Our Staff

Note to parents:
We take your child's health and safety very seriously.  For this reason, all of our teachers and teachers' assistants receive thorough background checks and careful consideration.  Once employed, they are further required to adhere to stringent Department of Human Services regulations.
   

 		 Ms. Dorothy Moffett, Administrator of Education
Ms. Moffett received her Masters of Educational Administration from Central Michigan University. She received a Bachelors of Science in Education from the University of Arkansas and is certified to teach grades sixth through twelve. She received her Montessori training from Memphis Montessori Institute in Memphis, Tennessee, where where she earned her certificate for Early Childhood Education.  Ms. Dorothy started the Chenal Valley Montessori School in 1996.  Away from school, she is a faithful member of Christ the King Catholic Church.
   
Ms. Cynthia Poole, Administrator:
Ms. Poole joined her mother, Dorothy Moffett in 2008 as the administrator for CVMS. Mrs. Poole personally witnessed her mother's passion for the Montessori philosophy on education and the success her own two daughters accomplished as students of the school. Mrs. Poole brings with her a background in both education and management. She has taught elementary and junior high special education classes for both public and private schools in the Pulaski County area. She has also taught college reading and tutored/mentored for Pulaski Technical College (a two-year community college). Her management experience comes from working as an executive suite supervisor for Flake, Tabor, Tucker, Wells, and Kelley commercial realtors back in the early part of her career. Mrs. Poole earned a master's degree in education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with an emphasis in special education when she realized her dream of teaching. Today, she feels honored to be a part of the Montessori team and working side by side with Miss Dorothy.
Ms. Shelby Crowson, Lead Teacher
Ms. Crowson received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She has worked at CVMS since August of 1999 where she began as an after school assistant. She discovered a passion for Montessori while working in all the areas of the school from the classrooms to the office. She received her Montessori certificate from the Dallas Montessori Academy in 2007 and is certified to teach in lower and upper elementary (ages 6-12). She intends to begin work on a Master’s Degree very soon. Shelby resides in Little Rock with her husband and her one-year old daughter, who is already on the waiting list.
Ms. Lynzee Heller, Lead Teacher
Lynzee Heller has been teaching at Chenal Valley Montessori School for two years. She attended Arkansas State University and moved here two years ago from Jonesboro with her husband who attends the William H. Bowen School of Law. Something you may not know about her is that she swam on a swim team for 8 years and qualified for the Junior Olympics.
Ms. Miranda Paige Schrock, Lead Teacher
Ms. Schrock is from Arkansas and has been employed at CVMS for five years. She has been a primary lead teacher for two years and prior to being a lead teacher, Paige was an assistant teacher. She attended the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. She took her Montessori training at the Dallas Montessori Teacher Program. In addition to being a Montessori teacher, Paige is an artist. Her professional work as an artist, in both painting and collage, has been shown at galleries in Fayetteville and Little Rock. She also teaches extra curricular art classes at Chenal Valley Montessori.
Ms. Andrea Loyd, Lead Teacher
Ms. Loyd graduated Henderson State University with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She is certified to teach preschool--sixth grade. She has also received her International Montessori Teaching Diploma from the North American Montessori Center for Preschool/Kindergarten. In addition to teaching, she also tutors part time at Huntington Leaning Center in Little Rock. Beginning in August 2009, she will teach music classes to our school's extended care students. After teaching preschool, Kindergarten; first, and second grades in a variety of schools--Christian, public, private, and charter, Andrea sees how important Montessori training is in the life of a young child!
Amber Nicklaus, Lead Teacher
Ms. Nicklaus graduated from Southern Arkansas University with a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1989. She is certified to teach elementary and middle school by the state of Arkansas. She has 18 years of educational experience in public, private, and parochial schools. Eight of these years were spent in supplemental education at Sylvan Learning Center. She is a native of Arkansas and has lived most of her life in the state. She is excited to be earning her International Montessori Teaching Diploma from the North American Center for Preschool/Kindergarten.
Shazia Dharamsey, Lead Teacher
Shazia Dharamsey was born in Pakistan and moved to the United Kingdom as a young child.  Shazia completed her bachelor's degree in philosophy and her master's degree in Psychology.  She received her Montessori Teaching Diploma in Canada from the Canadian Montessori Teacher Education Institute which is accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE).  She has teaching experience in Canada and the United Kingdom.  Shazia has work experience with children with special needs and believes that the Montessori Teaching Method can address the learning styles of all children with various needs.
 
  Dana Daas, Lead Teacher
Bio coming soon.