Please welcome Jon Orris as our Interim Head of School!
John Whitehead -- Lead Guide, Middle School -- john.whitehead@kivacharter.org
I have a Bachelors degree in Theatre Education from Brigham Young University with a minor in Math Education. I have worked in education at schools in Utah and Colorado with 6 years total experience working with students from 8 to 18 years old. I am currently enrolled in a Cincinnati Montessori Secondary Teacher Education Program and will be receiving my American Montessori Society certification as a Secondary (12-18 year old) Montessori Teacher later this year. I am also enrolled at Xavier University in their Masters of Montessori Education program and will be graduating later this year as well.
Patty Smith -- Assistant Teacher, Upper El -- patty.smith@kivacharter.org
I am a considered a local being a 5th generation Mancos resident that currently lives in Cortez. I was a Real Estate Broker and worked in that field for 14 years. I’ve been an Administrative Assistant and Office Manager running different types of businesses. Highly involved in marketing and advertising, building each business. I’m the proud mom of two boys that were 13 years apart. I have always been very involved in their education, both in and out of school. Since my sons were very small, I volunteered in their classrooms, went on field trips and athletic activities, I also served on the PTA board. With my sons and their friends, I found the balance between holding them accountable and giving them the freedom to make mistakes. I learned from them as they matured and grew into well rounded responsible adult men. For this reason, my home became the place my sons and their crowd of friends spent a lot of time, learning life skills and growing up.
It is my philosophy that when you educate our youth in a compassionate and responsible way, our world becomes a more peaceful place. I am passionate about family, friends and spending time outdoors and enjoying all the beauty this area has to offer us.
Since working at Children’s Kiva Charter School, I have taken the Montessori Assistant Training at MECR twice where I have learned how to make my life experiences an asset to the Montessori classroom. Our staff completed the HAP training and many other continuing Montessori trainings throughout the last two years. Just like my students, I am continuing to grow and learn and appreciate all the opportunities my students give me to become a better person each day. If life happens in the right sequence our children will teach us as much as we teach them.
It is my philosophy that when you educate our youth in a compassionate and responsible way, our world becomes a more peaceful place. I am passionate about family, friends and spending time outdoors and enjoying all the beauty this area has to offer us.
Since working at Children’s Kiva Charter School, I have taken the Montessori Assistant Training at MECR twice where I have learned how to make my life experiences an asset to the Montessori classroom. Our staff completed the HAP training and many other continuing Montessori trainings throughout the last two years. Just like my students, I am continuing to grow and learn and appreciate all the opportunities my students give me to become a better person each day. If life happens in the right sequence our children will teach us as much as we teach them.
Cassy Whitehead -- Lead Guide, Lower Elem. -- cassy.whitehead@kivacharter.org
I earned an Associates Degree from Snow College and a Bachelors in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University. I worked at several elementary schools in Utah Valley before moving back to Mancos and teaching fifth grade at Manaugh Elementary. There, I heard about Montessori classrooms and decided to pursue that philosophy of education. I spent one year as an assistant in the first lower elementary classroom in the Children's Kiva Montessori School. I received training through the North American Montessori Center and have been teaching as a lead teacher in a lower elementary classroom for the last three years. I have been working in education for a total of eight years.
Mona Snyder -- Assistant Teacher, Lower El -- mona.snyder@kivacharter.org
I have worked at Kiva since the 2015-2016 school year. My first year was as the Administrative Assist, and this will be my second year as an Assistant Teacher. I am from Cortez, but spent a few years up in Logan, UT where I became a licensed cosmetologist. I am excited to be working at the school in the classroom.
RayLynne Braun -- Reading Intervention -- raylynne.braun@kivacharter.org
I have been teaching for over 15 years. I have previously taught 7 grade reading and 8th grade U.S. History for 4 years here at the middle school. I then moved to Las Vegas, NVm to get my Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an Elementary Endorsement from UNLV. I then taught in Las Vegas for 10 years. I have taught almost every grade level at the elementary level, with 1st grade being the one I taught the longest. This is my first year in Montessori, and I am halfway through my training. I love what Montessori offers.
Nancy Gummow -- Assistant Teacher, Lower El -- nancy.gummow@kivacharter.org
I graduated from Stevens-Henager College of Business. I have worked for the Boy Scouts of America and for a few years with the elderly. I have volunteered in many different capacities working mostly with youth ranging in ages from 18 months to 18 years. I love working with children and I am enjoying this opportunity to learn and grow.
Caitlin Munroe -- Upper Elementary Lead Teacher - caitlin.munroe@kivacharter.org
Caitlin began her Montessori career while still in college, when she trained and worked as a primary assistant for 1.5 years. She then taught in rural Alaska and on the Navajo Nation for many years, from first through eighth grade. Her own three children attended the Children's Kiva from ages 3-6 before attending the Montessori classrooms in Manaugh Elementary for grades 1-5. She took courses to become a qualified Early Childhood Director and ran summer programs at the Kiva for 2 summers. Subsequently, she served on the board of directors for the Kiva before training for lower elementary and working with Master Montessorian, Julianne VanBuskirk, in the lower elementary Montessori classroom at Manaugh. Caitlin then completed her upper elementary training at the Montessori Center for Teacher Education in San Diego, and began teaching at Manaugh Elementary in the upper elementary Montessori classroom. For the next eleven years, Caitlin worked as the upper elementary guide in Manaugh, continuing to develop knowledge in content areas while honing her teaching skills. She has taken courses and trainings in environmental, polar, oceanography, STEM, and climate science as well as in teaching writing, literature and poetry, and English for second language learners. Her history training includes seminars and workshops given by the National Endowment for the Humanities, Primary Source and Expeditionary Learning. Caitlin has presented at 3 international science conferences (2 with local students as co-presenters), 3 national science conferences, as well as several regional education conferences. She is in her twenty-fourth year of teaching.
Linda Whitehead -- Exceptional Student Service Interventionist -- linda.whitehead@kivacharter.org
I was born in Wyoming, graduated from BYU and ASU (CO). Attended UNR, WTC, USC, CSU. Degrees in English Literature, History, and Special Education K-21 Moderate Needs. Licensed in Utah and Colorado for Language Arts, History (UT), ELL (UT), and Special Education. Have nine children (counting in-laws) and 13 grandchildren. Raised them in Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, and Colorado. Have children living in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Montana. I enjoy writing, gardening, textile art (knitting, crocheting, doll making, quilting), reading, and family history. My favorite beings to spend time with are kids (both kinds), cats, dogs, and my husband, who does not enjoy writing, gardening, cats, goats, or dogs and puts up with them because they make me happy
Morgan Allsup -- Technology Teacher -- morgan.allsup@kivacharter.org
Morgan graduated from Dartmouth College in 1969 with a BA in Sociology. He attended Central Washington State College, Northern Arizona University, and the University of New Mexico for Education. His certified teaching experience includes, Navajo HeadStart, Kindergarten -Fourth Grades and Technology/Computers in Shonto, Pinon, Rocky Ridge, Teec Nos Pos and Red Valley, Arizona. He retired in 2007 and has been teaching Scratch computer programming ever since.
His hobbies include reading, gardening, baking and playing the fiddle. He is the current host of a Celtic music program, Siabhran, on KSJD.
His hobbies include reading, gardening, baking and playing the fiddle. He is the current host of a Celtic music program, Siabhran, on KSJD.
Not Pictured: Urulu Yazzie - Finance Director - urulu.yazzie@kivacharter.org
Kristin Croker - Lower Elementary Lead Teacher - kristin.croker@kivacharter.org
Kristin Croker - Lower Elementary Lead Teacher - kristin.croker@kivacharter.org