Our Staff
Maya (she/her)
Head of School
Maya Verjovsky was the founding guide of Children’s House 2 at Cathedral Hill Montessori School (2013-2016), and is honored to serve the community once again as the Head of School (since July 2018). She is a native of Saint Paul, a graduate of Saint Paul Public Schools, holds a BA in Religious Studies, an AMI Primary diploma, a Masters in Education, and is the mother of two fantastic Montessori children!
Maya’s own research in undergraduate studies and her child’s early experience in Montessori education led her to complete her AMI training in 2012, and she soon after took on the task of gradually building a second Children’s House at CHMS over a period of three and a half years. Watching children develop independence, mastery, and peacemaking skills is an inspiration to Maya, and she hopes to continue to create cohesive partnerships with families in support of their children.
Maya is an active member of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), Minnesota Montessorians for Equity, and Montessori Administrators Association (MAA). She has served as an album reader and oral exam volunteer for teachers-in-training at the Montessori Center of Minnesota (MCM) and is an active participant in the AMI Minnesota Heads of School Group and the Minnesota Montessori Network (MN MN). Maya is passionate about continually doing the necessary inner work to examine biases and racist beliefs, and seeks to transform CHMS into an organization that is more welcoming, inclusive, accessible, equitable, and anti-racist.
Maddie (she/her)
Administrator
Maddie attended a Montessori school herself from preschool through eighth grade and is the daughter of a Montessori guide! She has a bachelors degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota Morris, and completed her AMI primary training at the Montessori Center of Minnesota in 2015. After working as a guide in Duluth for five years Maddie moved back down to the Twin Cities and is so excited to be a part of the CHMS community!
When she’s not at school Maddie enjoys reading, singing in a local women's choir, and spending time with Posy, her sweet little French Bulldog!
Kate (she/her)
Children's House 1 Guide
Kate recently moved to Minnesota from Burlington Vermont and completed her Montessori 3-6 training in May of 2023! Kate was a Montessori child and grew up in her mother’s Montessori school. She has worked in a forest school in Burlington, Vermont and as an interventionist in a public Montessori in DC. She is so excited to get to know all the children!
Catie (she/her)
Children's House 1 Assistant
Catie grew up in Mahtomedi, Minnesota and has been working with kids and in learning centers since 2017. Catie did a program that involved medical work and helping in schools in another country for 3 months. This is Catie’s first time working in a Montessori school and she is very excited to learn more. She is passionate about helping kids grow and learn more about themselves. Catie lives in Saint Paul with her best friend. She also lives with two cats named Mozzarella and Muenster. In Catie’s spare time she enjoys watching movies, playing games with her friends, and reading.
Molly (she/her)
Children's House 2 Lead Guide
Born and raised in Saint Paul, Molly attended a Montessori school from ages three to six. Later she went to a performing arts high school where her emphasis was in Theatre. She is a certified postpartum doula. Molly discovered the joy of working with children at a young age, and has been doing so ever since. She started at CHMS in 2016. Recently, she completed the AMI Montessori Primary Course, earning her diploma as a Montessori-trained Guide.
In her free time she enjoys long bike rides and taking advantage of everything the Twin Cities has to offer. She also enjoys cooking unique recipes from all over the world. Molly loves being a part of the CHMS community!
Hans (he/him)
Children's House 2 Assistant
Hans is a Minnesota native who has worked in elementary age child care and education for over 5 years. He has studied biology and multicultural education at both Normandale Community College and Metropolitan State University. After working in a public school Pre-K classroom Hans felt that young learners needed to be treated with more respect and deserved more autonomy than was allowed them in traditional settings. That realization began his introduction to Montessori Education. Equipped with a stack of Maria Montessori books and a heart full of commitment to giving children the best experience possible, Hans is ecstatic to join the CHMS team!
During his free time Hans enjoys tending his many freshwater planted aquariums and spending time outdoors hiking and camping with his wife and their dog. Rounding out their urban zoo they also have 2 cats and hope to someday bring chickens to their South Minneapolis home. Hans and his wife enjoy hosting friends at their house to play board games and have tabletop adventures!
Moira (they/she/he)
Children's House 2 Assistant
Originally from Wisconsin, Moira spent five years studying in Ireland before moving to the Twin Cities in 2021. They received their BA in History and English from University College Dublin, and went on to receive an M.Phil in Medieval Studies from Trinity College. Moira joined CHMS to learn more about early childhood, and because of a strong belief in the Montessori approach. Amazed by the wonders that occur during the first six years of a child's life, Moira is committed to early childhood being a time for encouraging lifelong creativity, cooperation in community, and a love of learning. Outside of CHMS, Moira enjoys studying new languages, reading, and weightlifting. They live in Minneapolis with their three cats, Harald, Floki, and Ichigo.
Erik (he/him)
All Day Afternoon Assistant
Erik is an Assistant Teacher with two years of experience working in a Montessori setting. He has previously worked as a substitute teacher, a tutor, and as a director for theater summer camps. When not working, he enjoys quietly reading with a nice cup of tea.
Hla (she/her)
All Day Afternoon Assistant
Hla is one of our newer staff members and works as an Assistant in All Day Children's House. Hla is currently a student at Saint Paul College, studying early childhood education. Hla joined our team to learn more about working with young children in a Montessori classroom. This style of learning is particularly interesting to Hla because she recognizes the importance of play and real interactions in the learning of young children. Hla is originally from Burma, before having to move into a camp in Thailand for a few years. In the refugee camp, the education of young children was very different and very teacher led, so Hla knows how ineffective these methods are for young children, and how important it is to allow children to ask questions and explore. Hla came to Minnesota in 2014 and has lived in Saint Paul ever since. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her cat BooBoo, and does a lot to help her family at home.
Breanna (she/her)
Toddler Community Guide
Breanna graduated from Augsburg University with a major in Psychology. After graduating she worked as a Youth Counselor at the Arlington House Shelter, providing direct care services to youth of the ages 11-17 who were in crisis. After having worked with children and young adults age 5-21 she realized that there was an age group that she had not gained experience with, 0-4. Breanna started at CHMS the summer of 2019 as the Toddler’s Community’s Afternoon Assistant and held that position for three years, and spent a year as the Morning Assistant before becoming the guide. Next summer she will be starting the AMI Montessori 0–3 Diploma course, sponsored by CHMS. Breanna is excited to help as many children find their voice and to advocate for themselves as possible. One of her favorite things about this job is encouraging toddlers to say “Help please!”. It may seem small, but it is a crucial skill that will be necessary throughout their lives and is something that many adults are still working on.
Remy (they/them)
Toddler Community Assistant
Born and raised in Hutchinson MN, Remy attended New York University studying musical theatre. Their first foray into Montessori education began in 2017 where they worked as a paraprofessional in a Children’s House classroom. They have experience working with ages one through six, and are excited to be working with the toddlers at CHMS. Remy plans to utilize their performance background to bring music and theatricality to every school day. Outside of school you can find Remy exercising, playing with their cats, and gardening.
Catie (she/her)
Toddler Community Assistant
Catie is a student at Metro State, driven by a passion for making a difference in the world with her studies in community outreach and non-profit organizations. She spent two years as a dedicated nanny, which led to her desire to continue working with children. Beyond her academic pursuits and career aspirations, Catie finds joy in both indoor and outdoor gardening, balancing her nurturing instincts with her love for nature.
Paige (she/her)
Educational Support Assistant
Paige grew up in Minneapolis. During high school, she began working at a Montessori school as an afternoon aid. She continued to work as an assistant with Toddlers and in the Children’s House while going to school for jewelry design.
Paige completed her AMI primary training at the Montessori Center of Minnesota in 2012. She previously worked at CHMS as the fully trained CH2 morning assistant from 2014-2016. Since then, Paige has held positions as a lead guide, co-guide, and fully trained assistant in other metro area Montessori schools. With over 20 years of experience in Montessori environments, she is happy to be back at CHMS as the ESA.
In her time away from school, Paige is an avid runner, enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and son, and is kept busy with their many pets and quail farm.
