Our Teachers
Laura Aasletten - Upper Elementary
Laura Aasletten graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelors in Applied Learning and Development. She received her Early Childhood (ages 3-6) Montessori certification in 1998 from the international Montessori Society. From 1998 to 2000 Ms. Aasletten taught 3 to 11 year olds at Montessori Preparatory School in Tampa, Florida. After coming to Whidby in 1999, Ms. Aasletten received her Lower Elementary (ages 6-9) and Upper Elementary (ages 9-12) certification from the Houston Montessori Center. She has taught Upper Elementary Whidby for the past nine years. Currently Ms. Aasletten is completing her Masters in Educational Administration from Lamar University.
Shana Steinhardt - Lower Elementary
Shana Steinhardt began her own education as a Montessori child. She has a bachelor's degree in English from Oberlin College. She received her Lower Elementary (ages 6-9) Montessori certification from the American Montessori Society in 2000 and a Masters Degree in Education from University of Houston in 2002. Ms. Steinhardt completed a yearlong Montessori internship at Garden Oaks Elementary and is now in her 8th year of teaching Lower Elementary at Whidby Montessori Magnet. She is passionate about offering authentic Montessori in the public setting. Ms. Steinhardt chaired the planning committee for the recent Public Montessori Educators of Texas conference. She enjoys using her summers for enrichment opportunities, including tours of ancient ruins in Mexico, Guatemala, & Honduras, an Amazon Rainforest Expedition, the Colonial Wiiliamsburg Teacher Institute, a Wild Studies marine ecology teacher program, and the Houston Museum of Natural Science Paleontology Field School for Educators.
Dari Henry - Lower Elementary
Ms. Henry is the oldest of five children and has spent the majority of her life in Houston. She attended Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas and graduated with a Bachelors Degree of Science in Psychology. Ms. Henry recieved her training through Houston's Alternative Certification Program. She spent the first two years of her career as a traditional fourth grade teacher at Whidby before joining the Montessori Program.
Nannette Schultz - Early Childhood
Nannette Schultz graduated from the University of Houston with a BA degree. After receiving her Early Childhood (ages 3 - 6) Montessori teaching certificate From the Montessori Western Teacher Training Program in Los Alamitos, California. Ms. Schultz taught in private Montessori schools in the Houston Area for 7 years. She has worked as a teacher in an Early Childhood (ages 3-6) Montessori Class at Whidby Montessori Magnet Elementary School for the last 21 years. In 2006, she received a Fund for Teachers Grant that made it possible for her to study family and school life in Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. In 2007, she served as an Opra O Ambassador, sharing the knowledge she gained during her travels with the students and teachers of Whidby.
Carla Maria Pastor - Early Childhood
Carla Maria Pastor was born and raised in Peru. Studied languages and majored in English and Spanish teaching at the National University of Cordoba in Argentina. During her time as a student she worked at different levels and with different ages teaching English and Spanish. Five years ago she moved to California where she worked as a substitute teacher at a High School level. Later, she moved to Houston and enrolled in a certification program at Houston Community College. While obtaining her certification she worked as a Bilingual teacher for Aldine ISD. During the Summer of 2007, she underwent her Montessori training for teaching children Early Childhood (ages 3- 6). She has been performing as a Montessori Early Childhood teacher ever since then at Whidby Elementary.
Leilani Powell - Early Childhood
Leilani Powell was born in Bocalad City, Philippines and graduated with a Bachelor of Elementary Education from West Negros College in the Philippines. She came to the US 5 years ago and has worked at Whidby Elementary & Montessori School for the last 3 years in the Early Childhood (ages 3-6) classroom.