Diane M. Gersten, Junior South Classroom

Accomplishments:

• Married to my best friend and husband, Dan for 34+ years
• Raised two wonderful (Montessori) children, Zachary and Chloe
• Have taught at CMH for 10 years in the Junior class
• Served on the CMH Board as a parent, PACT and teacher representative (6 yrs.)
• Founding member of PACT, 1995

Education:

• B.S., Education and Human Development, Syracuse University
• M.Ed., Montessori Education, Xavier University
• American Montessori Society (AMS) Certification, 6-9
• Ohio State Teachers Certification

Work History:

• 1998 - Present: Teacher in the 6-9 class at CMH
• 1991 - 1998: Stay-at-home mom & parent volunteer at CMH
• 1981 - 1991: Computer Graphics/Media Manager, Procter & Gamble Co.
• 1979 - 1981: Training Specialist, General Electric Co.
• 1977 - 1979: Teacher, grades 6-8, Syracuse, NY

What I love about CMH:

I first fell in love with Children's Meeting House, while looking at schools for my children in 1990. Being a traditionally trained teacher, I was not familiar with the Montessori philosophy, but was instantly drawn to the school's environment, teachers and personnel. It was obvious to me, as I observed the children happily engaged in various activities, that this school was different. It didn't feel like a school, but more like a home, where children were respected and encouraged to choose "works" that were meaningful to them. Needless to say, my family joined the CMH community, and I soon found myself at Xavier University, preparing to be a Montessori teacher.

I am blessed to still be part of this wonderful CMH community today. As a school, we have grown, built a new facility, welcomed new teachers and families, but we have not changed. We still value the peacefulness of our surroundings and the gift of nature. We cherish each child as we work to provide them a rich and safe environment for learning and self-discovery. We are a caring, dedicated community of Montessorians that work together with wonderful parents for the benefit of our children, the future of our world.

My favorite things to do when I am not at work:

I love to watch my daughter play soccer and "catch up" with my son at college. I also enjoy reading, traveling, cooking, spending time with family and friends, and relaxing at home.

Lela Groene, Junior South Classroom

Accomplishments:

• Married to Dan, an architect, golfer, and wonderful husband, since 1986
• Mom to Matthew, a wonderful young man who is a genuinely nice person, a good student, and loves baseball, since 1996
• State of Ohio Teaching Certification for Preschool thru Third Grade with Reading Endorsement
• American Montessori Society Elementary I (Age 6-9) certification

Education:

• M.Ed. in Montessori Education, Xavier University
• M.Music coursework completed, Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
• B.A. in Piano, Lenoir-Rhyne College
• Additional credit hours in art & architectural history, landscape horticulture, and German from University of Cincinnati, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Cincinnati State; non-credit courses in drawing at the Art Academy of Cincinnati

Work History:

• June 2011-Present:  Co-teacher in the CMH Junior South classroom
• 2010 - 2011:  Contract (every day) Substitute Teacher in Princeton City Schools in all 8 elementary schools
• 2007 - 2010:  Teacher in Age 6-9 classroom at Winton Montessori in Cincinnati Public Schools
  2006 - 2007:  Contract (every day) Substitute Teacher in Princeton City Schools in all 8 elementary schools; Long-term substitute in first grade self-contained ESL classroom at Heritage Hill Elementary
• 2005 - 2006:  Student teaching in age 6-9 classroom at Winton Montessori in Cincinnati Public Schools;  Student teaching and long-term substitute in age 6-9 classroom at Mercy Montessori Center private school in Cincinnati
• March 1980-August 2005:  Healthcare career at The Christ Hospital and the Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati in a variety of departments; positions  included work redesign and self-directed teams director, clinical quality assurance consultant, customer service consultant, computer applications trainer, and computer operator

What I love about CMH:

What I first loved about CMH was the peaceful, natural grounds. I can’t imagine a more exciting place to learn about botany and zoology! Every day when I get out of my car in the parking lot, I pause to take in the country quiet punctuated by bird calls, rustling grasses, and whispering trees. Having a yoga teacher and a naturalist on staff highlighted what a peaceful place this must be for students and staff alike.

Diversity of perspectives and learning from others is very important to me, and I firmly believe these attributes open wide the doors to the universe for our students. So I was thrilled to find that CMH teachers have, besides their education credentials, a wide variety of academic backgrounds and passionate interests. What a rich resource our staff is!

And last but certainly not least, our students and their families are the clear focus here. It is a privilege to teach in a place where everything we do is directly linked to student academic, social and emotional success. That is the stuff of teachers’ dreams.

My favorite things to do when I am not at work:

I love to read, and enjoy gardening, walking and low-key bike riding. During spring, summer and fall, I gladly spend a lot of my time cheering on my son at his baseball games.