Staff bios: Learn more about our highly-qualified and experienced staff.

James Farwell, jfarwell@msfortmyers.com

Mr. James grew up in Woodbury, MN attending several Montessori schools throughout childhood including Woodbury Montessori (3-4 years old), Nokomis Montessori School (Kindergarten), J.J. Hill Montessori (1st grade) and Valley Crossing Community School (5th – 6th grade).  A lifelong learner and teacher, Mr. James has served for three years as a Sunday school teacher (1st - 3rd graders), six years as a snowboard instructor (11 – 13 year olds), one year as a teaching assistant at the University of Florida, has served as an occasional guest speaker at Florida International University several times from 2009-2013, and taught financial analysis courses.  Mr. James enjoys finding ways to better serve our students, families, and staff.  In his free time, he enjoys working on the school facility, playing soccer, weight lifting, growing fruit trees, reading, and discussing self improvement. 

Credentials

• Head of School since 2013.
• Montessori Administrator Credential - September 2016.  Seton Montessori Institute, an American Montessori Society (AMS) affiliated teacher education program.
• B.S.B.A. in Finance and minor in Spanish - University of Florida.  Significant college coursework in early childhood education at Nova Southeast University.
• Florida Department of Children & Families - Staff Credential, Director Credential, Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Director Endorsement, 40 hours of child care training, numerous continuing education courses
• Certified Instructor of 15 Hour Redirecting Children's Behavior Course
• Published contributor to Montessori Leadership magazine published by the Montessori Foundation.

Terri Shippey, administrator@msfortmyers.com

A native of Houston, Texas, Ms. Terri began her career in Montessori right after high school. She worked in a small Montessori school as a summer job. This summer job lasted 10 years. During those 10 years, she obtained her Montessori Diploma.  Ms. Terri was given the opportunity to become a Director of a Montessori School in Amarillo, Texas. It was there that Terri gained experience managing a Montessori school. She moved to Fort Myers, Florida in 2008, where she and a few of her co-workers spent the next 8 years transforming a small childcare center in the Dunbar area into a beautiful Montessori school that offered quality education to lower income families.  Ms. Terri loves the outdoors and spending time with her horse, Bexar and photography. She enjoys all sports. She loves the Houston Astros, Rockets and Texans. 

Credentials

• 10+ Years school administration experience
• Spent a summer at the University of Texas 
• Montessori Diploma – Texas Montessori Education Center
• Florida Department of Children & Families - Staff Credential, Director Credential, Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Director Endorsement, 40 hours of child care training, numerous continuing education courses
• Certified Instructor of 15 Hour Redirecting Children's Behavior Course
• American Heart Association - Infant & Child CPR, AED, First Aid, and Blood Borne Pathogen training
• ALICE training
• A.S. in Early Childhood Education- Rasmussen College
• B.A. in Early Education- Rasmussen College
• Infant and Child CPR and First-aid certified

Clare Klitenic, 

officemanager@msfortmyers.com

Ms. Clare was born and raised in England. She moved to the States 25 years ago. She worked and lived in Atlanta for 22 years where she taught  preschool. She moved to Fort Myers in 2021 and started working with us in our Toddler West classroom. In her free time she enjoys walking her dog and working out.

Credentials

• Bachelors degree in Sports Science
•  15+ years experience in Early Childhood Education
• 15 Hour Redirecting Children's Behavior Certificate
• Credentials for Florida Department of Children & Families 
• CPR, AED, First Aid Certified

Ms. Madison

Ms. Madison is  from Lebanon, New Jersey but moved to Bonita Springs three years ago with her family. She has been working in the field of early childhood education for 6 years. She has worked with all ages from three months to eight years old. She also attended a summer camp for ten years where she worked with children from the ages of six to sixteen. In her free time, she likes to spend time with  family and friends, go on adventures, and hang out with her cat. 

Credentials

• Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education and Administration 
• American Montessori Society (AMS) Primary Credential - Summit Montessori Teaching Training Institute (expected June 2022)
• Florida Department of Children and Families - 45 hours Child Care Training
• First Aid and CPR Certified
• 15 Hour Redirecting Children's Behavior  Course Certificate

Ms. Sashia

Ms. Sashia is from Tallahassee Florida, she moved to Fort Myers in 2018 with her husband. She has worked in healthcare for 5 years and childcare for 3 years. In her spare time she likes to spend time with her husband and friends, read and love on her 3 animals.

Credentials

• Associate of Arts Degree
• Florida Department of Children and Families - 45 hours Child Care Training
• First Aid and CPR certified

Ms. Fedhia

Ms. Fedhia was born in Haiti and moved to Key West, Florida at 3 years old where she lived for 15 years. She moved to Cape Coral in 2021 and started working with us in late July. She as an academic tutor all of her high years working with children of all ages. In her spare time she likes to spend time with her family and friends.

Credentials

• Florida Department of Children and Families- 45 hours Child Care Training.
• Infant & Child CPR and First Aid
• 15 hours Redirecting Children's Behavior Course Certificate

Ms. Livia 

Ms. Livia has a long career in teaching starting with first lamaze (childbirth) classes from 1987-1993, as a certified substitute teacher and teachers aide in the early 1990’s working with elementary, special needs, and high school students, in 1991 as a Head Start program working with 4 and 5 year olds, in 1992 as an administrator in a early education childhood program, in a preschool classroom from 1994 – 1997, and since 2000, Ms. Livia has served the Montessori School of Fort Myers where she earned her Infant/Toddler Montessori Credential.  Ms. Livia loves spending quality time with her family and her grandchildren.  She likes reading, gardening, trying new foods, and is very active with her bible classes.

Credentials

• American Montessori Society (AMS) Infant/Toddler Credential (0-3 years old) - Summit Montessori Teaching Training Institute
• North American Montessori Center – Infant/Toddler Montessori Credential, 2004
• Florida Department of Children and Families – 45 hours of childcare training, many years of continued education
• American Heart Association – Infant & Child CPR, AED, First Aid, and Blood Borne Pathogen training
• 15 Hour Redirecting Children’s Behavior Course certificate

Ms. Pam

A life-long Montessori teacher, Ms. Pam began teaching at Florence Foster Montessori School in Chicago, IL in 1986 where she taught until 1989 when she moved to Fort Myers.  Ms. Pam has taught at Montessori School of Fort Myers since 1990 as an assistant teacher and is a strong presence in the classroom.  She loves working with our children and is very skilled in keeping her classroom running in good order.

Credentials

• Florida Department of Children and Families – 45 hours Child Care Training
• 25+ years of in-service training courses in a variety of early childhood education topics
• American Heart Association – Infant & Child CPR, AED, First -Aid, and Blood Borne Pathogen training
• 15 Hour Redirecting Children’s Behavior Course ceritficate

Ms. Melanie

Ms. Melanie studied in Michigan prior to relocating to Cape Coral, Fl.  She has previous experience working with infants and children in Michigan. In her free time, Ms. Melanie enjoys spending time with her three teenage children and her husband, boating and going to the beach.

Credentials

•  American Montessori Society (AMS) Infant/Toddler Credential (0-3 years old) - Summit Montessori Teaching Training Institute (expected June 2021)
• Florida Department of Children and Families- 45 hours Child Care Training
• Fire Extinguisher Trained
• Infant and Child CPR and First-aid certified
• 15 Hours Redirecting Children's Behavior Course  certificate

Ms. Bella

Ms. Bella was born in Cape Coral but halfway through her childhood moved to Lehigh Acres. She is attending Florida Gulf Coast University majoring in Elementary Education. Ms. Bella is a Cheer Coach at Top Gun All Stars and travels the country doing Choreography for different cheer programs and teams. In her free time she likes to spend time at home.

Credential

•  Florida Department of Children and Famlies-45 hours Child Care training.
• Fire Extinguisher Trained
• Infant and Child CPR and First-aid certified
• 15 Hours Redirecting Children's Behavior Course  certificate

Ms. Cira

Ms. Cira is originally from Maryland. She has completed her Associate's Degree and is currently obtaining her Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education from FSW. She has always had a love for children and genuinely enjoys working with them. In her spare time she loves going to the beach with her family and playing fetch with her puppies.

Credentials

•  American Montessori Society (AMS) Infant/Toddler Credential (0-3 years old) - Summit Montessori Teaching Training Institute
•  Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education
• Currently completing her Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education
• 15 Hour Redirecting Children's Behavior Course Certificate

 Ms. Vanessa

Ms. Vanessa was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, where she got her degree in Psychology. She then moved to Tampa where she started her teaching career. Along the way she became a Registered Behavior Technician and got her National Early Childhood Credential. In her free time she loves to roller skate and spend with her husband and dog.

Credentials

• National Early Childhood Credential (NECC)
• Registered Behavior Technician (BACB)
• Florida Department of Children & Families - Staff Credential, Director Credential, Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Director Endorsement, 40 hours of child care training, numerous continuing education courses
• Infant and Child CPR and First-aid certified

 Ms. Celina

Ms. Celina is a Florida native, born in Fort Myers and raised in Cape Coral. She has always loved children and has spent many years babysitting. Even though she has just began her journey into early childhood education, she hopes to have a future in the field. Celina is currently pursuing her DCF certification and has completed  her Redirecting Children's Behavior certification this year. In her free time she enjoys pottery and takes classes at the Cape Coral Arts Center. She also plans to go back to FSW to pursue an A.A. in ceramics and her long term goal is to one day teach pottery to children utilizing the Montessori curriculum. 

Credentials

• Working towards Florida Department of Children and Family-45 hours Child Care Training
• 15 Hour Redirecting Children's Behavior Course Certificate