Administrator

Pat Howard

Pat Howard has been administrator at HMMA since 1987 when it was a satellite of the Selwyn School in Denton. In 1989, HMMA became its own school with a total enrollment of 73 students. Since that time, HMMA has added two new buildings which house two primary classrooms and elementary levels 6 - 12. The school now has an enrollment of 115 students.

Pat has two sons, both Montessori graduates and successful businessmen, one living in Plano, Texas, and the other in Brisbane, Australia. She has four grandchildren. Pat is married and lives in Keller, Texas.

Business Manager

Delaina Steed

Ms. Delaina received her BBA from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.  She also received accounting hours from University of Texas at Arlington.  She has been a CPA since 1991.  She lives in Justin, Texas with her husband and two children.  Her son is a cross country runner and her daughter is a ballerina.

Ms. Delaina enjoys reading, singing, playing the piano, and spending time with her family.  She is Montessori certified for ages 6 to 9 and currently teaches in the Jr. Elementary class  at HMMA. Ms. Delaina is also a certified Musikgarten instructor.  She is a member of the ECMMA (Early Childhood Music and Movement Association) and is a Certified ECMMA instructor.  Ms. Delaina teaches Musikgarten classes, pre piano and keyboard lessons. 

Leeni Vilpas

Toddler Teachers

Becky Calderon

Ms Becky was born and raised in San Antonio, TX.  She has been married over 40 years and has a son, two daughters, and one grandchild.

She began her career as a pre-school teacher while living in San Antonio, working with pre-k children and as an assistant director.  In 1982, she and her family moved to the DFW Metroplex and settled in Bedford.  Ms Becky  has worked as a preschool teacher for over 20 years, attending workshops, seminars, and conferences that focused on the developmental abilities and needs of primary age children.   She was instrumental in developing curriculum to provide additional challenges to children including the development of a program to teach Spanish phrases and words to each class.

Ms Becky enjoys cooking, family gatherings, and dining out.

Cathy LaFerney

Ms Cathy attended Southeast Missouri University where she studied Elementary Education.  She has worked with children for twenty seven years in a day care environment, a pre-school department and as a substitute for Keller I.S.D.  She also operated an in-home child care center.

Ms Cathy has been married for 29 years and has two grown sons, Daniel (24) and Andrew (20).  Her interests are decorating her home, shopping, traveling and reading.

Margo Fortune

This is Ms. Margo’s second year at HMMA as a Primary teacher. She is Montessori certified at the Lower and Upper Elementary levels, as well as the Primary level. She is also currently a Primary Teacher Trainer for Southwestern Montessori Training Center (SMTC) and the Materials and Curriculum Consultant to Bruins Montessori, International. Ms. Margo also has her Texas Teacher Certificate in Special Education, Speech, Language, and Hearing Therapy. She was a Primary teacher for 16 years at Harry Stone Montessori Academy in Dallas, Texas. After many years as a Primary Guide in the public Montessori program in Dallas, she is now enjoying her retirement as a Primary Guide here at our school!

Assistant for Ms. Margo

This is Ms. Ivina’s second year at HMMA. She is an assistant in Ms. Margo’s class, and she is completing her Associates Degree at Mountain View College in Dallas, Texas. Ms. Ivina enjoys spending quality family time with her daughter, Anivi, who attends HMMA. She also works part time at the Mormon bookstore.

Leslie Darnell

Ms. Leslie began working in a Pre-K class in 2001. In early 2002, she decided to work on her education degree by attending and taking all available courses in Child Development at TCC. She is currently working on her degree in Psychology at Le Tourneau University. She has her Primary Certification from Southwestern Montessori Training Center and North American Montessori Center. She has also worked in a Montessori environment as a Toddler Teacher. Ms. Leslie has 2 sons. Her hobbies include reading and research on brain development and learning differences. She also enjoys her dogs.
 

Pam Carroll

Ms. Pam received a BAAS from the University of North Texas.  Her major was in Sociology, with minors in Psychology, Social Work, and Criminal Justice.  After having two daughters, she decided to become a teacher.  She taught toddlers for two years at the Selwyn School in Denton.  She then received her Montessori certification through SMTC, and did her internship at Community School in Denton. She was a Primary level teacher at Communtiy School for four years.  Other certifications include Ropes and Challenge Course and Power Pilates.

Jenny Theiss

 Assistant for Ms. Pam

Elementary Teachers

Marisa Panichpathom

(6 - 9 years)

Ms Marisa received her MBS in special education at Southeastern State University in Durant, Oklahoma. She also holds a BA in English from Sri Nakari University in Bangkok, Thailand, and an AA in education from Chandrakasem Teacher College in Bangkok.

Her certifications include a MACAR Certificate in ADD/ADHD from the Shelton School (Dallas), Elementary Certificate (6-9 years) from AMS, Elementary Certificate (9-12 years) from SMTC, and an Early Childhood Certificate (2˝-6 years) from CME. She has taught at HMMA as an elementary teacher since 1980. Marisa is also a Montessori Language Tutor and an Intern Supervisor and Visitor for SMTC. She taught the Severely and Profoundly Handicapped at Greenwood Hill School in Dallas from 1979-1980, and also taught Elementary, Secondary School English in her homeland of Thailand. She has attended several AMS seminars in the areas of Children at Risk, ADD, and ADHD.

Delaina Steed

(6 - 9 years)

Ms. Delaina received her BBA from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.  She also received accounting hours from University of Texas at Arlington.  She has been a CPA since 1991.  She lives in Justin, Texas with her husband and two children.  Her son is a cross country runner and her daughter is a ballerina.

Ms. Delaina enjoys reading, singing, playing the piano, and spending time with her family.  She is Montessori certified for ages 6 to 9 and currently teaches in the Jr. Elementary class  at HMMA. Ms. Delaina is also a certified Musikgarten instructor.  She is a member of the ECMMA (Early Childhood Music and Movement Association) and is a Certified ECMMA instructor.  Ms. Delaina teaches Musikgarten classes, pre piano and keyboard lessons. 

     Enrichment Teachers

Physical Education

John Eastham

Mr. John holds a BA in physical education from the University of North Texas. He also owns TumbleGym where he teaches beginning gymnastics and tumbling. He has been part of the HMMA staff since 1992.

He enjoys rock climbing, cycling, and working out. He competes annually at an Adventure Race (RRAC) out of Wichita Falls. The race tests his endurance of climbing, mountain biking, running, and canoeing. He is ordained as a Children's Pastor and is currently on staff at a church in Irving, where he lives with his wife and two sons.

Spanish

Carol Peeters

Carol is a native of Argentina. She studied at Buenos Aires University, Argentina and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Translation English-Spanish and French. She also holds a Certificate in Methodology to teach Foreign Languages. She has been a freelance translator since 1980. She taught English as a second language in many prestigious bilingual schools in Argentina for 20 years. She taught EFL to adults/executives at several corporate companies, too.

After moving to the United States, Carol taught high school Spanish in Carolina. When she came to Texas, she got her Montessori Certification through Southwestern Montessori Training Center. She presently uses a Montessori Spanish curriculum for ages 3 thru 12 years that she developed. Carol also does an all-day Spanish Immersion Summer Camp for ages 3 thru 10 years every June and Conversational Spanish for adults in the evenings.

Carol has four children. Her hobbies include oil painting, cooking, gardening, and traveling.

Music

Delaina Steed

Ms. Delaina received her BBA from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.  She also received accounting hours from University of Texas at Arlington.  She has been a CPA since 1991.  She lives in Justin, Texas with her husband and two children.  Her son is a cross country runner and her daughter is a ballerina.

Ms. Delaina enjoys reading, singing, playing the piano, and spending time with her family.  She is Montessori certified for ages 6 to 9 and currently teaches in the Jr. Elementary class  at HMMA. Ms. Delaina is also a certified Musikgarten instructor.  She is a member of the ECMMA (Early Childhood Music and Movement Association) and is a Certified ECMMA instructor.  Ms. Delaina teaches Musikgarten classes, pre piano and keyboard lessons. 

Highland Meadow Montessori Academy

1060 E. Highland Street ◊ Southlake, TX  76092

Phone: 817.488.2138 ◊ Fax: 817.416.8006

Email: HMMA@hmma.org