Our staff members are trained in Montessori philosophy and practices.  We believe that each child is an individual and we as teachers need to bring out the best in each student, meeting their needs intellectually, socially, physically and emotionally.

All staff is CPR and First Aid Trained.

Jodi McClernan, Head of School/PM Primary Teacher – Jodi joined the school in 1999 as Head of School.  She received her AMS training in 1995 at the Princeton Center for Teacher Education and has a  Bachelor’s degree in Applied Sociology. Before finding Montessori she was a Service Coordinator/Case Manager working with children and the elderly with disabilities. She lives in Burnt Hills with her husband and 3 children all of whom have attended the Montessori School of Schenectady.  Jodi is very involved in the community and enjoys teaching Religion classes and volunteering weekly.  She believes that education begins a home and works closely with families to help their child reach their highest potential.

Kelly DeVirgeles, Primary Co-Teacher –
Bio coming soon…

Aimee Munro, Head Primary Teacher, Primary 2/PM Kindergarten Teacher– Aimee is a Head Primary Teacher.  She holds Montessori Degrees in both Infant and Toddler Education and Early Childhood Development(Primary ages 3-6 years). Aimee began her journey with The Montessori School when her two daughters attended the school as preschool students.  Aimee served on the School’s Board of Directors and was also a substitute teacher.  Prior to having children, Aimee worked for several years as a Speech and Language Therapist at Guilderland CSD. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Reading Education.

Michelle Cuscino, Head Toddler Teacher – Michelle started as a substitute teacher at the Montessori School of Schenectady in October 2012. In September 2013, she became an assistant teacher working in the toddler class.  In December 2016, she received her Montessori Degree in Infant and Toddler Education.  Michelle has a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, a Master’s Degree in Special Education, and has permanent NYS certification. After teaching Special Education in Schenectady City Schools for nine years, Michelle left to become a full time mother of two daughters, often volunteering in their classrooms. Now that her children are older, Michelle is very happy to be at the Montessori School of Schenectady continuing her love of working with children.

Robin Lamb, Primary Teacher – Robin started as a substitute teacher at the Montessori School of Schenectady in March 2013. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, with a minor in Communication Arts, and a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education, with a concentration in English. Robin received her Montessori Degree in August of 2014. Robin was an adjunct professor at Briarcliffe College in Bethpage, NY, and at ITT in Latham, NY. She was also a Lead Guide at Excelled Montessori and Guidepost Montessori virtual schools. Robin believes the classroom belongs to the students, and it is the teacher’s job to help the child find their path to knowledge. Outside of school, Robin has been a volunteer for her local Girl Scout Service Unit since 2007, and continues to volunteer with Girl Scouts in her spare time.

Andrea Girard, Office Assistant/Admissions/Payroll Administrator -A former payroll administrator and mother of two Montessori graduates, Andrea assists with the daily operations of the office, processes payroll, works closely with our accountant for tuition and billing, and helps ensure compliance with all state-mandated regulations.

Jocelyn Scott – Assistant Toddler Teacher – Jocelyn began working in the toddler room at The Montessori School of Schenectady March 2019. She also has experience in a primary classroom in various roles since 2006. She has two children that attended a Montessori school through 6th grade before entering the Burnt Hills School District. Jocelyn received her Advanced Assistant Montessori Certification from Rising Stars in 2009. She attended Russell Sage College in Albany and majored in Fine Arts/Photography and more recently SUNY Empire where she obtained a degree in Liberal Arts. Jocelyn loves working with children and encourages independence and self direction within a well prepared environment.

Tiffany Messinger – Assistant Primary Teacher, Primary 2 – Tiffany is a fun loving mom of 5 whose children joke she has as many eyes as spiders have legs to see everything. Tiffany’s ability to multitask and stay organized is like no other. Her favorite noise is hearing the laughter of children and seeing the joy in their faces as they learn something new. Tiffany subbed in the school the last two years and is excited to be joining the Montessori team on a regular basis.

Ashley Lee – Assistant Primary Teacher – Ashley has been working with and around children for most of her adult life. She worked as a Teaching Assistant with the Early Childhood Education Center, and has also been a nanny for many years. Ashley is thrilled to be joining the Montessori team.

Kathryn Cronier, Assistant Teacher/After Care Teacher – Kathryn is a Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake graduate. After graduation, Kathryn began her studies at Hudson Valley Community College. She is currently a sophomore at HVCC and a freshman in the Respiratory Care Program, with plans to receive a certificate in Sonography. She was introduced to the Montessori School through a recommendation from her high school Child Psychology teacher. She has always loved working with children and getting to know the world through their eyes. She began her first year at Montessori in 2019, working in After Care. In 2020, she worked as an Assistant Teacher in Primary. She is now rejoining the After Care staff.

Sarah Cuscino, Assistant Teacher – Sarah started as an after care teacher when in high school and joined us regularly during the 2020-2021 school year while attending college virtually.  She was an assistant primary teacher and worked as a Lead Primary Teacher during our summer camp program this past summer. Sarah is attending SUNY Albany where she is studying to be a teacher and will be returning to our school during school vacations.  

Patricia Robison, Substitute Teacher – Pati Robison has an Associates degree in Occupational Therapy. She worked for Pinewood Preschool after graduating from college. While homeschooling all five of her children through high school, she taught many large group classes for other homeschooling families. These classes ranged from preschool to high school levels in all subjects. After sending her kids to college she continues teaching science and math classes for groups of home schooled students. She also has many years of private tutoring experience. She is looking forward to being on the team at the Montessori School of Schenectady.