Meet the Staff
La Classe Orange - Primary
Zeke - Lead Guide
(They/Them)
Zeke is a Southern California native who moved to Portland after graduating college in 2014. They graduated with a degree in The Poetics and Pedagogy of Sexuality, which combined Gender and Sexuality Studies,Creative Writing, Multimedia Art, and Leadership/Pedagogy studies. Before working in ECE Zeke worked teaching martial arts to 3 - 12 year olds. They received their AMI Primary teaching diploma at Montessori Northwest here in Portland in 2017. They worked in a Montessori classroom for several years and then, during Covid, created and led a Montessori pod of homeschoolers. Each classroom has its own feel and culture and for Zeke’s classroom you’ll see American Sign Language being used in addition French, lots of big body movement games, and an emphasis in having children learn what tools, fidgets, calm time, headphones, ect; help them regulate their bodies and emotions
Presley - Assistant
(They/Them)
Presley has been working with children for most of their life at many types of childcare: traditional daycares, nannying, and watching family members. They have also been studying French language since high school. They have completed their 3-6 Montessori Assistant training through Montessori Northwest. Presley brings a love of music and an extremely calm and comforting feel to the classroom
La Classe Rouge - Primary
Mary - Lead Guide
(She/Her)
Mary is originally from Upstate New York, but has lived in Colorado, California, Ireland, and Ecuador before setting in Portland, OR. She received her Bachelors of Fine Art Photography and her AMI Primary teaching diploma in 2006, followed by her Masters of Education in 2008. After the birth of her first child in 2009 she opened a Montessori in-home program, which later became a Spanish-English bilingual Non-Profit school, Mary was the Primary guide for this program from 2016 until 2020 while also raising her two, now teenaged, boys. Each classroom has its own feel and culture Mary’s class you’ll see children engaging in many different food preparation and artistic endeavors; building strong healthy relationships with food and with each child’s desire for artistic and individual expression
Josephine- Assistant
(She/Her)
Josephine was born and raised in Congo and immigrated to the United States in 2016. Her career in ECE started in 2018 when she began working at the original location for AECMS. Throughout her career in ECE Josephine has worked with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. In addition to French, she also speaks Lingala and English. She has completed his 3-6 Montessori Assistant training and as a mother of four children herself brings a calm nurturing presence to the classroom.
La Classe Violette - Primary
Victoria - Lead Guide
(She/Her)
Victoria was raised in northern California, and relocated to the Pacific Northwest in 2006. Landing in Portland in 2012, the same year she had daughter. She received her AMI Primary teaching diploma from Montessori Northwest and began teaching at an AMI Montessori school in Vancouver, WA in 2017. During the pandemic, she taught and ran an in-home AMI outdoor program. Each classroom has its own feel and culture in Victoria’s class you’ll see students using collaborative problem-solving through group work and individual conversations to work through any conflicts in or out of the classroom; a strong emphasis on respecting personal space and developing the internal motivation for personal and intellectual achievement.
Chase - Assistant
(He/Him)
Chase joins us from Texas where he completed his Bachelors Degree in Linguistics and French Language. While in Texas he helped care for his young nieces and nephews, which is love of working with children developed. Prior to working in ECE Chase volunteered as an advocate for trans and intersex youth. He has completed his 3-6 Montessori Assistant training and brings his deep love of music, he has 10+ years of experience as a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, and love of artistic expression to the classroom.
Fox - Meal Coordinator & Aftercare Support
(He/Him)
Fox is originally from Missouri moving to Oregon in 2012. Before joining AECMS, he taught an art class at his local elementary school while participating in community theatre and creating mixed-media art. While new to formal childcare Fox grew up with 6 siblings and is now an uncle to 7 nieces and nephews. As a neurodivergent child and now adult Fox’s draw to childcare is in learning the many ways that the spectrum of neurodivergence presents in early childhood and how he as an adult can support those children through empathy and modeling healthy coping strategies. Fox is an all-around support staff member who helps ensure the day runs smoothly; he manages our kitchen and meal program, assists with our extended day students, and supervises recess for our children four and above. While parents may not always see Fox they are sure to hear many glowing reviews as he is a fan favorite of many of our students.
Nathan - Support Staff
(He/Him)
Nathan is from Indianapolis, IN. In college, he studied French and spent time traveling in France. Nathan has a passion for history, teaching, and foreign languages. While only fluent in French and English, Nathan has knowledge of and interest in Portuguese, Italian, German, Spanish, and Arabic. Before moving into the field of ECE, Nathan worked professionally and competitively with horses, which he began in childhood. Nathan has completed his 3-6 Montessori Assistants training and is our all-around support staff member. He helps in covering breaks for classroom staff, supporting the other French speakers, doing cultural projects with the students from each classroom, and is one of the first faces to greet students each day as our Early Care manager and hallway support in the mornings.
Sumiaya - Aftercare Support & Floater
(She/Her)
Sumiaya is originally from Washington and has been with AECMS since she turned 18. She is currently attending Portland State University and working towards her degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE). Sumiaya has 10 years of experience playing piano and is a piano instructor for children 5 and older. During she volunteered at dementia care facilities providing musical enrichment. Sumiaya works in our Extended Day program, playing piano, doing movement games, and reading books. She is also our on-call sub if we have a support staff member who is absent.