Unterstufe

Aikia Carter

Aikia joins Maumee Valley after an 11-year career at the Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex in North Toledo. Her most recent role was as the administrative assistant to the Executive Committee, where she provided comprehensive office support to committee members. Previously, she served as a logistics analyst, managing inventory and analyzing data to ensure production efficiency. Aikia also has a background in early childhood education, having worked in a five-star childcare facility where she studied Montessori and Reggio Emilia philosophies. Working with children is her passion, alongside her administrative and analytical expertise. She holds an associate’s degree in applied business from Davis University, a bachelor of science in business administration from Lourdes University, and a Child Development Associate credential.

Ryan Evans

Ryan joins us as a second-year teacher who most recently served as a K-5 reading intervention teaching fellow for Federal Hocking Local Schools. In that role, she provided small-group phonics and fluency instruction to her caseload of students. She has also served as a substitute teacher for Athens-Meigs Educational Service Center; as a private literacy tutor; a summer camp teacher at the Toledo Zoo; and as a Learning Community Leader coordinator at Ohio University, a role for which she received Ohio University’s Student Affairs Senior Leader Award in 2023. She holds a bachelor of science degree in early childhood and elementary education and a master’s of education degree in reading education, both from Ohio University.

Gabrielle Gurley

Gabi Gurley brings diverse experience from her role as a building substitute at Westside Montessori, where she worked with students as early as 13 months old up to 8th grade. She completed her student teaching at both the Montessori School of Bowling Green, where she taught daily lessons to children ages 3-6, and at Fostoria Elementary School (Fostoria, OH) in a preschool classroom. Additionally, Gabi has provided childcare as a nanny; a toddler aide at the Montessori School of Bowling Green; an assistant with the STARS program at Rossford Elementary (Rossford, OH); and as a daycare team member at Lifetime Fitness (Mason, OH). She has a bachelor of education degree in human development and inclusive early childhood education from Bowling Green State University.

Julie Hicks

Julie Hicks has extensive experience as an intervention specialist, including roles at the Educational Service Center Lake Erie West and Oregon City Schools, where she excelled in implementing IEPs, facilitating professional development, and supporting literacy interventions. She has served on various Ohio Department of Education committees and the National Advisory Panel for ETS/Praxis Reading Specialist exams. In addition, she is a certified IMSE Orton-Gillingham Structured Literacy Specialist and a LETRS Regional Facilitator. She is dedicated to fostering personalized learning and resiliency for students with learning challenges and speaks and publishes regularly regarding her work, including this September at the 36th Annual Symposium, sponsored by the Northern Ohio branch of the International Dyslexia Association. She has a bachelor of science degree in speech-language pathology and a master of education degree in special education, both from The University of Toledo. She has Ohio licenses as a reading specialist (PreK-12) and as an intervention specialist mild-moderate (K-12).

Alexandra Kania

Lehrerin für den Vor-Kindergarten und den Junior-Kindergarten
akania@mvcds.org

Kristen Sanders

Kristen Sanders has more than 21 years of experience in art education. She has served as an art instructor at the Toledo Museum of Art for students ages 5-18 since 2003 and taught grades Kindergarten through 8th grade at Christ the King Elementary School. Kristen excels in two- and three-dimensional arts, including sculpture, ceramics, jewelry making, printmaking, drawing, painting, and photography. She is a Golden Apple nominee, certified yoga instructor, and has organized numerous student art exhibitions. Her work has been showcased in exhibitions at the Toledo Museum of Art and the Ohio Jewelers Association, among others. She is known for her dedication, flexibility, and effective integration of core subjects into art curriculum. She has a bachelor of arts degree in painting and photography from Bowling Green State University and a master’s degree in art education from The University of Toledo.

Morgan Seavolt

Morgan Seavolt joins Maumee Valley having taught and observed a wide range of age groups, from young 5s to 12th grade, across various schools. She has worked in elementary and middle schools for Hudson Area Schools (Hudson, MI); elementary, intermediate, and high schools for Tecumseh Public Schools (Tecumseh, MI); and elementary schools for Adrian Public Schools (Adrian, MI). Her hands-on experience includes developing and teaching health and physical education lessons, facilitating diverse activities, and supporting students’ overall physical well-being. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in health and physical education from Adrian College, where she was a four-year member of its acrobatics and tumbling team.

Morgan Weber

Morgan Weber joins Maumee Valley from Sylvania Public Schools, where she recently served as a 1st grade long-term substitute. Her other Sylvania experiences include student teaching in a kindergarten classroom, substitute teaching across various elementary grades, and as a Kindergarten long-term substitute. She also has worked as a tutor to close academic gaps with students from Kindergarten through 8th grade. Previously, she has taught science education at nature centers and metroparks. Morgan has also worked as a zookeeper before transitioning into education full-time. She has a bachelor of arts degree in zoo and wildlife biology from Malone University and a master’s degree in teaching elementary education from Western Governors University.

Kathryn Weinberg

Robin Wheeler

Mit mehr als drei Jahrzehnten Erfahrung im privaten K-12-Bildungswesen bringt Robin Wheeler eine Fülle von Wissen und Erfahrung in unsere Gemeinschaft ein. Ihr vielfältiger Hintergrund umfasst Positionen als Lehrerin, Schulleiterin und Direktorin, die ihr ein umfassendes Verständnis der Bildungslandschaft vermitteln.

Zuletzt war Robin als Direktorin der Unterstufe an der Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma, WA, tätig, wo sie einen erheblichen Einfluss auf das Lernen der Schüler und das Engagement der Gemeinschaft hatte. Ihr Engagement für ein förderliches und integratives Umfeld deckt sich perfekt mit unseren Werten hier in Maumee Valley.

"Ich fühle mich sehr geehrt, der Gemeinschaft der Maumee Valley Country Day School beitreten zu dürfen", sagte Robin. "Bei meinem kürzlichen Besuch war ich von der Herzlichkeit, mit der ich empfangen wurde, und dem Engagement des Lehrkörpers wirklich berührt. Ich fühlte sofort eine tiefe Verbundenheit mit dem Programm von Maumee Valley, da es perfekt mit meinen Grundüberzeugungen übereinstimmt. Ich bin der festen Überzeugung, dass eine erlebnis- und ortsbezogene Bildung den Grundstein für lebenslange Neugier und Belastbarkeit legt und die Schüler in die Lage versetzt, Herausforderungen mit Zuversicht anzugehen. Ich freue mich sehr, die Rolle des Interimsdirektors der Unterstufe zu übernehmen und zu einer Gemeinschaft beizutragen, die diese Werte teilt."

Robins umfangreiche internationale Erfahrungen, darunter Lehr- und Führungsaufgaben in Brasilien, Ecuador und Kolumbien, bereichern unsere globale Perspektive und verstärken unser Engagement für die Förderung des interkulturellen Verständnisses.

In ihren früheren Positionen an der Vail Mountain School, der Escola Americana do Rio de Janeiro, der Overtake School und der Eastside Preparatory School hat Robin ihre Leidenschaft dafür bewiesen, Schüler zu befähigen, ihr volles Potenzial auszuschöpfen. Ihre Hingabe, sinnvolle Lernerfahrungen zu schaffen und die einzigartigen Talente jedes Kindes zu fördern, wird zweifellos einen tiefgreifenden Einfluss auf unsere Unterstufengemeinschaft haben.

Robin hat einen Bachelor-Abschluss in Grundschulpädagogik von der Emporia State University, einen Master-Abschluss in K-12-Verwaltung von der Michigan State University und ein Zertifikat für fortgeschrittene Führungskräfte von der Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Colleen Wilson

Colleen Wilson brings extensive experience from roles in various educational settings. She has demonstrated her versatility by teaching across multiple grade levels and adapting lessons to meet diverse needs. Her commitment to student progress is evident through her data-driven approach and strong communication with parents and colleagues. She has a range of leadership experiences, from serving as a grade band (3-5) lead teacher, a building (K-8) lead teacher, and a member of the building leadership team where she co-authored a school improvement plan. She is excited to provide students the opportunity to engage with nature, find their passion, fuel their curiosity, and encourage creativity and imagination along the way. She has a bachelor of arts degree from The Ohio State University and a master of education degree in early childhood from The University of Toledo.