In the classroom: Laragene Williams and Cinda Ferrante, In the Garden and Outdoor Environment: Maren Minor, Afterschool Circle Program: Tiffany Thompson and Ashley
Cinda Ferrante, Laragene Williams, and Maren Minor
Room #11 3-6 Classroom
602-955-2210
LARAGENE:
I was born in San Diego California, and moved to Arizona in 1973 with my
family. My family was in the home building business here for years. I
attended Phoenix Country Day School and graduated Arizona State University
with a degree in Graphic Design and Fine Arts, a career that I practiced for
several years.
I have been married for 25 years to Edward Williams, who has spent his life
making people feel more secure with his security alarm business, and I am blessed to
have a 19 year old son, Schuyler, who is a Brophy graduate, and now attends ASU's
School of Sustainablility. I am also mother to Dylan, a sweet 10 year old boy
who loves indoor rock climbing. Both of my boys thrived at Villa Montessori.
Schuyler attended Villa from 4 years old all the way through the
Middle School, and Dylan was in Alana's class for Kindergarten. Many of
those years I spent volunteering, and fundraising for Villa, and have made many
lifelong friendships, and found a love for the Montessori Philosophy as well.
I have had the good fortune over the past 13 years to meet wonderful and
committed individuals who have the utmost respect for children and a passion
for the Montessori Method. After 4 years assisting in a
classroom with a long time Montessorian, I realized that I could spend the
rest of my life happily committed to children and their families, and I am
honored to call Villa Montessori my home.
I received my Montessori 3-6 Training in New York with The Center for
Montessori Teacher Training, and look forward to continuing my education
over the years. I love being a Mother, I am interested in Peace Education,
Community building, gardening & learning more about what I can do to
protect our planet. I love to draw, paint. and collect quotes.
I especially love to dance, and sing with your
children, and there is nothing better than sharing a moment of
triumph, or seeing the pure joy of a discovery in their eyes.
Maren Minor
Hello!
My name is Maren Schleypen Minor and I am your child’s outdoor environment (ODE) assistant this
school year.
I have two children myself at Villa: Jordan is a first-grader in Megan’s class and Maria will be with us
in Laragene’s classroom for the next two years. I feel fortunate to be part of the Villa community. To
me the educational approach embodies what school should be about: to foster a love of learning.
Beyond that I appreciate the sense of community that is ever so present at Villa. We are all in this
together: to offer our children the best educational experience possible. As an Outdoor Environment
assistant this is something I strive for: to make your children’s experience in the outdoor
environment instructional and memorable.
My emphasis will be in fostering an understanding and appreciation of the natural world. The
children and I will garden together, observing the plant development from seed to full-grown
vegetable/fruit. We will take care of our parakeets in the outdoor aviary and observe their behavior.
We will stop and marvel at the butterflies and insects passing through our garden, taking every
opportunity to appreciate our natural world and learn more about it.
In addition I will also encourage the children to learn more about the larger world we live in, the
many different cultures, hoping to foster an understanding and appreciation of our multicultural
world. This desire has to do with my personal story: I was born and raised in Northern Germany and
have lived in the U.S. for the past ten years. My children are bilingual and we raise them to be
familiar with both the U.S.-American and German culture. In today’s global world, I believe, it is
important to understand other cultures. Montessori schools are schools of peace and peace starts
with an understanding of the other person.
I look forward to working with your children this school year. Thank you for entrusting us with their
care!
Cinda Ferrante: Bio coming soon
Our mission for the classroom is that all of your children share a diverse
and joyful community in an environment that fosters independence, competence,
a love of learning and a respect for each other and the world around them. We hope
that your children will leave our classroom to plant seeds of joy, compassion, peace, and integrity,
along their path and that they will see greatness in themselves and others.
