People
Karen Kapoor/Director
“Karen Kapoor is an AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) trained and certified pre-school Montessori teacher. Over the last 22 years, she has had the privilege to teach in Montessori schools around the world (Bombay, Montreal, Charlottesville, Richmond and New York.)
Before her Montessori training, she completed her undergraduate studies with a major in psychology from St Xavier’s College, (Bombay University) and a Diploma in French from the Alliance Francaise de Mumbai.
“I took everything I've learned over the years teaching in diverse Montessori environments around the world and put it all under this roof.”
She took a break from classrooms to raise her kids and she believes that those years were her most full-filling as a teaching & learning experience.
Karen has served on several volunteer boards in the community including: Friends of the Cold Spring Tots Park, Haldane PTA, Haldane School Foundation, Philipstown Scout Troop 437 and the Little Stony Point Citizens Association.
Karen was also the youth coordinator at the Philipstown Depot Theater and has assisted with many youth productions and summer camps.
Fun Facts: Besides having a lifelong passion for teaching, music and theater, Karen is also an avid hiker and leads a local hiking group in the Hudson Valley.
Karen has called the village of Cold Spring home where she has lived with her husband and two teenagers since 2005.
“Feeding the class frog – opens an opportunity for Karen to talk to the children about emergent properties in living things. A study of Japan organically lends itself to the students learning how to count to ten in Japanese and an explanation of archipelagos. Circle time organically becomes music class.”
“Karen understands how children think, so no matter where they’re coming from emotionally, developmentally and academically, it feels like she can get into the child's head and really work with them to grow in all those areas. Her enthusiasm for children, learning and all things human, just make her one of the best educators I've ever met!”
— (Parent) Naomi Cook, Beacon,NY
Bethany Ciulla/Primary Montessori Teacher
Bethany Ciulla has taught as a Montessori teacher for the last eight years. She received her certification from NAMC (North American Montessori Center) and holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders.
Driven by her curiosity for learning (especially art, science and history) she is looking forward to sharing her passion for these subjects with her students through projects.
She loves hiking and spending time in nature. Bethany lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband, two children and her pug, Bean.
“I look forward to building a lifelong passion for art, science, history and nature in my students at the Foundry Montessori.”
Sophia Traina/ Toddler Montessori Teacher
Sophia received their Bachelor of Arts from Sarah Lawrence College in 2020 with a concentration in Gender and Sexuality Studies and Sex and Health Education.
During their studies, Sophia paired personal research on the topic of diversity and equity in education with their fieldwork at the Early Childhood Center at Sarah Lawrence College.
Trained as a full spectrum birth doula, Sophia is a Montessori teacher trained for the Infant and Toddler level.
“Having grown up in Cold Spring, I am excited to grow alongside this local community’s emerging students.”
Mariel Scherer/ Primary Assistant Montessori Teacher
Mariel graduated from SUNY New Paltz with her Masters in Education. She is a certified teacher and taught Kindergarten in the Bronx for a year before her son was born and moved north. Mariel has her Introduction to Montessori certificate from AMI for ages 3-6.
A Cold Spring resident, you’ll probably see her around town with her son Jack, daughter Lainey and her husband Joe. She loves being with her family, cooking, hiking, traveling and exercising.
“I was always interested in the Montessori method as a parent, now in this role I have an opportunity to experience it as a teacher.”
Emilse Mora/ Assistant Teacher
Emilse (Emi) grew up in Asunción, Paraguay and as a fluent Spanish speaker, she is excited to introduce her love for language and her culture to the classroom.
Practical life in Montessori is built around purposeful activities. Emi will focus on helping the students develop motor control and coordination, while building independence, concentration, and a sense of responsibility through various practical life activities in our classroom.
Emi has lived with her husband in Cold Spring for over 15 years.
Fun Fact: Emi also speaks Guarani (an ancient South American Tupian language primarily spoken in parts of Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina)
“I want to share my love for language, culture and the ‘magic’ of Practical Life activities with our students at Foundry Montessori.”
Cold Spring. NY
Our mission is to foster a love of learning in your little ones through creative lesson plans, and tools.
“A Montessori education has the power to catapult children into a lifetime of curiosity.”
— Karen Kapoor,The Foundry Montessori
Montessori: Questions, Myths & Misconceptions.
Answers to some frequently asked questions about the Montessori approach to education
