Biography

Renee discovered St. Catherine's when her younger siblings enrolled in Primary and Lower El, noticing a swift and surprising difference in their confidence and joy. She attended her first Montessori Journey at "the Castle" campus in 2005 and was smitten. After completing her B.A. in English and concentration in Studio Art, she promptly joined the staff in 2007. Renee received her AMI Primary Diploma from the Montessori Institute of North Texas in 2010. From 2013-2017, she guided the All Day Primary class, and in 2022, she rejoined the St. Catherine's staff as the Primary Specialist.

Renee loves that children live authentically at St. Catherine’s rather than simply learning at school, which is evident in the independence and poise exhibited at every level. She’s struck that you can see settled leaders emerge at every level from infancy through adolescence. She appreciates St. Catherine’s enriching complements of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and intentionally designed outdoor environments for students of all ages. Renee particularly enjoys observing her former students develop into young adults.

Renee enjoys music and art of all genres, playing the ukulele, golfing poorly, and birding. She jokes that her sons have attended St. Catherine’s since they were in utero, and she is grateful for the SCM “village” of families and educators. One of her favorite quotes from Dr. Maria Montessori is, "The instructions of the teacher consist merely in a hint, a touch - enough to give a start to the child. The rest develops of itself. The children learn from one another and throw themselves into the work with enthusiasm and delight."