CROSS OF LIFE CHRISTIAN MONTESSORI SCHOOL STAFF
Stefanie Graper - School Director & Toddler Teacher
A Montessori child herself, Stefanie graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor of arts degree in Anthropology in 2001. Stefanie began working with the Americorps Education program in Atlanta public schools when she realized the public education program was not working for most children and decided to return to her Montessori roots.
Stefanie completed her AMI Primary training at the Montessori Institute of Atlanta while working at First Montessori as a primary all day teachers assistant and later, the primary all day after school coordinator. She then went on to co-teach a primary classroom at First Montessori before settling at Cross of Life Christian Montessori School as the toddler teacher in 2006. Stefanie has also had the honor of working closely with the director of training at the Montessori Institute of Atlanta Teacher Training Center as a course assistant; maintaining AMI training standards and tutoring students. She continues to volunteer at the institute. In 2010 Stefanie enthusiastically took on the role of director at Cross of Life Christian Montessori School while maintaining her position as the schools toddler teacher. Stefanie is also certified in CPR.
Stefanie lives in Marietta with her husband, two children and their dog. Stefanie also enjoys photography, cooking, reading, yoga and volunteering with Adopt a Golden Atlanta.
Stefanie completed her AMI Primary training at the Montessori Institute of Atlanta while working at First Montessori as a primary all day teachers assistant and later, the primary all day after school coordinator. She then went on to co-teach a primary classroom at First Montessori before settling at Cross of Life Christian Montessori School as the toddler teacher in 2006. Stefanie has also had the honor of working closely with the director of training at the Montessori Institute of Atlanta Teacher Training Center as a course assistant; maintaining AMI training standards and tutoring students. She continues to volunteer at the institute. In 2010 Stefanie enthusiastically took on the role of director at Cross of Life Christian Montessori School while maintaining her position as the schools toddler teacher. Stefanie is also certified in CPR.
Stefanie lives in Marietta with her husband, two children and their dog. Stefanie also enjoys photography, cooking, reading, yoga and volunteering with Adopt a Golden Atlanta.
Claire Paglia - Primary Teacher
Claire grew up in the Atlanta area with her two younger siblings, both of whom attended Montessori school. Claire has always been intrigued by the Montessori method of guiding a child's educational and social development. She graduated from Elon University with a degree in Elementary Education and planned to teach in the traditional setting but then realized that Montessori was a better fit with her own views of how children grow and develop. While completing her AMI Primary training at the Montessori Institute of Atlanta, she also worked to earn her Masters in Education with a concentration in Montessori from Loyola University in Maryland. Claire has also had the honor of working closely with the director of training at the Montessori Institute of Atlanta Teacher Training Center as a course assistant; maintaining AMI training standards and tutoring students. Claire continues to volunteer at the institute. The 2011-2012 school year will be Claire’s fourth year in the classroom and her second at Cross of Life Christian Montessori School. Claire is currently taking the Level 1 training for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and is also certified in CPR.
Claire currently resides in Roswell with her husband and son. Outside of the classroom, Claire loves photography and spending as much time as possible outdoors. She looks forward to sharing her love of nature and the environment with the children.
Claire currently resides in Roswell with her husband and son. Outside of the classroom, Claire loves photography and spending as much time as possible outdoors. She looks forward to sharing her love of nature and the environment with the children.
Carol Rushforth - Primary Teacher
Carol graduated from Maryville College in 1978 with her BA in Sociology. For the next ten years she directed the Christian education programs in several churches and also obtained her masters in Christian Education. It was in one of these churches where Carol first saw a Montessori class in action. How amazing to watch the children go joyfully about their work! The calm, respectful atmosphere of the class, where the children were able to do so much more than in other preschools, made a lasting impression on Carol. In 1992 Carol had the opportunity to take the primary level Montessori training at the Montessori Institute of Atlanta and has since had the pleasure of guiding children through her Primary Montessori classrooms for five years. Carol is also certified in CPR.
Carol lives in East Cobb with her daughter and their dog. She enjoy spending time with her family as well as gardening, reading and walking.
Carol lives in East Cobb with her daughter and their dog. She enjoy spending time with her family as well as gardening, reading and walking.
Lise Goodhand - Toddler Teacher's Assistant
Lise was born and raised in Berwyn, Pa. After graduating from William Smith College in Geneva N.Y. with a B.A. in French, Lise moved to St. Simons Island, Ga. in 1977 and relocated to Atlanta in 1978 where she worked in the securities industry for the next ten years. Lise came to Cross of Life Christian Montessori in 1997 as an assistant in the toddler room. Though she thought the job would only be temporary, the Montessori method worked it’s magic; being part of such a positive learning environment was impossible to leave.
Over the past thirteen years Lise has worked in both the toddler and primary classrooms and is CPR certified. She also developed and taught a French cultural and language program for our former elementary curriculum and will be teaching French in the upcoming school year. Lise and her husband have lived in Roswell for the past 22 years and have 2 grown sons.
Over the past thirteen years Lise has worked in both the toddler and primary classrooms and is CPR certified. She also developed and taught a French cultural and language program for our former elementary curriculum and will be teaching French in the upcoming school year. Lise and her husband have lived in Roswell for the past 22 years and have 2 grown sons.
Tracy Hettinger - Primary Teacher's Assistant
Tracy was born and raised in Whitefish Bay, WI. She studied early childhood education and psychology at Drake University & Marquette University and received her Associates in early childhood education from METC. In 1995 she began teaching two and three year old preschoolers at Seton Children's preschool in Milwaukee. She moved to Georgia in 1996 where she has worked as a substitute teacher in Cobb county and volunteered with the PTA. Tracy began working at Cross of Life Christian Montessori in 2010 as a substitute teacher. She was such a great fit for our school we hired her as the teacher's assistant to Claire's primary classroom. Tracy completed the AMI assistant teaching program in 2010 and is also CPR certified. She lives in East Cobb with her three children and two dogs. In her free time she enjoys reading, movies, and supporting her children in their extra curricular activities; baseball and dance.
Karen Maxwell - Catechesis Formation Leader
Karen became involved in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in 1990 as an assistant in a newly established Level I atrium when her oldest daughter was four years old. She quickly became immersed in helping to make materials for the atrium and in Level I training to become a catechist. She was moved by the spiritual depth offered to the youngest children and found this approach to faith formation to be personally enriching as well. Following her participation in each succeeding formation course (Levels II and III) over the next five years, she helped to begin an atrium for the children of her church, which was the first in Georgia to offer Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She was a volunteer coordinator for CGS for seven years before being hired on staff for the same role in her church for another seven years.
Karen began as a formation leader in 1996 offering Level I courses. She became a Level II formation leader in 2001 and in 2008 a Level III formation leader. Karen was a Level I formation leader for the National Course offered in Scottsdale, Arizona in 2001 and 2002. She attended the International Retreat in Assisi in 1997, the Formation Leaders Retreat in Prior Lake, Minnesota in 2000, and the Level III Update in 2004.
Karen joined the staff for the National Association of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in May 2004 in the newly formed position of Director of Formation. Her work supports formation leaders and catechists through communications, conferences, and ongoing formation courses and resources. She also responds to a variety of inquiries and pastoral concerns about CGS. Karen is one of two US representatives to the International Council, which meets every three years. Karen’s previous professional background included roles as a writer for a sales training firm, and as a director of communications and public relations for an economic development organization and also for a psychiatric hospital. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a Business minor and a Master in Pastoral Studies in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
Karen currently serves on the CGS Leadership Team and as a Level III catechist for a church close to home. She also volunteers as a Level I catechist for a Christian Montessori School that offers CGS.
Karen has a son and two daughters who have all been involved in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd as children but who are teenagers and young adults now. She credits her husband for his great support of CGS and has been happily surprised by his gifts in material making over the years. Outside of CGS, among several areas of interest, Karen enjoys watching baseball games, dance performances, and taking long walks with her family.
Karen began as a formation leader in 1996 offering Level I courses. She became a Level II formation leader in 2001 and in 2008 a Level III formation leader. Karen was a Level I formation leader for the National Course offered in Scottsdale, Arizona in 2001 and 2002. She attended the International Retreat in Assisi in 1997, the Formation Leaders Retreat in Prior Lake, Minnesota in 2000, and the Level III Update in 2004.
Karen joined the staff for the National Association of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in May 2004 in the newly formed position of Director of Formation. Her work supports formation leaders and catechists through communications, conferences, and ongoing formation courses and resources. She also responds to a variety of inquiries and pastoral concerns about CGS. Karen is one of two US representatives to the International Council, which meets every three years. Karen’s previous professional background included roles as a writer for a sales training firm, and as a director of communications and public relations for an economic development organization and also for a psychiatric hospital. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a Business minor and a Master in Pastoral Studies in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
Karen currently serves on the CGS Leadership Team and as a Level III catechist for a church close to home. She also volunteers as a Level I catechist for a Christian Montessori School that offers CGS.
Karen has a son and two daughters who have all been involved in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd as children but who are teenagers and young adults now. She credits her husband for his great support of CGS and has been happily surprised by his gifts in material making over the years. Outside of CGS, among several areas of interest, Karen enjoys watching baseball games, dance performances, and taking long walks with her family.
Stephanie McAlester - COLCM Administrative Assistant
Stephanie grew up in Kansas City, MO and moved to the Stone Mountain area in 1993 to pursue a degree in culinary arts from the Art institute of Atlanta. During Stephanie's culinary journey the little voice in her heart that said "Follow your passion and be a nurse!" became quite vociferous.
She switched degrees and graduated from Dekalb Technical College in 2003 with her LPN in nursing. She has worked for North Fulton hospital since 2004 in the fields of hospice, pediatrics and physical rehab. Stephanie is currently pursuing her BSN at Brenau University. This will be Stephanie's first year assisting the school part time with administrative needs.
Stephanie stumbled upon the Montessori method when searching for schools for her three year old son. She was searching for a school that supported her own educational ideas. She knew Montessori was for her son after doing much research on the Montessori method and visiting a few schools. She found the perfect fit for her family at Cross of Life Christian Montessori School; fulfilling her desire for a Christian school with a small family atmosphere.
Stephanie lives in Roswell with her son. In Stephanie's free time she enjoys cooking, drawing, painting, reading, traveling & being outdoors.
She switched degrees and graduated from Dekalb Technical College in 2003 with her LPN in nursing. She has worked for North Fulton hospital since 2004 in the fields of hospice, pediatrics and physical rehab. Stephanie is currently pursuing her BSN at Brenau University. This will be Stephanie's first year assisting the school part time with administrative needs.
Stephanie stumbled upon the Montessori method when searching for schools for her three year old son. She was searching for a school that supported her own educational ideas. She knew Montessori was for her son after doing much research on the Montessori method and visiting a few schools. She found the perfect fit for her family at Cross of Life Christian Montessori School; fulfilling her desire for a Christian school with a small family atmosphere.
Stephanie lives in Roswell with her son. In Stephanie's free time she enjoys cooking, drawing, painting, reading, traveling & being outdoors.
