Hello! I am the Director of Maine Mountain Children's House, and have had the honor of taking on this role since 2014. I have worked for MMCH since 2011, but began my Montessori journey in Bozeman, Montana in 2007.  I have a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Maine at Farmington, and a Primary Montessori certification through the American Montessori Society (AMS).

I am drawn to the Montessori teaching philosophy because of its focus on the development of the whole child - academically, socially and emotionally. As Montessorians, our hope is that by allowing children to focus on their own individual growth, it will create a more independent, confident, and thus more peaceful person. At MMCH, we utilize the outdoors all year round to connect children to the natural world they have around them in the western mountains of Maine.

Hi! I started my journey with Maine Mountain Children’s House in 2016 as the assistant teacher. It was my first experience in a Montessori classroom, and I instantly knew I was in the right place. From there, I began my Primary Montessori Teacher Training with North American Montessori Center (NAMC), received my Primary certification in March 2019, and became a co-lead teacher in our Primary room for the 2019-2020 school year! In July 2020, I accepted the position of the assistant director.

I grew up in a small town in Massachusetts, attended Keene State College in New Hampshire, and received my Bachelors Degree in Mathematics. It was there that I met my husband, Matt, and shortly after we graduated we moved up to Maine! We now live in New Portland with our new baby girl, dog and cat. We spend our summers in The Forks and on Pleasant Pond in Caratunk in the white water rafting community.

Hello! I am the lead toddler teacher, and have been involved with Maine Mountain Children’s House since graduating college in 2019. I have wanted to be a teacher since I was in Elementary school, I think because I had such wonderful inspiring teachers from so early on. I strive to provide a warm, welcoming, and loving classroom each day where the children feel comfortable to be themselves. 

Outside of MMCH I love spending my time with my son and my husband. Together we enjoy playing outside and cooking together as a family.

Greetings! My journey with MMCH began in 2006, as an assistant primary teacher, when Samantha Wright opened the school in the cold basement of the Methodist Church. I knew very little about the Montessori Method at the time, but with Sam’s leading example, a weekend workshop, and some self study I learned quickly. I remained Sam’s assistant during the ups and downs of the first five years until I moved to Portland, OR in 2011. Among the many lessons I learned at MMCH, it was the discovery that I LOVE working with families that was most impactful.

In Portland, I decided to pursue midwifery and started the Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) and Lactation programs at Birthingway College of Midwifery in 2013. I graduated in November 2018 and am a licensed CPM , specializing in out of hospital birth, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and occasional labor doula. I have a private practice and clinic in Kingfield.

My family of 4, rescue pup, 1⁄4 Maine Coon kitty, and 4 out of 10 chickens moved back to Maine in July 2022. I am pleased to be back at MMCH as an After School Care Coordinator to play a bit part to honor the memory and vision of our colleague and dear friend, Sam, and re-integrate into this special community.

sam calamari,
assistant primary teacher

Hello! I started as the Assistant Primary Teacher in 2024 and I’m excited to be a new member of the Maine Mountain Children’s House Community. I attended Wake Forest University where I earned a Bachelors in both Computer Science and Spanish. After graduation, I followed my passion of working with youth to the Peace Corps where I served as a TEFL teacher in a Costa Rican community. 

Ultimately, my love of the outdoors brought me to Carrabassett Valley after a thru hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2021. Prior to my role at MMCH, I coordinated operations for the “Mountain Magic” ski lesson program at Sugarloaf. Working with children has always filled my heart and soul with joy. It is an honor to be a Montessori teacher and have the pleasure of being a part of each child’s educational journey.