Academic
Mrs. Jane Baker, Administrator of Education
Mrs. Jane Baker, a graduate of Wheaton College, earned her BA in Education. She taught in the public system for many years and then caught a vision for Montessori education. She earned her AMI certification at the Ohio Montessori Training Institute in Cleveland and has 14 years of experience working with 3-6 year olds in primary classrooms. Jane graduated from Oak Park River Forest High School as did both her mother and her daughter. Her daughter also attended a Montessori school through 6th grade. Jane and her husband host international students who come to the US to learn English.
Mrs. Ann Brzozowicz, Directress
Ms. Brzozowicz received her B.A. degree from Queens University. She completed her Montessori training and earned her AMI Certification from the Toronto Montessori Institute (primary diploma 3-7 year olds). Ann has over 20 years of teaching experience in Montessori classrooms. She has developed and conducted educational workshops for parents and teachers and offers valuable professional expertise to WSMS. Ann has two children who are graduates of Montessori classrooms.
Ms. Bonnie Israel, Directress
Ms. Israel received her B.A. degree from St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana. She earned her AMI certification in primary (3-6 year olds) from the Toronto Montessori Institute and AMI certification in elementary (6-12 years) education at the Washington Montessori Institute. Ms. Israel has taught in Montessori schools for over 30 years and has 4 children who attended Montessori schools. Ms. Israel has received Level I Orff-Schulwerk music teacher training and certification from DePaul University. Playing piano is one of her special interests and she enjoys teaching music to the children in the classroom.
Mrs. Arlette Wasik, Directress
Mrs. Wasik holds an MA in Art Therapy from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College in Indiana, a BFA in Secondary Art Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has completed the majority of her Association Montessori Internationale Primary Directress training at the Montessori Institute of Milwaukee. She has worked at WSMS for two and a half years as a classroom assistant and in childcare. Mrs. Wasik and her family have lived in Oak Park for more than twenty years, and she is delighted to have the opportunity to work with the children, families, and staff of WSMS.
Ms. Sunmi Lim, Classroom Specialist
Ms. Lim earned her college degree in child development and psychology at Sung Kwan University in Korea. She received her American Montessori Society certification in primary (3 to 6 years) from the Meca-Seton Montessori teacher training program and has assisted in Montessori classrooms for over 6 years. In addition to her professional Montessori career, Ms. Lim works at Sunday school as a director, plays the piano and is fluent in Korean.
Child Care
Ms. Gloria Nash, Child Care Supervisor
Mrs. Nash's child-care career has spanned over 20 years. She received her Montessori Classroom Assistant Training in St. Louis, Missouri. Gloria provides encouragement, respect, and a positive attitude to all the children, staff and parents at WSMS. Ms. Nash develops and implements creative and educational play activities and supervises the child-care program. Mrs. Nash has attended a number of workshops through Triton College, Morton, and Dominican, where she continues to grow and enhance the activities offered throughout the child care session.
Ms. Mary Harris, Child Care Assistant
Working with children is a joy for Ms. Harris, who has worked in child care for more than 32 years. She has more than 50 credit hours in child development and a CDA certificate. Ms. Harris has attended Malcolm X, Kennedy-King, and Harold Washington colleges.
Business Management
Mr. Bruce Hartney, Business Manager
Bruce Hartney received his Bachelor’s degree in History from Spring Hill College and his Master’s degree from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. He has over 30 years of experience working in the business community. Bruce wears many hats and is responsible for the day-to-day business operations of WSMS. He is a 30-year resident of Oak Park, where he lives with his wife and teenage daughter.