Blue River Montessori School
Inspiring Imagination & Joy in Learning
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FACULTY
Sonia Kelly, M.Ed., Lead Teacher, holds a Master's Degree in Education from Loyola College in Maryland and an Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Diploma from the Washington Montessori Institute. Ms. Kelly is Department of Education Certified to teach all grades from preschool through third grade and spent the first half of her career teaching each of those grades in the public school setting. She has also taught art classes for children at the Duxbury Art Association. She is certified in Child Nutrition and applies this knowledge to ensure that Blue River students enjoy healthy and nutritious snacks and lunches. Ms. Kelly is a daily practitioner of yoga and has been formally trained to teach Yoga to children from birth to 12 years of age under internationally renowned Yoga therapist and author Sonia Sumar; she loves to share her yoga practice with the students of Blue River everyday! Ms. Kelly lives in Duxbury with her husband, Geoff, and their sons, Jack and Will. She loves to travel both locally and internationally, cook for her family and students, snowboard, and garden in her organic vegetable garden.
Kirsten Mullen, Assistant Teacher, began her career working in Early Childhood Education in 1987. She worked as a nanny and started as an assistant toddler teacher in corporate childcare eventually earning her Director II certification. She was a Mentor Teacher for John Hancock Child Care Center in Boston where the Reggio Emilia approach was practiced and a part of the center's philosophy. Kirsten enjoys reading, exploring nature, science, art and teaching children to be independent thinkers. She spends as much time as she can in the mountains camping, boating, and hiking. She finds peace in nature and working in her yard. Kirsten lives in Abington with Bill, her husband of 20 years, her 16 year old black belt, mechanic son Will, 12 year old dancer, Emma, 11 year old gymnast, Lily, dog, Pepper, and cat, Cow. Her eldest Hannah is a freshman at Lasell University.
Robin Elliott, Assistant Teacher, has been part of the Blue River family since her oldest child enrolled in 2006. Since then, all four of her children have attended our school. She is a firm believer in the Montessori/Reggio approach to learning, and has witnessed the benefits of this foundation as each of her children has progressed through the Duxbury school system. Robin joined our faculty in 2016 after realizing that she has a passion for teaching the fundamentals of math, science, and reading to preschool aged children since they are naturally curious and eager to learn to accomplish tasks on their own. Robin enjoys helping the students achieve their independence and enjoys seeing the excitement on their faces when they do. Robin lives in Duxbury with her husband, four boys, and a Cavalier King Charles. She graduated from Deerfield Academy, and holds a B.A. from Williams College.
Julie Materna, Assistant Teacher, went to UMass Amherst where she majored in Elementary Education. After graduating, she taught preschool in Boston for 5 years before becoming a stay-at-home mom. She now resides in Duxbury, which is where she grew up, with her husband Andy and 3 kids, Hadley (13), Ansley (8) and Reed (6). She enjoys photography, traveling, reading, and summertime in Duxbury!
Noreen Toole, Assistant Teacher, is from a family of eight children and developed a love of teaching children at a young age. She followed her passion and attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and holds a BA in Early Childhood Education with an Interdisciplinary Concentration in Psychology. Noreen is Department of Education-certified to teach grades kindergarten through grade three, EEC-certified as a Lead Preschool Teacher, and holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Lesley University focusing on Curriculum and Instruction: Creative Arts. Noreen taught Kindergarten and First Grade for 15 years at Central Elementary School in East Bridgewater MA. After the birth of her third son, she took time to be home and care for her 3 young boys. When her youngest son graduated from Learn in Play Preschool in Duxbury, she began teaching there and has been at Learn in Play Preschool for the past three years. Noreen lives in Duxbury with her husband, Brendan, their three boys, Robbie (12), Aidan (9), Collin (8), and her Labradoodle Clover. She enjoys soccer, tennis, cheering on her boys at ALL of their sporting events and relaxing at the beach with family over the summer!
Clarissa Hawk, Assistant Teacher, joins us with a decade of preK-6th grade classroom teaching experience, and in more recent years tutoring students. She is EEC certified as a Lead Preschool Teacher, has a MA in Early Childhood Education with an endorsement for reading from Wheelock College at Boston University and a BA in Elementary Education from Ohio Wesleyan University. Clarissa lives in Duxbury with her husband, 3 sons and their chocolate lab. In her free time Clarissa enjoys reading, gardening and playing tennis.
Lisa Driscoll, Spanish Teacher, combines her knowledge of the Spanish language with her love of teaching and art to form an arts-based language program. Focusing on fun first, Senorita Lisa has been engaging the students at Blue River for ten years! With her puppets, interactive dolls, songs, instruments, dances, games, and special projects, she teaches children the fundamentals of Spanish
Julie Guillemin, LICSW, is a licensed independent clinical social worker with over two decades of experience providing therapeutic support to children, adolescents, and adults. She specializes in treating a range of emotional and behavioral challenges, including ADHD, anxiety, depression, trauma, social issues, and adjustment disorders. Julie’s therapeutic approach is grounded in evidence-based modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), psychodynamic therapy, and play therapy. Her flexible, individualized treatment is designed to meet the unique needs of each client. Julie worked in schools for ten years before transitioning to private practice. This experience gave her a comprehensive understanding of the effects of school environments and family dynamics on children and teens. It also enabled her to provide targeted support to young clients with academic, social, and home challenges. In addition to her work with individuals, Julie offers parent coaching. She collaborates with parents to work through specific situations and strengthen parenting strategies. Julie earned her Master’s in Social Work from Boston University in 2000 and has since developed expertise in both in-person and telehealth settings. She provides counseling services in her Duxbury, MA office and offers telehealth sessions for clients in Massachusetts and Vermont, ensuring greater accessibility. With a warm, empathetic style, Julie is dedicated to helping clients build resilience, develop effective coping strategies, and create lasting positive change in their lives.