Tracey Reinhart is the Head of School and has been with MES since 2001.

Ms. Reinhart attended Texas Tech University where she studied Economics and International Trade and before discovering the amazing philosophy of Montessori. Previously, Ms. Reinhart worked in the Human Resources and Training field earning her Professional in Human Resources Certification.

She began her career at MES as an office assistant, librarian and assistant teacher. In 2003, she received her Montessori Certification and became a Lead Teacher, working in these classrooms for 15 years.

Ms. Reinhart has been married since 1991 to her husband, Cam and has two MES alumni children, now adults.

“When I discovered MES, I was dazzled. The passion the staff shows for teaching, their longevity, the caring and nurturing environment, the skills and independence that the students demonstrated, all were exactly what I wanted for my own children. I simply fell in love and wanted to be a part of it. It was the best decision I ever made for my children’s education and the best decision I ever made for myself. I love coming to work every day and seeing joy all around me. Who else gets to do that!?”

As Douglas Adams said, “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.”

Rev. Carolyn comes to us having served the past four years at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ogdensburg, NY. Her five years of ordained ministry rests on the foundation of being a lifelong Episcopalian and over twenty years of children and youth ministry leadership in the Church. Rev. Carolyn, a graduate of Nashotah House Theological Seminary, holds a Master of Pastoral Ministry degree.  She has a passion for sharing the love of God with his people and firmly believes that love is for everyone.

Carolyn, and her husband, John, enjoy camping, the great outdoors, cooking and consuming good food with her three children, their spouses, and her six grandchildren. She also enjoys reading and dabbling in her creative side through art, especially Ukrainian dyed Easter (Pysanky) Eggs.

Angie Thomas is the Director of Business and has been with MES since 2020.

Ms. Thomas is the Director of Business at Montessori Episcopal School.  She has enjoyed learning about the Montessori philosophy and getting to know all the children and staff at MES. She moved to the area from Wyoming in 2017 and is enjoying the many opportunities the DFW area provides.  Ms. Thomas is married and has two teenage children who attend school in Flower Mound.  Her family also currently includes two dogs, two parakeets and a hamster.  In addition to working at MES, she continues to be part of the publications and editorial team at the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale, Wyoming where she was previously director.

Ms. Thomas holds a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture business from Utah State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Wyoming.  She enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, reading, and exploring area parks and museums.

Elizabeth Hahn is the Toddler 1 Lead Teacher and has been with MES since 2019.

She received a BA from Magdalen College in Warner, NH where she studied literature, philosophy, and music. It was there that she was first introduced to Montessori.

She has been married for 7 years and has 2 wonderful sons who are MES alumni. She loves spending time with her family and also enjoys knitting and reading.

She feels blessed to be a part of the MES family and can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Ms. Myah  has been a part of the MES family since 2021.

Ms Myah is an alumni of MES along with her sister and brother.  She enjoys teaching and learning from the children everyday.   Her favorite thing about MES is the helpful and encouraging environment.

She has 3 dogs that she enjoys taking on walks and spoiling. In her free time she likes to take care of her fish and house plants.

Sandy Poon is the Toddler 2 Lead Teacher and has been with MES since 2020.

Ms. Poon has worked in the childcare field for many years and holds an American Montessori Society (AMS) Certification for ages 0-3 and an Associates in early childcare.  She continues to work on her Bachelor’s in Education.

Ms. Poon has been married for over 22 years and has 3 amazing children. Her extensive experience includes being both a Boy Scout and Girl Scout Troop Leader, showcasing her dedication to community involvement and youth development through PTA and events. In her free time, she loves to read and go to the movies. Ms. Poon is passionate about teaching children and we are excited to benefit from her expertise and enthusiasm.

She wholeheartedly believes in Maria Montessori’s principle that “one test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child,” and she strives to create a joyful and nurturing learning environment for all her students.

Keirara (KeiKei) Brawley is the Toddler 2 Associate Teacher and has been with MES since 2023.

Ms. KeiKei is from Waco Texas . She moved here about 4 years ago for a fresh start and a new career.  Ms. KeiKei has been in Montessori child care for over 10 years.  I don’t have much family here. I love going back home visiting my family and friends often. I have two nephews who I absolutely adore. I love to travel experiencing new places. Ive been in child care for about 10 years now and I absolutely have a passion of teaching little ones and being a difference maker.

Romemar (Meme) Maldonado is the Toddler 2 Lead Teacher and has been with MES since 2020.

Ms. Maldonado grew up as the youngest of 4 siblings in the tiny town of Ozamiz, Philippines. She graduated with a B.S. in Secondary Education from Misamis University. She began working with children as a volunteer at a Reading Camp. She has worked as a Primary School Teacher as well as an Assistant Montessori Teacher with toddlers through elementary.  Ms. Maldonado received her Montessori Certification through Collin Community College.

Ms. Maldonado stays active with her husband by playing basketball and hiking. She also volunteers with the Special Olympics and loves interacting with the athletes and helping to fundraise for their events.  Ms. Maldonado is bilingual in Tagalog, the Bisaya dialect.

Tonette Fleming is the Toddler 2 Associate and has been with MES since 2023.

After attending UNT, Ms. Fleming worked for many years in the field of rehabilitation.

After her retirement, she decided to rejoin the workforce again and this time turned to toddlers!

Nine years ago, she discovered Montessori, and was immediately drawn to the method.

She, her husband, and their dog live in Lewisville.  They have a son and daughter and have been adjusting to being “empty nesters”.

She enjoys reading, crafting, photography, floral arranging, and being a DFW foodie-traveler with her friends on the weekends.

Deb O’Neil is the Preparatory Co-Lead Teacher and has been with MES since 2014.

Mrs. O’Neil started at MES in 2014 as a PE Coach and Float. Mrs. O’Neil then worked as an assistant before becoming a Lead Teacher in 2018. After a short hiatus in 2020, Mrs. O’Neil returned to MES in 2022 as a Lead Teacher in the Preparatory Classroom.

Mrs. O’Neil fell in love with the Montessori Method in 2014 so much so that she went on to receive two Montessori certifications-one from Collin County Community College and one from Karen Hartnack. Mrs. O’Neil loves this “second” career as a Montessori Guide and loves helping children find their independence and creating life-long learners and readers.

Mrs. O’Neil has been married to her husband, Bryan, for 29 years and has two children, Emily and Joshua and is a huge dog lover. She currently has one basset hound mix named Charlie. Mrs. O’Neil also enjoys reading, creating with needle work, hanging out with her family and dogs, and loves a great who-dun-it movie or book.  Ms. O’Neil is bilingual in French.

Jazmane Walker is the Preparatory Co-Lead and has been with MES since 2021.

Ms. Walker graduated from Byron Nelson High School in 2019.  She has been working for a Montessori school since then.  While in high school, she participated in PTSA, Culinary Arts and Hospitality and Colorguard.  She is the oldest of three.  Ms. Walker received her Montessori Certification through Collin Community College.

“I can’t wait every day to work with the children to help build their independence!”

Dana Zebian is the Preparatory Lead Teacher and has been with MES since 2023.

Ms. Zebian is an AMS (American Montessori Society) certified teacher and has been teaching Montessori for twelve years in Texas. Before that (1998-2005), she taught kindergarten in Emirates.

Ms. Zebian is originally from Lebanon and moved to the U.S. in 2007. She is tri-lingual and can speak three languages: English, Lebanese (Arabic) and French.

She has been married to her husband, David, for 26 years and has two children, Michael and Nady. Michael is 23, and he has a degree in Finance and works for an investment group in Plano. Nady is 18, and he is a freshman at UT Dallas and is majoring in Information Technology.

She loves animals, and has a cat named Toby. Toby is a Red Tabby, and he is quite active and playful.

She enjoys baking and travelling. She visits her family in Lebanon every year where I spend the summer with my mom and siblings.

Kimberly Elliot is the Preparatory Associate and Spanish Teacher and has been with MES since 2023.

Ms. Elliot has an associate’s degree in the Arts and has taught piano privately for 15 years.  After joining MES, Ms. Elliot became enchanted by the Montessori method and its emphasis on independence and individual learning.

She completed her training through the North American Montessori Center and has a Montessori Certification in age 3-6.

Ms. Elliot has been married for 28 years and has 4 children.  She loves all animals and is bilingual in Spanish.

Betsy Celiz is the Preparatory Co-Lead and has been with MES since 2023.

Ms. Celiz. discovered the Montessori philosophy three years ago and was captivated by this remarkable method. She began her journey as a Nido/infant room assistant at another Montessori school and later became a toddler teacher. She takes great joy in watching children grow and become independent. Currently, she is completing her 3 to 6 Montessori certification at Collin College.

Ms. Celiz was born in Argentina and is bilingual, fluent in Spanish. She has been married for 14 years and has three beautiful children: two girls in elementary school and a son in middle school. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, baking, and spending time outdoors with her family.

Dorota Czerepaniak-Kowalska is the Preparatory Co-Lead and has been with MES since 2023.

Ms. Kowalska is passionate about education and earned her Master’s Degree in Pedagogy from the University of Szczecin in 2007. A pivotal moment in her journey was spending half a year at Haslet College in Denmark, where she was introduced to an approach based on dialogue and non-violent communication (NVC), all while focusing on following a child’s natural development. After that experience, she studied for two more years to become a teacher and earned her Montessori certification from the Academy of Humanities and Economics in Lodz and has been teaching ever since.

The Montessori philosophy isn’t just a teaching method for Ms. Kowalska—it’s how her family lives. She loves the focus on following the child, encouraging growth, and how everything is connected in a holistic way. Ms. Kowalska and her husband, Daniel, along with their two sons—Franek and Jan, try to live in harmony with nature and show respect for the environment and others.

Ms. Kowaska enjoys watching her children grow and explore the world with curiosity. They travel a lot as a family and try to teach them about the importance of looking after the planet. It’s a lifestyle she embraces at home and in the classroom, blending learning, adventure, and care for the world around us.

Ms. Kowalska enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, and biking.  Ms. Kowalska is bilingual in Polish and speaks some German.

Lina Eisman is the Art Teacher and has been with MES since 1992.

Ms. Lina Eisman is approaching her 30th year at MES. Ms. Eisman began working with our toddlers and during that six years, it became apparent that she was skilled in combining her Art Curriculum knowledge with the Montessori method. She was then asked to develop a comprehensive Art Program for MES.

Ms. Eisman studied Art at the University of Missouri and has continued a lifelong love of art and learning of techniques, craftmanship, and independent study. Ms. Eisman strives to provide exposure to as many different mediums as possible and provide an opportunity to explore them through our Art Curriculum, Color Theory, Art History and Art Appreciation.

Ms. Eisman is part of a large family in which she is a wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and friend.

“My goal is to stimulate creativity, ingenuity, self confidence, problem solving and the right to personal expression through the studies of Art and its history. The Montessori Method keeps focus on the pleasure of the process.”

Allyson Stuart is the Art Teacher and was with with MES from ?? to ?? and has rejoined us in 2024.

Ms.  Stuart became part of the Montessori Episcopal School Community in 2006 as a parent. While studying Early Childhood Education at North Central Texas College, she joined our staff. While at MES, she performed various roles such as Assistant Preparatory, After School, and Spanish teacher while receiving her Montessori Teacher Training through Collin County Community College.  Ms. Stuart then took a hiatus from teaching children and entered the corporate training world for several years.

In 2019, she received Assistants to Infancy (0-3yrs) certification from M.I.N.T (Montessori Institute of North Texas) and was Lead Toddler Guide (18mo-3yrs) at another school.

In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her 21 yr. old daughter, her family, friends, and her dog, Cleo. She enjoys concerts, live theatre (especially musicals), reading, meditating, art, museums, spiritual studies, & learning about how the Montessori pedagogy supports dementia caregiving.

“I am incredibly blessed to be back at MES. When I toured the school with my daughter, I felt the love and knew it was a very special place. I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to be mentored by Lina Eisman and look forward to providing an inspiring, creative environment for children to experience art and express themselves in their own unique way. Watching children create is a joy!

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”

Einstein

Regan Rodriguez is the Music Teacher and has been with MES since 2024.

Ms. Rodriguez attended Grand Canyon University and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education with an emphasis in mathematics. She went on to earn certifications in ESL and as a generalist in education, EC – 8th grade.

Ms. Rodriguez has been a working musician since 2004 when she was first hired as a church pianist. She served a local congregation as the worship coordinator from 2008-2012. Upon graduation from college, she was hired into her student teaching role before eventually stepping away from work to focus on raising a family full time. She continues to play the piano for various congregations as requested and volunteers as a keyboard instructor for a local non-profit.

Ms. Rodriguez is married to Dr. Daniel Rodriguez and has four children, with her youngest child attending classes at MES, which has allowed the opportunity for Ms. Rodriguez to again explore her passion for educating young minds. She is excited to blend her love and knowledge of music and child development into her new role with MES!

Sarah Gesell is the Librarian and has been with MES since 2021.

Ms. Gesell has a Masters in Information Studies with an Endorsement of Specialization in Archival Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and a BA in Music from Austin College in Sherman, TX. She previously worked as a librarian and archivist at a Pre-K through grade 12 private school in Houston, TX, and as an archivist at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. She has been married for 7 years and has 1 son enrolled in MES. Her husband works in the field of biomedical research in DFW and they have two house cats.

Ms. Gesell is an avid reader, cross-stitcher, and gamer, and can speak extensively about The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Star Trek. She is delighted to offer story time every week and to help nurture a love and appreciation for reading and stories in the students of MES.

Abigail Harkness is the After School Care Lead Teacher and has been with MES since 2022.

Ms. Abbi is a senior at the University of North Texas, majoring in Human Development and Family Science. She loves working at MES, especially seeing the children grow and achieve things they once thought were difficult.

Originally from Diana, TX, Ms. Abbi enjoys making frequent trips back home to visit her family. After graduation, she’s excited about moving into the Human Resources field and hopes to stay in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  Ms. Abbi also speaks some Spanish.

Deanna Perkins is the After School Care Associate Teacher and has been with MES since 2021.

Ms. Deanna is a retired loan officer since 2019.  Upon retiring, she spent her new free time volunteering.  Ms. Deanna is a member of Lewisville Morning Rotary Club and is very active in the community.  She joined MES in 2021, working 3 days a week, but grew to love the school and the children so much, she accepted a 5-day position.

Her hobbies include reading and traveling. She is active in two book clubs.

Since retiring, Ms. Deanna has traveled to Africa, Alaska, and several trips to California. Her next trip will be Costa Rica in 2025 where she will check ziplining through the jungle off her bucket list!

A widow since 2018, her forty-year-old son and two sweet dogs are her life. She keeps busy with them, MES, volunteering, outings with friends, and traveling.  Life is good!