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Staff Bios – IT


Mary Broeckling

mbroeckling@mecr.edu
After earning my teaching certificate in the state of Missouri to teach Art K-12 I stumbled upon the Montessori philosophy and never looked back! This is my 18th year of teaching in a Montessori environment. I earned my IT Credential at Seton Montessori Institute just outside of Chicago in 2010. I currently am a lead guide in a Toddler classroom at the Montessori School of Denver. Last year I began as an instructor at MECR teaching Child, Family, and Community. I also started consulting with several schools around Colorado. This year I will continue as an instructor at MECR, consulting, and I will take on Field Consulting.
Bachelor's Degree in Art History, University of Missouri

Kymm Garcia

kgarcia@mecr.edu
Kymm Garcia has over 25 years of Montessori experience, and she has been in the classrooms working with students from infancy to high school over the course of her career. She has taught various self-expressions in middle school and teaches a concurrent enrollment course in ECE to high school students.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Family Studies and Developmental Psychology from Metropolitan State College of Denver, and a Master’s in Education from St. Catherine University. Additionally, she holds a Principal’s License and has her EDs in educational leadership from UNC. Kymm holds AMI diplomas in Infant/Toddler, primary, Elementary and adolescent levels.
EDs in School Leadership, University of Northern Colorado

Rebecca Howell

rhowell@mecr.edu
When I returned from the Peace Corps, I had trouble finding a job. I had a friend who I had served in Cote d'Ivoire with who had recently moved to Denver as well. She was working at a new Montessori School here in Denver as the Director, and hired me as an office assistant. I so enjoyed working with the children and subbing in the classrooms, and the philosophy of independence and respect resonated with me. The school was a lab school for the Montessori Institute, so I took my training and became an AMI certified Infant Toddler teacher.
Masters in Education, Loyola College in Baltimore

Melody Patton

mpatton@mecr.edu
I first discovered Montessori because of my children. I was looking for a part-time program for my 15 month old daughter and discovered a nearby Montessori school. Knowing nothing about it previously, I felt drawn to the calm, peaceful, respectful and home-like atmosphere of the Toddler environment. As a parent, I learned so much from my daughters’ teachers, and the Montessori philosophy provided a beautiful framework for parenting.
Both of my daughters attended Montessori school until they went to Kindergarten. When my youngest daughter started Kindergarten, I decided to leave my career in technology consulting and get my Montessori Infant and Toddler certification at MECR. After several years of teaching in the Toddler classroom, I returned to MECR to complete my Early Childhood training. Montessori has become my life’s passion and I love sharing it with parents and those who want to become Montessori teachers themselves.
I’ve been a supervising teacher, instructor, field consultant, level coordinator and practicum coordinator for MECR. I am the founder and Head of School at School in the Woods Montessori which serves children from birth to age 6 in Denver, Colorado.
MBA, University of Denver

Valene Rodriguez

vrodriguez@mecr.edu
I have always loved children so when I had the opportunity to work at a Montessori School when I was 6 months pregnant with my first child I was so excited. I was an assistant for a few years and then fell in love with the philosophy. I knew I needed to take my Montessori Training. I took my training at The Montessori Institute. I have experience working with the Nido environment and the toddler environment.
Masters Degree, Loyola University

Lisa Russell

lrussell@mecr.edu
While dealing with a severe medical condition I was not able to work full time. I had a friend who worked at a Montessori school that had infants and I asked if I could work part time for her just to give me something to do. I had been in the ECE field for many years and was over qualified to be a part time assistant but I needed something to do. I fell in love!
AA ECE, Colorado Metro State

Rachel Thomas

rregan@mecr.edu
After a few years working in the non-profit and marketing world, I discovered Montessori! I moved to Colorado, took my Infant & Toddler training at MECR, and became a classroom teacher. A few years later, I completed the Administrator Course, and took on the Infant & Toddler Level Coordinator position at MECR. It has been a joy to work with fellow Montessorians at MECR!
BA in Communication & Women's Studies, Wesleyan College