Tracey Baskin joined Princeton Montessori School in 2017 and is currently in a support role for the admissions team.

Tracey brings a passion for the Montessori philosophy having experienced it as a student and now as a parent. She is thrilled to assist the school with helping families choose a Montessori education and building strong partnerships with families. When not at school, Tracey enjoys playing basketball and spending time with her two daughters.

Tracey holds an MS in Mental Health Counseling from Monmouth University, NJ and a BA in Psychology from Franklin & Marshall College, PA. She is currently enrolled in the Montessori philosophy course through PCTE.

Ginger Christie-Cook joined Princeton Montessori School in 2000 and is currently responsible for advising, educating, and supporting faculty and staff in their use of technology.

She brings her previous experience in PC support and software development at Bloomberg to her current role, and enjoys problem solving technology issues as they arise.

Ginger is a life-long, passionate gardener and avid music lover. When not at school, she enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons and their rescued pitbulls.

Ginger received a BA in Communications and Journalism from The College of NJ (TCNJ).

Banu Eser joined Princeton Montessori School in 1998 and is currently responsible for supporting all business office functions and admissions processing for the school and PCTE.

Known as the “go to” person regarding billing or schedules, Banu enjoys working with parents, teachers and students at the school and also the instructors and adult learners in the PCTE teacher training program. She loves that her position enables her to be involved in the school community every day.

Banu is a native of Ankara, Turkey, so she enjoys spending time visiting family in Turkey whenever she can.  Her son Mete, who currently is in college, attended Princeton Montessori School for 12 years.

Patricia Farmer joined Princeton Montessori School in 2012 and is currently responsible for supporting the business office and leading accounts payable and purchasing.

She brings experience in banking, public relations, and fiscal responsibility to her position, along with strong organizational and diplomatic skills.

When not at the office, she enjoys spending time with her son Andrew, loves to play golf with friends, and is passionate about dance, especially ballet. She is also an active volunteer in the community.

Patricia received a BA in Journalism and Public Relations from Temple University, PA.

Kathryn Marmion first joined Princeton Montessori School in 1988. After leaving in 2005, she returned in 2008 and is responsible for alumni relations, admissions processes, tuition assistance communications and development campaigns.

She studied education at the Froebel Institute at the University of London before moving to New Jersey and spent 17 years as a conference teacher in our Elementary and Middle School programs.

When not at the office, Kathy spends much of her time planning visits to see her two married children and her extended family in the UK. She loves watching theater, both locally and in New York, and runs the annual English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition for NJ high school students.

Kathy received a BA from University of London and holds an American Montessori Society Elementary I credential from CMTE, and an Elementary II credential from the Princeton Center for Teacher Education (PCTE), NJ.

Whitney Mclean joined Princeton Montessori School in 2016 as the school health coordinator and manages all student health records.

After working as a school nurse in a federally-funded head start school, Whitney has extensive experience caring for children in a school setting. She appreciates the concerns that come along with being a parent, and feels its important to promote an open dialogue with parents and to support teachers in their work with children.

When not at school, she enjoys spending quality time with her daughter. Whitney’s hobbies include travel, playing sports, singing, and reading to stay current on the latest health trends.

After studying Psychology for three years at Rutgers University, NJ, Whitney decided to follow her passion and graduated from Union County College as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). She is currently working to finalize her Bachelors in Health Sciences with a Concentration in Public Health from Excelsior College (anticipated graduation June 2017). She has attended many pediatric seminars as well as NJ state-hosted webinars for school nurses.

Andrea O’Brian joined Princeton Montessori School in 2006 and is currently responsible for overseeing the operational needs of the school and ensuring that the administrative team effectively supports the teaching staff and school community. She also oversees the school’s marketing and communications.

Andrea  brings many years of business organization and operations experience to her current role. Prior to joining Princeton Montessori, she spent several years working for an international management consultancy, and then founded her own graphic design company. Andrea has served on several reaccreditation teams and is the current Vice President of the New Jersey Montessori Association Corporation (NJMAC). When not at the School, Andrea enjoys cooking, and spending time at the beach with her husband and four children.

Andrea received a BFA in Graphic Design from The College of New Jersey, NJ and holds an American Montessori Society Administrator credential through Princeton Center for Teacher Education (PCTE), NJ. She is a frequent presenter at local and national conferences and is also an instructor for PCTE.

Mary Reuter-May joined Princeton Montessori School in 1990 and is currently responsible for creating print and online publications for PMS and PCTE.  

Mary enjoys taking photos of the events and connecting with the daily activities in the classrooms. She supports the inner workings of the school administrative team as well as the teachers.

Each of Mary’s three children have attended Princeton Montessori School starting in the Infant Center. When not in the office, Mary enjoys baking, drawing, painting, and spending time with her large extended family.

Mary received a BA in Communications Design from Kutztown University, PA.

Clara E. Soto joined Princeton Montessori School in 1995 and is currently responsible for coordinating human resources for faculty and staff.

Clara grew up in Colombia, South America and likes to continue many of her family traditions at home, especially during holidays.  She loves to cook, bake, and be creative in the kitchen.

Clara received certification as a Bilingual Secretary at the Centro Superior in Cali, Colombia and then continued her Business Administrator studies at ICESI in Colombia. She is a current member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Dale Santos joined Princeton Montessori School in 2016 and is currently responsible for overseeing all aspects of the business, finance and human resource needs of the Society, as well as overseeing the school’s physical infrastructure and systems maintenance.

Dale brings over 20 years of experience in management and employee relations within the nonprofit industry to his position, most recently as the Director of Finance and Operations at the Speyer Legacy School in NYC. He is a proactive and results-oriented business professional with broad experience in financial and human resources management, financial strategic planning, budgeting and analysis, and project management..

When not at the School, Dale enjoys playing basketball, table tennis and simply reading, especially about business, finance and the economy.  He actively supports his two son’s extracurricular activities and enjoys watching movies at home or in theaters with his wife.

Dale received a BS in Management as well as a BA in Psychology from LaSalle University in the Philippines. He has been a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) since 2006, and is a SHRM Certified HR Professional. He regularly attends professional development classes and independent school management workshops, and is a member of NYSAIS.

Gwen Shangle joined Princeton Montessori School in 1992 and is currently responsible for maintaining the alignment of the school’s curriculum and program offerings with the Montessori philosophy and school culture, and leading our teacher-training program. Gwen’s twenty years of experience as an elementary teacher and reading specialist has guided her work with teachers on curriculum and program design.  

When not at the School, Gwen enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her pets and family, as well as volunteering for local arts groups.  Gwen also serves on the Board of the Deep Time Journey Network, which promotes the principles of cosmic education, a key aspect of a Montessori education.

Gwen received a M.Ed. in Developmental Reading from the College of New Jersey, NJ and a BA in Psychology and Elementary Education from Georgian Court College, NJ. She holds an American Montessori Society credential in Elementary I through Seacoast Teacher Education, MA, and in Elementary I-II through the Princeton Center  forTeacher Education (PCTE), NJ.  She is certified by the State of New Jersey as a Teacher and as a Reading Specialist for Kindergarten-Eighth grade.

Kristen VonWachenfeldt joined Princeton Montessori School in 2016 and is currently responsible for maintaining the front desk, coordinating field trips, programs and events, and providing administrative support to the entire school community. 

As our  “Director of First Impressions,” she brings a strong background in customer service, communications, performing arts and working with children to her role. Her experience as a country club membership director prepared her well for a professional yet familial work environment, and she enjoys utilizing her administrative skill set while also working with children. Her favorite part of the day is greeting the primary students each morning!

When not at the office, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, baking, singing, and continuing to pursue her passion for theatre. She performs frequently in productions in the NJ/PA area. She is a House Parent on campus at The Lawrenceville School and an active volunteer in that community.

Kristen received a BFA in Music Theatre from Elon University, NC.

Margaret (Peggy) Thompson joined Princeton Montessori School in 1986 and is currently responsible for the supervision and management of the facility. She also serves as the school liaison to businesses, contractors, and vendors.  

Peggy works diligently to ensure that all operations of the school are performed in a safe and efficient manner and that the building is one of pride and beauty for our school community.

Peggy has two grown children who are living in the area with their families. Her three small granddaughters are a joy and she is happy that the oldest attends Princeton Montessori. Over the years, Peggy has enjoyed participating in various sports including softball, bowling, and tennis. She was recently confirmed by the National Board of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) as a member through the local Princeton Chapter.

Peggy has an Executive Secretarial degree from Grace Ball College, CA and studied Business Management at Grossmont College, CA. She is a Notary Public.

Bradley joined Princeton Montessori School in 2016 and currently assists with the daily operations of the facility as well as grounds maintenance and general building supervision.

Brad brings many years of experience in HVAC systems and maintenance to his position here. His ability to “get things done”‘ and manage multiple priorities is a great addition to the Facilities team.

When not working at the school, Brad enjoys spending time with his son and playing football. He has experience coaching high school football in North Carolina before moving to the area and is excited to be coaching a local high school team beginning this fall.

Bradley attended classes at St. Augustine University from Aug 2008 to May 2012 with a focus in Sociology.

Bert Robinson joined Princeton Montessori School in 1998 and currently assists with the daily operations of the facility as well as general maintenance projects.

Bert enjoys being around all the young and energetic children.

When not busy helping or rescuing some wild animal or bird from our school grounds, he enjoys spending time at the shore and taking care of his four shelter dogs. He volunteers at S.A.V.E., and is a foster parent for homeless dogs.

Previous to his work at Princeton Montessori School, Bert retired from the Goodyear Corporation after thirty years with the company.

Teresa Soto joined Princeton Montessori School in 1997 and is currently responsible for maintaining a clean and tidy environment in the school, and preparing for special events.

Teresa loves to spend time at home with her family, especially with her seven grandchildren and her Maltese.  She is a great cook, and enjoys crafting, sewing and long walks.

She attended school in Cali, Colombia where she took classes in culinary arts and interior decoration.