Violinist and educator Edward Barnes brings an encouraging, growth-focused approach to Hilltop Montessori School, helping students explore violin with confidence, curiosity, and joy. Holding music degrees from St. Olaf College and UMass Amherst, Edward is a Suzuki-trained violin instructor and a recipient of the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s META (Music Educators and Teaching Artists) Fellowship. As...Read More

Wendy is our in-house Learning Specialist Director. She has a degree in Early Childhood Education and is a certified Wilson Reading Instructor. She has been teaching for over 30 years including more than 20 years working with children who need additional support in order for them to be successful in the classroom. Her Special Education...Read More

Jennifer brings diverse experience and a love of both teaching and music making to her roles at Hilltop. She holds M.A.’s in Latin American Studies and Education, and she completed her Montessori AMI elementary training at the Washington Montessori Institute prior to moving from the DC area with her family. Jennifer taught music in both...Read More

Catherine Flannery, a native Vermonter, returned to southern Vermont in the fall of 2019. Catherine grew up in Putney where she attended Putney Central School and Brattleboro Union High School. After high school, she completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education (K-6) at Salve Regina University in Rhode Island and went on to complete her...Read More

Ali grew up in New Jersey and, as the daughter of a teacher, was always drawn to education. She attended Hamilton College, where she majored in Chinese Language and Literature in 2014. After graduating, she managed an after-school early literacy program in San Francisco, then taught 5th grade at an arts-based school in Brooklyn. In...Read More