessori training. I am excited to be returning to DCS Montessori as a lead in Upper-Elementary and look forward to a great year!

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, cooking, and being outdoors.

Email: Sean Grealy

Brenda Kjar, Educational Assistant

Hello, my name is Brenda Kjar and I’ve lived in Colorado since 1980, happy to call it home.

As my father was an officer in the Air Force, most of my growing up years were spent near bases in Germany and on the gulf coast of Mississippi. Before coming to DCS Montessori, I worked as a Customer Service Supervisor at United Airlines. At the time, I loved my job but resigned after 10 years when my twin daughters were born.  I am married with a son, age 25, and my twin daughters are now age 19.  All of my children attended DCS Montessori, my son starting the year it opened.

I knew when I found DCS that the Montessori philosophy/method was a good fit for my children, and as it turns out, for me as well.  I’ve been an educational assistant since 2001, starting first in Primary, and now working in Upper Elementary.  It is a pleasure and a privilege to be in the classroom, and part of this Montessori way of learning.  I never tire of seeing the positive effect this method generates in children.  When not at school, I enjoy time with my family and friends, reading, gardening, and cooking.

Andrea Dreier, Upper Elementary Teacher

Hi, I am Andrea Dreier, and I was born and raised in Colorado. I graduated from Colorado College in 1990, with a BA in Psychology. After college, I spent time working as the Senior Counselor at a short-term residential treatment facility for teenage boys in Denver County. Following that, I focused on being a Mom and lived in Vancouver, Canada, and the Washington DC area before settling back in Castle Rock. I have had the pleasure of working at DCS for over 5 years. I’ve spent time in Primary, Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary, and am currently an Upper Elementary teacher. Having had experience at all three levels, I am happy to be in Upper Elementary where I have a good sense of where the children are coming from when they enter 4th grade, and what to prepare them for when entering Middle School. I hold a Montessori Lower Elementary certification, Montessori Upper Elementary certification, as well as a Colorado State Teaching License for grades K-6.

I am a parent of DCS Montessori alumni. My oldest son attended DCS Montessori and is now a student in college. I am extremely happy to report that the transition for him from Montessori to traditional school was seamless. I also have three daughters and a son who have transitioned to their neighborhood High School and all of them love going to school! I enjoy spending time with my children, my husband, family and friends, reading, traveling, camping, and skiing.

Email: Andrea Traut@dcsdk12.org

Sherry Castro, Educational Assistant

Hello, I am Sherry Castro. I have been an Educational Assistant at DCS Montessori since 2006, where I started out in Lower El before transitioning to Upper El with Ms. Andrea. This will be our 12th year working together, with hopefully, many more to come.

I was born and raised in Colorado, where I met my husband, Michael, with whom I have been with for thirty-four years. We have two daughters, Ashlee and Jessica. Michael and I also have a granddaughter, Erin Marlee, who is a student at DCS Montessori.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading, getting together with my family and listening to music, and taking motorcycle rides with Michael.

Diana Visser, Upper Elementary Teacher

I am very excited to be part of the DCSM community as an Upper Elementary lead teacher. While I have been teaching Upper El for several years, Montessori education has always been a passion of mine. My mother and grandmother were both Montessori Primary Teachers, so I am the third generation in our family to teach Montessori. This background has given me very deep roots in the philosophy and methods of Dr. Maria Montessori.

I was born in Colorado and grew up in Lakewood. I attend Colorado College, where I received my B.A. in Psychology. Six years later I went back to school to complete a M.A. in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix. Sometime between my B.A. and M.A., I found time to get married to a wonderful man from The Netherlands. We had a daughter, Annika, in 2006 and a son, Karsten, in 2014. I am proud to say that both of my children have had the benefit of a Montessori education from the start. In 2016, I completed my Montessori Elementary I-II credential from The Montessori Education Center of the Rockies (MECR) in Boulder. In addition to teaching in the classroom during the school year, I work at MECR in the summer to train aspiring Montessori teachers.

 I look forward to working with your children to learn and discover things that will only add to their awesomeness and help them work towards the betterment of the world.

Email: Diana Visser

Fawn Dean, Educational Assistant

Tara Hook, Upper Elementary Teacher

“The training of the teacher is something far more than learning ideas. It includes the training of character. It is a preparation of the spirit.” (Maria Montessori). I began my journey in Montessori when I was searching for a more holistic approach to education for my oldest daughter. Since then, I find myself continually amazed at the way this method and philosophy helps children reach their full potential and brings forth their inner light. With inspiration from Montessori philosophy, I earned my teaching degree from Western Governors University in Interdisciplinary Studies for grades K-8. I hold a Colorado Teaching License for grades K-6 and an Elementary I/II credential from Montessori Education Center of the Rockies. I have been at DCS Montessori for several years. I have always served the upper elementary age, and also facilitated after school programs for all age groups.

“Free the child’s potential and you will transform him into the world.” (Maria Montessori). I am passionate about helping children find balance and well-being for themselves and helping them reach their full potential in all areas. This passion led me to seek more understanding about the social emotional aspects of child development. I am a certified Social Emotional Learning Facilitator (SEL*F), and Yoga Instructor (CYT-200) through Breathe for Change. I enjoy learning from and with children every day, and find that part of my own growth and character development is a direct result of being in their world.

I have always lived in the Rocky Mountain area. I am from Wyoming and my husband is from the United Kingdom. We have two wonderful daughters who have both attended DCS Montessori.  In our free time, we enjoy mountain hikes with our dog Ripley, and traveling to explore new places.

Email:  Tara Hook

 , Educational Assistant

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