Our Staff
American Montessori
A Wonderful Team of Experienced Personnel
American Montessori's success is due to the inspiring teachers who work in our Burnsville and Apple Valley schools, they have dedicated their lives to educating and caring for our students.
American Montessori started with one student back in 1997. Currently, we have two locations and we have over 70 children and 11 staff members, including our specialty staff. At American Montessori, our teachers work with the students to ensure they have the love of learning that Maria Montessori wanted all children to have.
“The first thing required of a teacher is that she be rightly disposed for her task… it is not sufficient to have a merely theoretical knowledge of education.”
–Maria Montessori
Miss Sandy
Owner/Directress
Miss Sandy is the founder/owner and directress of American Montessori schools. She is an AMI (Association Montessori International) certified Montessori teacher. Her experience consists of working with children in seven different schools around the world and here in the US in California and Minnesota. She has over 30 years of Montessori experience as a teacher, directress, and owner. She is married to Jim Bunnell and they have three children and a German shepherd. She loves to travel and experience the tastes and cultures of places around the world. In her spare time, she enjoys reading all genres of books. She also spends time working with her rose, veggie, and exotic flower gardens. She also enjoys biking and hiking with her friends and family.
Mr. Andrew
Program Coordinator 3-6
Montessori House of Children
Mr. Andrew is Miss Sandy’s eldest son. He is attending the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences Honors Neuroscience program. He was selected for the UMN CBS Deans List for the Fall & Spring Semesters and the President's Student Leadership and Service Award. Mr. Andrew teaches science and math at American Montessori. He is an exceptional role model for showing kindness and love for learning that kids can look up to every day. He also coordinates our piano program by practicing with the students and organizing performances. Mr. Andrew loves solving Rubik's cubes, learning magic tricks, and building LEGO sets in his free time.
Miss Alexis
Program Coordinator 0-3
Montessori House of Children
Miss Alexis is Miss Sandy’s daughter.
She is attending the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences Honors Neuroscience program. She was selected as Minnesota Women of Today's Outstanding Young Adult. She oversees and promotes infant development using the Montessori method to encourage strong emotional intelligence, communication, and fine/gross motor skills. Miss Alexis is also our social media manager. Miss Alexis has broken barriers as a woman in STEM and as the only female football player on her high school's Varsity Tackle Football team standing as a great role model for kids to always reach for their dreams. Miss Alexis loves cooking and baking in her free time.
Miss Z.
Montessori Kindergarten Teacher
Miss Z. is our certified Kindergarten Montessori teacher. She is AMS (American Montessori Society) certified. She has over 25 years of experience, and she also holds an associate degree in child development. She has been with us for the past 20 years. She is married and has three children. Her hobbies are music, art, and reading.
Mr. Mariza
3-6 Teacher
Miss Mariza is one of our preschool teachers and is in charge of art and Spanish for the whole school. She is married, has two daughters, and speaks fluent Spanish. Her artistic abilities can be seen in the art projects she does with the children. She has been with us for the last 14+ years.
Miss C.
Toddler Teacher
Miss C. is our toddler teacher. She has 20 years of experience in childcare and is doing a wonderful job. She has been with us for the last five years.
Miss Ana
0-3 Teacher
Miss Ana is one of our 0-3 teachers. She directly works under Miss Alexis. She has five years of experience in child care. She has been with us for 2 years and is doing a wonderful job. She is married and a mom of five amazing children. As one of our bilingual teachers, she infuses Spanish into her daily teaching lessons and related activities.
Miss Zeya
Health and Wellness Teacher
Miss Zeya is our health and wellness teacher for our 0-3 and 3-6 programs. She is a certified teacher with 10 years of childcare experience. She is married and a mom of 4 beautiful children. As one of our bilingual teachers, she infuses French into her daily teaching lessons and related activities.
Miss Riri
0-3 Teacher
Miss Riri is one of our 0-3 teachers. She directly works under Miss Alexis. She has a BA in educational studies and 3 years of experience in child care. She is married and excited to start a family of her own very soon. As one of our bilingual and sign language teachers, she infuses Spanish/signing into her daily teaching lessons and related activities.
Miss V.
Teacher Assistant
Miss V. is one of our 0-3 teachers. She directly works under Miss Alexis. She has a degree and 3 years of experience in child care. She is married and has 2 children.
Miss Aracely
Teacher Assistant
Miss Aracely is one of our teacher assistants. She has three years of experience in child care and is doing a wonderful job. She has been with us for three years.
Miss Natalya
Music Teacher
Miss Natalya has a Master of Fine Arts equivalent in music with a specialization in piano, cello, and flute. She has been teaching piano and cello at all levels since 1978 and is a member of the National Minnesota Music Teacher Association. She teaches our students keyboard lessons, how to read notes and listen to the beats, and how to play the flute.
Mr. Cade
Volunteer Coordinator/ Sports Teacher
Mr. Cade is Miss Sandy’s youngest son. He maintains a high GPA with advanced placement and college-level classes as a senior at Burnsville High School. He advanced to the International Science Fair and is a U of MN College Book Award recipient. He is also president of the Student Council, volunteer coordinator of the National Honors Society, president of Youth Service, and a leader in Link Crew and Burnsville Strong. Mr. Cade fosters an enthusiasm for sports, service, and extracurricular involvement with our students. He coordinates our sports program, teaching the children soccer, football, basketball, and cricket fundamentals as well as individual and teamwork skills. Many of our students aspire to be like Mr. Cade: A leader, a volunteer, and an athlete! In his free time, Cade loves watching and playing football on the Varsity Tackle Football Team at his high school.
Mr. Jim
Administrative
Mr. Jim is Miss Sandy’s husband. Mr. Jim is a Senior Systems Engineer at a global software company. Mr. Jim assists Miss Sandy with administrative responsibilities like enrollment paperwork, accounting, and website management. He also coordinates field trips and real-world learning experiences like visiting the apple orchard, pumpkin patch, fire station, science and art museums, etc. Additionally, Mr. Jim organizes our introduction to programming and typing curriculum for our 3-6 program.
Learn More About American Montessori
Located at 13973 West Preserve Blvd, Burnsville, MN. American Montessori specializes in Montessori-Style Infant, Toddler, Preschool, Pre-K, and Kindergarten Child Care. AMI/AMS Teachers. In Business 25 Years. Locally and Family Owned. Call to Schedule a Tour.
