Sofia graduated from Ithaca College and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Therapeutic Recreation. As a certified Recreational Therapist, Sofia has worked with a variety of populations, but she has learned through recent years that she is most drawn to working with children. Sofia has a passion for being a nurturing caregiver and supporting children to...Read More

Kerstin is originally from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and moved to the Brattleboro area in 2015 with her family. She and her husband Cyrus have two children, Darius and Ilona, both of whom attended Montessori schools. Illona attended Hilltop from fourth grade to graduation in 2020!  Kerstin is grateful for how the Montessori experience helped her...Read More

Growing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Madeline has long loved rolling hills and mountains, swimming in rivers, hiking, and getting acquainted with many varieties of flora and fauna. As a recent transplant to New England, Madeline is enjoying exploring her new home (recommendations welcome!). Having worked in a variety of different educational settings, Madeline...Read More

Rebecca Baldini, a self-described Minnesotan/Montanan, settled in New England in 1998 and never looked back. She raised three Montessori children before becoming a teacher herself. Rebecca was the integrated arts coordinator and violin teacher before leading a children’s house classroom for the past four years at the Montessori Schoolhouse in Keene, NH. A believer in...Read More

Jay has been the school’s musical pied piper since 1996! He has a BA in Music from Middlebury College and plays an array of instruments. Jay enjoys instrumental and vocal improvisation, and plays bass, keyboard and sings with his bands, Jazzberry Jam and Hipfunk Associates. He introduces rhythm, movement and song to our youngest students;...Read More

Françoise’s journey in the Montessori field began when her 10 year old daughter started attending a Montessori school in 2003. Françoise believes that her daughter’s Montessori education helped build skills and self-confidence in a way that her prior  schooling did not allow. Over time, Françoise became more and more involved in her daughter’s school, first...Read More

Annie joined the stellar Hilltop community in 2018 and is excited to bring her love of children and teaching experience back to Hilltop for a fourth year. She studied Education and Child Development at Marlboro College, where her thesis focused on the ideals of early childhood education and the importance of play in child development....Read More

Mariam has been the warm and welcoming pillar of Hilltop since 2011. Mariam attended training through the Montessori Elementary Teacher Training Collaborative (METTC) at Lexington Montessori School and the Advanced Assistant’s Overview training at the Gordon College. She studied the philosophy, pedagogy and methodology of Montessori education and how to guide children with the vast...Read More

Cheryl has been teaching in the Children’s House program since 1987, she is truly a “Master” Montessori teacher. She has a BS from Lyndon State College and has both her Primary (age 3-6) and Lower Elementary (age 6-9) AMS (American Montessori Society) certifications as well as her elementary education state certification from Franklin Pierce College....Read More