FACULTY AND STAFF
Jesse Logan-Samuels - Elementary Lead Guide
Jesse is a seasoned educator and holds a degree in Elementary Education from the University of Arizona. She has experience working as an assistant in both lower and upper elementary Montessori classrooms. Jesse has lived and worked in Silver City with her family for the past six years, is fluent in Italian and in ASL, is a great lover of all things science and nature, and spent time teaching English in Rome. Jesse is currently enrolled in the AMI Primary Training course and is set to complete her training in the summer of 2022.
Paul Evans - Elementary Associate
Paul Evans, a Colorado native, has just returned to New Mexico with his family. After retiring from 22 years of service in the United States Air Force, Paul chose to begin his career in elementary education in Colorado. Paul's background is rooted in science, math, and engineering. He has a special affinity for astronomy and planetary science. Paul enjoys attending concerts, hiking, and spending time with his wife and three children. He is hopeful this will be the best year yet for the Denver Broncos.
Erin Fitzgerald - Lead Guide, Sunflower Classroom
Erin Fitzgerald was raised in a family that loves travel and new experiences, but their home base was always the beautiful landscape of Southern New Mexico. After completing her degree in Cultural Anthropology and Creative Writing in 2013, Erin moved back to Silver City and found the Guadalupe Montessori School community. Erin had the opportunity to assist at each level of Montesori education offered at GMS (Toddler, Primary, and Elementary) before finding her niche as an Administrator. Erin and her partner have two children, Lydia and Arlo who are also vibrant and lively members of the GMS community. Although Erin’s passion is early childhood development and understanding cultural backgrounds of families, she also loves to hike, craft, cook, read and play with her children, and get her hands dirty while working with the earth. She is currently enrolled in the AMI Primary Training course and is set to complete her training in the summer of 2022.
Rylee Myers - Lead Assistant/Support Guide, Sunflower Classroom
Rylee has been with us for three years now, moving from assistant to Co-Lead in the Sunflower classroom. Rylee's tenacity and dedication in the classroom over the past year during the pandemic have been nothing short of heroic and we applaud and greatly appreciate her contributions to our school community!
Joanie Morency - Lead Guide, Agave Classroom AMI Certified
Joanie joined us in 2017 as an assistant and then moved into the Lead Guide position in the Fall of 2018. She completed her AMI certification last summer and has recently added a beautiful baby boy to her growing family! After spending the spring semester at home with her family, she is now rejoining the classroom as the Lead Guide in the Agave Classroom.
Nicole Smith - Toddler Lead Guide
Nicole moved to Silver City from Douglas, AZ. She has always loved children and started babysitting at the age of 9. Nicole has two sons, a granddaughter and new grandbaby due in March 2021. She enjoys being outdoors helping her fiance with his yard cleaning business and woodcutting. She has been with GMS since 2018.
Liz Plada-Andrews - Kitchen/Classroom Liaison
Liz moved to Silver City with her husband, Ob, in 1991. They opened a music store named Tune Town Music Exchange in downtown Silver, which they ran until 2012. Liz also worked at the Down to Earth School, where she raised her three children while she taught- for close to 20 years! During this time, Liz earned degrees in History and Sociology from WNMU, and graduated with honors in 2015. Liz has been working at GMS since the summer of 2017, and enjoys watching the children of this town grow into fabulous adults and seeing the generations turn their kids on to great music and alternative education. In her spare time, Liz loves to cook, read, travel, and spend time with her family and friends.
Isabella "Izzy" Blasucci - Garden Supervisor
Izzy has been a dirt worshiper and plant whisperer since she was young. Hailing from New Jersey originally she grew up in a home with two Waldorf teacher parents and has always loved being a part of alternative education and the communities supporting them. She has worked in farms from Morocco to Maine and in Waldorf education as an assistant in New Jersey. The Montessori garden is yet another blessing that combines a beautiful outdoor classroom and beds bursting with produce for the kitchen and Izzy is grateful to be its shepherd for this school year.
