Lower Elementary Team
Lower Elementary Bios
Anchor Teacher - Melody McNeill
My name is Melody McNeill and this year I will be serving as lower-elementary Anchor Teacher, supporting the two lead teachers and their students. I was raised in Montezuma County and have been teaching here for seven years. I am passionate about teaching students how to explore the world through literacy and believe that Montessori and project-based methods are wonderful tools to meet this goal.
When not at school, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my family. During the summer, you can almost always find me in my garden with my dogs and husband.
Anchor Teacher - Melody McNeill
My name is Melody McNeill and this year I will be serving as lower-elementary Anchor Teacher, supporting the two lead teachers and their students. I was raised in Montezuma County and have been teaching here for seven years. I am passionate about teaching students how to explore the world through literacy and believe that Montessori and project-based methods are wonderful tools to meet this goal.
When not at school, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my family. During the summer, you can almost always find me in my garden with my dogs and husband.
Upper Elementary Team
Upper Elementary
Anchor Teacher - Chris LaRose
I have been working in education for twenty+ years. I have a Masters of Education in Science Education. I have had a variety of roles from AmeriCorps volunteer to assistant director of the Keystone Science School. As with my roles, my experience has been in a myriad of settings. A few include teaching in an international school in Honduras, and doing a teacher exchange in South Australia. I’ve taught a wide spectrum of ages, from kindergarten to adult ages. My passion for education stems from my experience in experiential learning. My goals in education include fostering a love for learning and helping students recognize they are needed in the classroom, community, and world.
When I’m not teaching I enjoy traveling with my family. This past year my family and I took a seven-month road trip around the U.S. It was cool to see how diverse America is, and how much natural beauty this country has. Other activities I like to do are walking through the woods, snowboarding, whitewater kayaking, skateboarding, and flying the Millennium Falcon through Asteroid Belts.
Lead Teacher - Althea Ellis
I’m from the beautiful, tropical Caribbean Island of Jamaica. I have a bachelor’s in education in the field of Language and Literacy, and a teaching diploma in Reading and Social Studies. I have over thirteen years experience in the classroom, during which time, I’ve taught from Grades two through to six.
My calling is to be a teacher. It brings much joy and satisfaction to see a child learn something new, especially if it’s a child with reading challenges. If I have made a difference in one child’s life, I may have changed the course of an entire generation. My life is a testament of the importance of education; that may have contributed to my passion for teaching. Up until the age of 10, I had reading challenges, but then I met a teacher who positively changed my life, she helped me to burst from my cocoon. That is how I want to help other children realize their potential, overcome their fear for reading and mathematics, build their self-esteem and become the best version of themselves.
I enjoy sporting activities, especially track and field. During elementary school, I competed in track and field events at various competitions. I’ve been a teacher at my current school – Top Jackson Primary and Infant for 13 years. I organize sporting events. I’m also the school’s literacy coordinator. Over the course of my tenure, I’ve taught grades two through to six.
Lead Teacher - Kathy Carpenter
Middle School TEam
Middle School
Lead Teacher - John Whitehead
I have been working at Children’s Kiva for five years, the last four of which I have spent teaching middle school. The best part of being a teacher is seeing the light in a student’s eyes when they have been struggling to figure something out and everything suddenly clicks.
When not teaching I enjoy playing tabletop games and spending time with my family.
Anchor Teacher - Hiedy Whitmer
I have been teaching for the last 15 years. I completed my first year of teaching at Shiprock Alternative School Inc. Fourteen of those years were spent at Mesa and Manaugh Elementary. I enjoy fostering a love of learning and independence in our youth. I am excited to see just how far we can grow this year.
When I’m not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my husband Carlos, and our three kids Kiffany, Sheldon, and Natalie.
Lead Teacher - John Whitehead
I have been working at Children’s Kiva for five years, the last four of which I have spent teaching middle school. The best part of being a teacher is seeing the light in a student’s eyes when they have been struggling to figure something out and everything suddenly clicks.
When not teaching I enjoy playing tabletop games and spending time with my family.
Anchor Teacher - Hiedy Whitmer
I have been teaching for the last 15 years. I completed my first year of teaching at Shiprock Alternative School Inc. Fourteen of those years were spent at Mesa and Manaugh Elementary. I enjoy fostering a love of learning and independence in our youth. I am excited to see just how far we can grow this year.
When I’m not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my husband Carlos, and our three kids Kiffany, Sheldon, and Natalie.
Renaissance Kids Specials: STEAM and SPARK
Renaissance Kids Specials
Donitza Ivanovich
This year is my second year as a classroom teacher although I am coming from over 10 years as an educator. Five of these years consisted of exploding pumpkins and dissecting organs at the Powerhouse Science Center in Durango. The rest is from teaching summer camps, and university classes. I hold a B.S in Environmental Biology at Fort Lewis College and a M.S in Geographic Information Sciences from Northern Arizona University. Last year, I was inspired to go back into the classroom after teaching STEM and Outdoor Education classes at BattleRock Charter School.
I am passionate about teaching because it is meaningful work and I love "watching" neurons connect in children's brains. I am a strong believer in project based learning and field experiences as pedagogical methods.
When I am not teaching I enjoy climbing mountains, snowboarding, crafting, and exploring the outdoors with my 3 year old son and husband. I am a wannabe gardener, a terrible chicken owner, and am afraid of mustard and monkeys. I am looking forward to teaching Upper Elementary at Kiva Montessori School this year.
Morgan Allsup
Donitza Ivanovich
This year is my second year as a classroom teacher although I am coming from over 10 years as an educator. Five of these years consisted of exploding pumpkins and dissecting organs at the Powerhouse Science Center in Durango. The rest is from teaching summer camps, and university classes. I hold a B.S in Environmental Biology at Fort Lewis College and a M.S in Geographic Information Sciences from Northern Arizona University. Last year, I was inspired to go back into the classroom after teaching STEM and Outdoor Education classes at BattleRock Charter School.
I am passionate about teaching because it is meaningful work and I love "watching" neurons connect in children's brains. I am a strong believer in project based learning and field experiences as pedagogical methods.
When I am not teaching I enjoy climbing mountains, snowboarding, crafting, and exploring the outdoors with my 3 year old son and husband. I am a wannabe gardener, a terrible chicken owner, and am afraid of mustard and monkeys. I am looking forward to teaching Upper Elementary at Kiva Montessori School this year.
Morgan Allsup
INtervention and Administration
Intervention
ESS - Cassy Whitehead
I grew up in Mancos and went to college at Brigham Young University. I moved back to Mancos and began teaching in Cortez in 2013. I then joined the Kiva in 2014 as a Lower Elementary Teacher Assistant and then became the Lower Elementary Lead Teacher. I currently am the Exceptional Student Services Teacher at Kiva and love my position.
In my free time, I love to read, crochet, cross stitch, hike, and play board games. My animals are my passion and include two dogs, four cats, a ferret, and a bird.
ESS - Cassy Whitehead
I grew up in Mancos and went to college at Brigham Young University. I moved back to Mancos and began teaching in Cortez in 2013. I then joined the Kiva in 2014 as a Lower Elementary Teacher Assistant and then became the Lower Elementary Lead Teacher. I currently am the Exceptional Student Services Teacher at Kiva and love my position.
In my free time, I love to read, crochet, cross stitch, hike, and play board games. My animals are my passion and include two dogs, four cats, a ferret, and a bird.
Administration
Classroom Assistant -Kerry Scales
School Nurse - Hope Davis
Administrative Assistant - Patty Likes
Business Manager – Monica McCook
Head of Operations - Robert Rime
Head of School – Jeff Pope
Classroom Assistant -Kerry Scales
School Nurse - Hope Davis
Administrative Assistant - Patty Likes
Business Manager – Monica McCook
Head of Operations - Robert Rime
Head of School – Jeff Pope