Kristen, Music Specialist
Ms. Kristen currently holds a Nevada State Teaching License along with a Masters Degree in Education that she received in 2011 from Regis University. After attaining a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2008, she traveled to India where she taught elementary students English as a foreign language. Her love of traveling and teaching have also taken her to Nepal, British Columbia, & many cities throughout the U.S. including Las Vegas, Denver, & Santa Barbara, CA, where she volunteered with School on Wheels, Inc., a non-profit organization that teaches children in homeless shelters throughout California. Kristen’s love of teaching and music inspire her to encourage children to explore their creativity through drumming, rhythm, art, music, literature, and math.
Maria Pate, Spanish Specialist
Maria joined the FMS faculty in 2006, bringing with her the flavor of her native Spain. She holds an MA in Education (foreign language emphasis) and an MA in Linguistics. Once she discovered the power of the Montessori method, and the true independence it instills in its students, Maria went back to school and obtained her Montessori Certification (3-6 year olds). She came to FMS with over four years of teaching experience and infuses an enthusiasm for learning with all of her students. Maria says: “One of the things that I love about Montessori is how a student become independent. He or she will do a job for their own personal satisfaction rather than to receive praise from parents and/or teachers.”
