Faculty & Staff

Ms. D’Antonio is a graduate of West Liberty University with an undergraduate degree in elementary education with a minor in math education. She received her masters in educational psychology from the University of Oklahoma and her principal certification from California University of Pennsylvania. She has also received her administrator credentials from the American Montessori Society. She taught autistic students in New Jersey for a year and then taught elementary school for 4 years for the Department of Defense Schools in Panama. After moving to Maryland, she taught public school for 2 years. She next became a Psychology Professor for Central Texas College and has taught education courses for Shippensburg University. Ms. D’Antonio joined Montessori Academy of Chambersburg in August 2000 where she started the middle school program. She has been responsible for the creation of the Academy’s curriculum as well as spear-heading the Middle States Accreditation process. Ms. D’Antonio resides locally with her 3 boys, Tyler, Zachary and Nicholas.

Ms. Bryan is a graduate of Hagerstown Junior College with a degree in Paralegal Studies. Ms. Bryan was employed 14 years as a paralegal prior to joining the Montessori Academy of Chambersburg in July 2011. She resides in Hagerstown, Maryland with her husband, Ryan, and daughter, Taylor. Her hobbies include reading, knitting and spending time with her family and several cats and dogs.

You may already know Jan Aughinbaugh if you go to Ragged Edge Swim Club. Jan has been the manager for over 20 years. She also taught in the Aquatics Department at the YMCA until 2006. Married with a grown son and daughter and one grandson, Jan enjoys reading, knitting, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and her cocker spaniel,  Rocky B.

Ms. Frohm is a Licensed Practical Nurse with the Chambersburg Area School District. She graduated from the Nursing Program at the Franklin County Career & Technology Center in February of 1998, with an Outstanding Honor Achievement Award in Clinical Practice. Ms. Frohm enjoys spending time with her family. She likes to do scrapbooking and enjoys camping. She lives in Shippensburg with her husband, Tony, and has two sons and four grandchildren.

Ms. McLucas became interested in Montessori when her son started out as one of the first five students of the Montessori School. By the time her youngest child entered the Toddler program, she was the Assistant in Children’s House B, where she worked for three years. After that, she took her Infant and Toddler training in Princeton, NJ. She has been the Toddler Directress for over 15 years. Ms. McLucas lives in Chambersburg with her husband, Dennis. When she’s not at school she enjoys knitting, reading, scrapbooking, church and spending time with her three children, one grandson and four granddogs.

Ms. Davidson joined the Montessori family of Chambersburg in 2002. Before she came to the Academy, she worked in childcare for seventeen years in Pennsylvania and South Carolina. She attended school in West Virginia. Currently she resides in the town of Shippensburg with her husband, Tim, and two sons, Russ and Ethan. She has a house rabbit and a very large puppy. Her family is very active in area sports.

Ms. Kulla has many years experience teaching at the Children’s House level. She completed her Montessori Training at Montgomery Montessori Institute in Rockville, MD. Ms. Kulla hopes that her classroom is a prepared environment that will allow each child to enhance their natural love of learning. Ms. Kulla lives in Waynesboro with her husband, two of her four children, and five dogs. She has two granddaughters and two grandsons.

Ms. Jones was born and raised in Schuylkill County, PA and graduated from Moravian College in Bethlehem with degrees in Psychology and Business. She has 14 years working in both Toddler and Children’s House Montessori classrooms. Ms. Jones enjoys preparing the environment and work for the students. She especially likes the art and practical life areas. Mrs. Jones and her husband, Bob, have lived in Chambersburg since May, 1989. They have 3 daughters who all attended The Montessori School.

Ms. Miller graduated from Shippensburg University with a degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood. She taught at the preschool level for 3 years in Martinsburg, WV, before joining Montessori Academy. Ms. Miller lives in Shippensburg with her husband, Zachary, and her 2 children, Ryan and Madison.

Ms. Scroggs is a native of Mexico, where she met her husband, Sandy. Ms. Scroggs has been associated with Montessori for many years, and also teaches Spanish to the Children’s Houses and Toddler community. Mrs. Scroggs has two daughters, Andrea and Julia, and lives in Chambersburg.

Ms. Gilbert is a graduate of Kutztown University with an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education. She taught at Magic Years Kindergarten and Pre-School before moving to South Carolina to teach in the Columbia School District. She joined Montessori Academy of Chambersburg in May 2006. Ms. Gilbert moved from South Carolina to return to her home town of Chambersburg.

Ms. Roden graduated from High Point High School in Beltsville, MD. She provided daycare in her home for 10 years. She helped design a cooperative pre-school with her church and participated in it for 6 years. She has spent many hours as a volunteer in her children’s classrooms. She resides in Fayetteville with her sons, Sean and Nicholas, and her daughter, Sofia. Ms. Roden joined Montessori Academy of Chambersburg in August 2006.

Ms. Thrush has completed educational course instruction at Wilson College and Shippensburg University. She did her 6-9 Montessori training at The New School of Teacher Education in North Carolina. She previously owned a day care/preschool business. Ms. Thrush joined The Montessori Academy in August 1996. Mrs. Thrush resides in Greencastle with her husband, Jerry, and daughter, Nikkia. She has three grown married sons and daughter-in-laws, and one two year old granddaughter.

Ms. Smith began working as a volunteer with the Academy students, making class quilts for the 2002 Silent Auction – Montessori Academy’s largest fundraising event. She became the art teacher in 2004. Ms. Smith received her undergraduate degree in English from West Virginia Wesleyan College, a Master of Arts in Education and Training from the University of Maryland–Baltimore County, and a Master of Science in Counseling from Shippensburg University. A textile artist and quiltmaker, Ms. Smith has a strong background in design and color theory, as well as art history. She lives in Waynesboro with her partner Robin and their son, Sam.

Ms. Runkle is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Shippensburg University with her undergraduate degree in elementary and early childhood education and a minor in reading. Mrs. Runkle is a member of Kappa Delta Pi, an International Honor Society in education. She has tutored in reading and writing and worked at a day care center. Mrs. Runkle joint Montessori Academy in March 2012.

Ms. Cleary is a graduate from Shippensburg University, with an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education. Ms. Cleary is a member of National Council for History Education and Kappa Delta Pi, an International Honor Society in Education. Since graduating college, she has taught a variety of grade levels in various local school districts. She joined Montessori Academy in November 2006.

Ms. Reinert graduated from Olivet Nazarene University with a degree in both Church Music and Elementary Education. Raised in Southern Africa, she and her husband have lived in Chambersburg for 21 years. She has taught fourth grade at Cumberland Valley Christian School and music theory at Wilson College. She currently teaches piano for Cumberland Valley School of Music, where she has been a faculty member for 15 years, participates in the Community String Orchestra, and has taught First Kids’ Chorus. In addition, she serves as a worship leader, pianist, and children’s choir director at Chambersburg Brethren in Christ Church. Mrs. Reinert first became acquainted with Montessori in 2000 when her two children attended Children’s House. She has a passion for passing on the joy of music to the next generation.

Ms. Fisher Ms. Fisher is a 2006 graduate of Penn State University with a degree in Elementary Education. Ms. Fisher holds a Pa teaching certificate in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, and Secondary Science and Mathematics Education. In her free time, she enjoys photography, camping, being outdoors, and planning events. Ms. Fisher lives in Fayetteville with her husband, Jason, and her two children, Dilynn and Alyssa.

Mr. Daniel Mr. Daniel is a 2007 graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Information Science and Technology and a minor in Business Administration. He is also a 2012 graduate of Shippensburg University with a degree in Mathematics focusing on Secondary Education. Mr. Daniel was a substitute and long-term substitute for four years prior to joining Montessori Academy. Mr. Daniel currently resides in Willow Hill with his wife and two children.

Ms. Ellis is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico. She completed high school at the age of fourteen and then graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in English as Second Language and a minor in Educational Technology from American University of Puerto Rico.  Ms. Ellis has taught classes at all levels, from elementary through technical and vocational college, and was the ESL instructor and Dean of Discipline at the International Baseball Academy High School. She came to the US where she met her husband Michael. They have four children, to include a high school freshman, a seventh grader, a fourth grader and a very spoiled one year old. Mrs. Ellis joined the Montessori Academy in August 2014, and resides with her family in Greencastle, PA.

Mrs. Callahan has been teaching since 2001.  She graduated from the State University of New York College at Geneseo in 2000 with a BS in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She went on to obtain her MS in Reading Education from the same school the following year.  She spent the first 6 years of her career teaching first grade and kindergarten in Jacksonville Fl. After the birth of her son in 2007, Mrs Callahan took a break from classroom teaching and spent the next 8 years working at Nemours Bright Start! – a preschool early literacy intervention program.  Mrs Callahan moved to Pennsylvania in 2015, and currently resides in Waynesboro with her husband, Jim, son, Dylan and cat, Chester.  She and her family thoroughly enjoy living in and exploring this beautiful part of the country.  She has always loved working with children, and is very happy to now be part of the Montessori Academy of Chambersburg!

Art Instructor, Nicole Troup, lives with her husband and two children in Greencastle, PA. She graduated from Pennsylvania College of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Arts degree and has been teaching art education to children/youth/adults for eight years. Since her passion is in art and teaching, she loves to instill the joy and value of creativity in others especially children and youth.

Aside from her teaching career, Nicole is also a commissioned portrait artist, creating portraits of pets and people for local clients. Some of her clients include doctors, pet owners and Summit Health of Franklin COunty, who recently commissioned her to paint their retiring CEO, Norman Epstein. She also recently finished painting the portrait of former Pennsylvania Governor, Tom Corbett, which will be showcased in her future solo art exhibit, called The Faces of Pennsylvania.

Nicole’s work has been showcased in a number of exhibitions in Maryland and Pennsylvania such as Mercersburg Academy, Mansion House Art Gallery, Pennsylvania College of Art Design, Kaleidoscope Gallery, Washington County Arts Council and the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, among others.