Our
Staff
All teachers have Colorado credentials, have completed 15 training hours per year including CPR, First Aid and Standard Precautions. Lead teachers are Early Childhood Teacher Qualified, have at least some college education, and extensive experience working with young children. Lead Teachers have completed Montessori training for infants and toddlers.
Our staff is multicultural, coming from Asia, Europe and the Americas. But they are unified in their love of the youngest children and their dedication to each child's development.
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Teachers work as a team within the classroom and as a group at Heart and Hands Montessori. They work with each other to uphold the highest standard of care.
Ongoing Staff Training
All teachers and administrators are expected to meet state standards of 15 clock training hours per year. In addition staff must keep current First Aid, CPR and Universal Precautions training. Training is offered throughout the year during Professional Development sessions or on weekends.
Director. Owner.
Marioly Gonzales is the new owner of Heart and Hands. She is the firstborn of four children and, with her husband Aaron Gonzales, now has a son, Ozias. She graduated from Northglenn High School and later learned business administration while working six years for a busy law firm. Marioly is deeply interested in early childhood education, is studying to become fully qualified.
Susan Sears Smith, M.A., M.Ed. (with Montessori Specialty) has been working in Early Childhood Education since 1998. She has served as an Assistant Teacher, Lead Teacher, Assistant Director and Head of School in Boulder County and the Czech Republic. Susan has two Montessori diplomas, from Birth to 3 (Assistants to Infancy) and 3-6 (Primary). Having completed the Foundations course in RIE (Resources for Infant Educarers), she has completed a mentorship and is now in the RIE internship phase. She is Director Qualified (3.0 qualification) and has a Colorado Level 6 Early Childhood Professional credential with infant/toddler endorsement. (The State has six levels of professional credentials.)