We are Lifelong Learners

Amy Henderson

Head of School

Amy is our current Head of School, a position she has held since 2003 and is the immediate successor to Joy Sheffield, the founding Head of School. She served as the Head of the Elementary program since 1997 and has been a teacher at MSFW since 1984.

Amy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s Degree in Education from Texas Christian University, an American Montessori Society (AMS) Teaching Credential for ages 6 to 12 and an AMS Administrator’s Credential from the Houston Montessori Center. Currently, she is a faculty member of the Houston Montessori Center and engages in field consulting, mentoring and presenting to teacher education centers both nationally and internationally. Amy is an active member of the AMS. She served on the AMS Board of Directors for eight years, first as the Vice-President for Professional Development and then as President.

Currently, Amy serves on various committees and supports Montessori professional development opportunities through presentations and writing. As an educator, Amy strongly believes in learning communities and is known for her own quest of knowledge, observation skills and leadership qualities. Amy enjoys family time with her grown children (MSFW alumni) and two grandchildren(both current MSFW students), traveling, reading, cooking and outdoor activities.

Catherine Fredian

Office Manager

Catherine received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis. She is the mother to three sons who have all experienced a Montessori education. Catherine has been a part of MSFW beginning in 2003, serving in multiple roles in the Montessori Parents’ Club, including President. Managing the school office since 2006, Catherine enjoys the daily interactions with the parents, faculty and students of MSFW. She is an avid runner and enjoys cooking, biking, reading and spending time with family and friends.

Catherine is a detail-oriented office manager, a welcoming voice on the phone and an enthusiastic supporter of all MSFW activities.

Judy Duke

Administrator

Judy has worked at MSFW since 1982 and with the toddler community since 1984. Along with her extensive experiences as a teacher, she holds an American Montessori Society Teaching Credential for ages 0-3 from the Montessori Education Center of the Rockies.(MECR). She served as a MECR field consultant supervising and supporting student teachers while in training and found it very rewarding. Judy currently manages office responsibilities as the admissions director, advises the other teachers and is a keen observer of students.

She has a reputation for her inner calmness, nurturing manner and extensive knowledge of child development. Judy enjoys being with her grown children and grandchildren, gardening, reading, visiting art museums and walking her dog.

Amy Brimberry

Toddler Teacher/Office Assistant

Amy is a native of Fort Worth who graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She became involved with Montessori education as a parent, substitute teacher, and extended care worker at The Montessori Academy in Arlington. Amy received her AMS Teaching Credential for ages 0-3 from the Houston Montessori Center in 2012 and subsequently joined MSFW She strongly believes in the Montessori philosophy, and thinks that respecting and following the child, while allowing them peaceful time to complete their work uninterrupted is important.

Since joining the MSFW family she feels like she has found her “home”. Spending time with her family, walking, reading, and Formula One racing are some of her interests.

Helle Calhoun

Toddler Teacher

I became involved with Montessori education as a parent and assistant toddler teacher in 1999. I received my American Montessori Society Teaching Credential for ages 0-3 from the Montessori Education Center of the Rockies (MECR) in 2001 and have enjoyed the company of toddlers ever since. They live in the moment, and I am always learning ways to appreciate life from them.

I enjoy the challenge of supporting the many aspects of toddlers as they go through an unbelievable change in a short period of time. Also, the Montessori approach with respect for the whole child speaks to my particular sense of logic.

My free time is spent with my grown children, walking my dogs, gardening, and reading.

Cheyenne Throckmorton

Toddler Teacher

Cheyenne began working at MSFW in 2020. She received a Bachelor of Science in General Studies with focuses in Music and Theatre from Tarleton State University. She holds her AMS Teaching Credential for ages 0-3 years (Infant/Toddler) from the Houston Montessori Center.

Her interests include performing in musicals, cooking, sewing, and caring for animals and children. She loves spending time with and singing with her husband and daughter, who also attends MSFW.

Cheyenne is known for her humble spirit and her enthusiastic nature. She believes that guiding a child and helping them to become a kind, caring, and compassionate citizen of the world is the most important work a person can do.

Bianca Weir

Toddler Teacher

Bianca started working at a Montessori school as a Primary Assistant in 2013 and fell in love with the Montessori philosophy. She encouraged herself to branch out and learn more about the other different age groups and became a Toddler assistant. Finding that she enjoyed watching the tremendous developmental growth that toddlers go through and achieve during their most sensitive period of life, Bianca decided to become part of that journey and pursued a credential in Infant and Toddler.

Bianca is a native of Fort Worth and loves the community and the atmosphere. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Warren, daughter Rei, and family. Bianca enjoys going on walks, crafting, and traveling.

Stephanie Henderson

Primary Teacher

Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and an MBA from TCU. Prior to becoming an educator, Stephanie worked in the oil and gas industry for over a decade. After having children of her own, she made a heartfelt decision to change her career path and focus on her family, and it was during this time that she became passionate about Montessori education. Her husband is an alumnus of MSFW.

Experiencing the transformative impact of Montessori education had on her own children ignited a deep passion within her. Stephanie is currently pursuing her Montessori teaching credential through HMC, further deepening her commitment to providing a nurturing and enriching learning environment for our students.

Outside of the classroom, Stephanie enjoys quality time outdoors with her husband, two boys, their dog, and their chickens.

Cecilia Aufiero

Primary Teacher

Cecilia received her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois in Chicago and spent two years as the Motor Development Specialist in the Allegheny Valley School in Pennsylvania. She taught in Buenos Aires, Argentina for eight years prior to moving to the United States. Cecilia has been a part of Montessori School of Fort Worth since 1998, when her eldest son enrolled. As a parent, she served on the Montessori Advisory Group. She received her AMS certification at the Dallas Montessori Academy and has been a part of the primary learning community since 2006.

In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis with her family, reading and walking/hiking. Always positive, Cecilia brings both a positive energy to the learning community and an openness to new ideas.

Emily Pickell

Primary Teacher

Emily has taught in our primary environment since 2003. She graduated from Trinity University with a BA in Elementary Education and received her Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Texas at Austin. For fourteen years she taught elementary and middle school students with learning and behavior differences in San Antonio, Highland Park, and Mississippi. She took some time off from teaching to stay home with her two boys when they were young and first became involved with MSFW in 2001.

Emily likes the collaboration amongst the teachers at MSFW. She loves teaching the children in the three-year grouping and working with them as they grow and mature. She enjoys reading, walking/hiking, and supporting her sons and their endeavors. Emily is dedicated, loving, and creative.

Cristy Lanford

Primary Teacher

Cristy began her relationship with MSFW through the enrollment of her children in 1992 and became a teacher in 1994. She is impressed with the children’s enthusiasm for learning, freedom of choice and the independence of the students.

Cristy enjoys gardening, fishing, camping, crocheting and reading. She is currently one of our primary teachers and also leads our primary Spanish enrichment program. Cristy, a fun-loving, caring, sensitive and creative person, is known for her love of nature.

Gaby Rea

Primary Teacher

Gaby arrived at MSFW in 2015 with 18 years of experience in Montessori education having taught since 1997 as an infant/toddler teacher. She also has three years experience in the 3-6 class. Gaby received her AMS teacher certification in both Infant/Toddler from the Mid-America Montessori Teacher Training Institute in Omaha, Nebraska and an AMS Early Childhood level certification from Dallas Montessori Teacher Education Program. Her two children experienced Montessori from the toddler age onwards.

Outside of school Gaby enjoys spending quality time with her family, cooking and knitting. Gaby is kind and nurturing toward children.

Julie Sphar

Primary Teacher

Julie’s journey to becoming a Montessori teacher started when her son entered the MSFW toddler program in 1999. She immediately fell in love with the school and started volunteering. Over the years she has held many positions in the Montessori Parents’ Club, including President. Later she worked in the school office, and then became a lunch-bunch teacher and substitute teacher for the primary class. She enrolled in the local Montessori teacher education course in 2004 and received an AMS Teaching Credential for ages 3-6 from the Dallas Montessori Academy.

In her free time, Julie enjoys reading and genealogy. Julie says, “I feel very lucky to be able to work in such a wonderful place.” MSFW is very fortunate to have such a caring teacher that loves children and wants their education to be filled with positive experiences.

Sharon Hoffman

Primary Teacher

Sharon grew up near Houston and received her BBA from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches. She worked for many years performing  software testing and technical support, then took a long break to care for her 5 children.   After substitute teaching at her children’s school, she felt the desire to teach.  Her oldest two children attended a wonderful Montessori school in Houston, so she knew that Montessori would be the perfect environment for her.

She received her AMS teaching credential for ages 3 to 6 from The Shelton School in Dallas and joined MSFW in 2018.  She loves the respectful and nurturing environment provided for the children, as well as the camaraderie and support among the faculty and staff.

In her leisure time she enjoys traveling and hiking with her husband, Greg, and their children, reading, sewing and very competitive family game nights.

Kathy Schimmel

Primary Teacher

Kathy discovered Montessori in 2012. She had the opportunity to observe a Montessori classroom at that time and fell in love with the Montessori method. Kathy has many years experience working in traditional preschool classrooms and teaching students with special needs.  She completed her Primary Montessori Certification in 2014.  Kathy joined the MSFW family in 2015 at the toddler level.

Kathy is passionate about instilling a love of learning in her students. She believes a Montessori classroom provides the ideal environment for children to learn and grow, and she hopes to guide her students to become lifelong learners.  As a Montessori teacher she believes it gives her the opportunity to change tomorrow by working with today’s children.

Outside of teaching, Kathy enjoys sailing, painting, biking and gardening, but especially she enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Erin Barrett

Primary Teacher

Erin graduated from Texas State University with a B.S. in elementary education and from Lubbock Christian University with a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership.  Erin taught Kindergarten in Lubbock and started an afterschool program that brought science education to under-served communities in west Texas. Erin has a passion for early education and is excited to be back in the classroom.

Erin lives in the Ridglea Hills area with her husband, Jordan, and is coming to MSFW with her two daughters, Brooklyn and Addi. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and loves to travel, read, and garden.

Hope Taylor

Primary Teacher

Hope has worked with children in entertainment over the course of six years and is passionate about child-led education. She discovered substitute teaching in 2021 and has been pursuing a career in education since then, receiving ongoing training in Early Childhood Montessori Education from Houston Montessori Center.

In her free time Hope enjoys learning new things, perusing antiques, and collecting vintage clothing. She enjoys being involved in a beautiful environment like MSFW, and observing children as they discover the world around them.

Matty Umscheid-Martinez

Lower Elementary Teacher

Matty is a native to Fort Worth who graduated from Texas Wesleyan University with a double major in Business Administration and Psychology. She has been a part of the MSFW family working with the students since 2000 in aftercare and as a substitute teacher. She received her AMS teaching credential for ages 6 to 9 from the Houston Montessori Center (HMC). She currently serves as a field consultant for mentoring new Montessori teachers for HMC and teaches adult learners at the Shelton Montessori Teacher Education program. She is especially impressed with Montessori’s ideas of following the child and fostering independence.

Matty is known for her compassion; she is a thorough and dedicated teacher. She characterizes MSFW as a second home because the environment is so welcoming. When not at school, Matty enjoys time drag racing, good books, playing with her dog, cooking and most of all spending time with her family.

Rachel Nordgren

Lower Elementary Teacher

Rachel joined the elementary teaching team at MSFW in 2007. Previously, she had 12 years of teaching experience in a variety of settings: public school, European bilingual school (in Italy) and private Montessori schools. She received her teaching degree from the University of Oklahoma and holds an AMS teaching credential for ages 6-9 from the Houston Montessori Center. She currently serves as a field supervisor for new teachers and teaches adult learners at the Shelton Teacher Education Center.

Rachel likes the underlying respect that people have for one another in a Montessori school, to see a child go as far as they can and not be tied down by the group. She loves the family feel at MSFW. In fact, it is the place she selected for her own children to grow up. Rachel enjoys traveling, reading, skiing, cooking and spending time with family.

Stacey Vazquez

Lower Elementary Teacher

Stacey discovered MSFW when she enrolled her son in 2009. She began working as an extended care teacher and substitute in 2017 when her daughter entered lower elementary.

Stacey earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Kansas State University and worked as a Naturalist and Assistant Director of Education and Natural Sciences at River Legacy Living Science Center in Arlington. There she enjoyed sharing her love of the natural world with children from preschool through middle school and facilitating inquiry-based science workshops for teachers from around the metroplex.

She earned her AMS 6-9 certification from the Houston Montessori Center. Stacey is thrilled to be part of the MSFW community.

She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and loves to cook, read, and run with her dog. She can often be found at the soccer fields cheering for her children, Emerson and Eleanor.

Claire Trice

Lower Elementary Teacher

Claire graduated from TCU with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education. She is completing her teacher education course to earn a Montessori credential at the Houston Montessori Center. Claire attended the Montessori School of Fort Worth as a student from preschool until she graduated in 6th grade, and claims that returning to teach at MSFW is so exciting!

Claire’s hope is to provide the same support and quality of teaching that she received as a young learner at MSFW. Her philosophy of teaching is a student-centered approach, and is based on how the student learns best. Educating the whole child, both social-emotionally, as well as how they perceive and process the world around them is important to Claire. She believes that the student should feel empowered to learn and grow in an environment that encourages exploration and collaboration among peers.

Crystal Apodaca

Lower Elementary Teacher

Crystal graduated from UT Arlington with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Her love of fitness and teaching led her to coaching, personal training, and she was introduced to Montessori in 2013 she began teaching after school fitness classes at the school. Crystal became the middle school PE coach in 2015 growing her interesting in the Montessori approach. She is pursuing her AMS teaching credential from the Houston Montessori Center.

Drawn to the culture and environment she has experienced since the very beginning of being at MSFW that has been so positive, Crystal knew when she and her husband started a family that their child would have to attend MSFW! We welcomed our first child in 2021 and I decided to teach in the classroom. Her hobbies are cooking, traveling, learning about different cultures and the great outdoors.

Michelle Romero

Upper Elementary Teacher

A native of Anson, Texas, Michelle holds a BA in Philosophy from Schreiner University in Kerrville and a JD from St. Mary’s School of Law in San Antonio. She earned her AMS Teaching Credential for 6-12 from the Houston Montessori Center. Michelle taught in the Upper Elementary classroom at School of the Woods in Houston from June 2007 until she joined MSFW in the fall of 2014. She served as the Elementary II Coordinator and has been an instructor for the Houston Montessori Center. She is currently completing coursework to become a Certified Academic Language Therapist.

Michelle enjoys spending time with her husband, Robert, their daughter, Jillian, and Beagle Luna Belle. She loves sports and cheering on the Rangers, Cowboys, and Stars!

Terri Szabo

Upper Elementary Teacher

Terri Szabo became interested in Montessori education when her children were young. In 2001, she took lower elementary training at the Dallas Montessori Academy and taught in a Lower Elementary Class for 12 years at the Montessori Academy in Arlington. She also taught Lower Elementary at the Westwood School in Dallas.

Previous to earning her credential from the Dallas Montessori Academy, Terri worked in an Upper Elementary Class as an assistant. She completed her training at the Houston Montessori Center to teach in the Upper Elementary class in 2014. She also completed her certification to be an Academic Language Therapist in 2015..

Terri is married and has two daughters. Her oldest daughter, Clare, attended Montessori school for upper elementary. She is now a college graduate and is working in the graphic design industry. Her youngest daughter, Kate, is a biomedical engineer working in surgical robotics and began Montessori school as a toddler and finished the 6th grade. Before children, Terri received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Texas at Arlington. She worked in the business field as an auditor and money manager.

Terri is passionate about Montessori education, collaborative learning and promoting a love of life long learning. On a personal level, Terri enjoys reading, exercising, and planning trips with her family.

Joan Ryan

Upper Elementary Teacher

Joan has spent the majority of her 40-year teaching career in Montessori education, teaching in both public and private Montessori schools in Houston, Arlington, and Ft. Worth. Credentialed by the American Montessori Society for ages 6-12, she has taught first through sixth grades over her many years of teaching.

Formally retiring as a Montessori teacher for FWISD in 2018, she has been a lower and upper elementary substitute teacher at MSFW since then. In 2021, she joined the upper elementary class as a part-time teacher.

Joan was a past member of the Board of Directors at the Houston Montessori Center, and has been a trainer for adult learners, field consultant, and mentor for new Montessori teachers for HMC.

Her love for Montessori education began as a parent when she enrolled her young daughter in a Montessori preschool. She was “hooked”, both as a mom and a teacher. Joan is now the proud mom of that daughter who is an elementary Montessori teacher in Houston.

What Joan has always loved about Montessori education is the respect for the child. She has always strived to incorporate the Montessori philosophy of nurturing the needs of the whole child – social, emotional, physical, spiritual, academic – into her teaching and believes that MSFW fosters the ability to do that.

Joan says, “I love teaching at MSFW because it just feels like ‘home’ to me. This school is such a nurturing place for students, families, and staff. For a retired teacher, it’s a wonderful place to continue my love of teaching.”

In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, sewing, and trying to guess what new color of hair dye her teenage granddaughter will try next

Shirley Willhite

Middle School Teacher

Shirley was born in Texas and grew up in a small town 35 miles south of Fort Worth. She received a BS degree in elementary education from Southwestern Adventist University. Her Montessori career led her to teach in the Primary classes of Montessori Children’s House (now MSFW) and the Upper Elementary class at Como Montessori Magnet School, both in Fort Worth. Because of her strong belief in the Montessori philosophy, her three children have attended Montessori schools. Her husband has also taught in Montessori classrooms. It really is a family affair!

After retiring from a public school teaching career that included elementary and middle school, she began to volunteer at MSFW. Soon she was substitute teaching in various classrooms and working part-time in Upper Elementary. In addition, she also taught geometry and tutored math students in the Middle School program. 

To her, the Montessori method of learning is one that not only addresses the different ways a child learns in a logical sequence, but also provides an atmosphere and community for growing into responsible, decision-making individuals. She recognizes middle school as the culmination of the Montessori levels of achievement.

Harry Cole

Middle School Teacher

Harry Cole is delighted to return to Montessori School of Fort Worth, where he taught middle school with his wife. MSFW is clearly a special place for our family in both a personal and professional perspective. We are thrilled to raise our son in what we consider to be most academically and emotionally nurturing environment possible.

Harry is an alumnus of Tulane University where he studied Architecture and English Literature. He is credentialed by the American Montessori Society for Secondary I/II learning environments and has worked in classrooms with primary, elementary and middle school students. Harry has previously served as the Learning Specialist for Tulane University and Director of University Montessori School in New Orleans. Harry specializes in Universal Design for Learning and adolescent cognitive development through the lens of peace education and Montessori pedagogy.