Cassie Hardee – Upper Elementary Guide
Cassie Hardee was born in Texas, but spent years in Colorado. Cassie has always enjoyed learning and experiencing different cultures and their histories. Cassie has traveled extensively to Mexico, Guatemala, Spain, Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Portugal, Israel, Poland and others. She graduated from the University of North Texas in 2010 with a Bachelors Degree in English Literature and a minor in Jewish Studies, and in the Fall of 2010 took a job as a full-time substitute teacher at Rosslyn Academy in Nairobi, Kenya. Teaching primary and secondary students social studies, language, theater, journalism and conservation, she also started an extra-curriculum course on Film Studies for 12-14 year olds.
After spending nearly six months in Kenya, Cassie took a job working with an international non-profit in London, England during the 2012 Summer Olympics. While she was there, she received her Graduate degree and graduated with Honors from Royal Holloway, University of London with her Master in Arts in Screenwriting for Film and Television.
After returning to the States, Cassie worked in advertising and journalism, and in 2014 she moved back to DFW and took a job at the Star-Telegram in Ft. Worth. After only a few short years of working in the corporate world, fate had plans for her to be a teacher once more; this time in a Montessori school, the perfect place where she could incorporate her love of learning, discovery and excitement for the world! Cassie attended an intensive program at Houston Montessori Center in Upper Elementary education in 2017.
Katrina Gamber – Middle School Guide
Katrina Gamber is the middle school guide at ArborCreek Montessori Academy. She has been teaching professionally since 2012 working with students from early childhood all the way through high school. She received her degree in psychology and education from Southern Methodist University where she gained her Texas State Teaching certification for EC-6. She went on to pursue her Master’s in counseling with an emphasis in art therapy and school counseling from Southern Methodist University. She is a certified school counselor in the state of Texas and was able to hone her skills while facilitating support groups and individual counseling for homeless youth and teen parents at Promise House in Dallas. After the birth of her son, Katrina developed a strong love of Montessori education and the balance between peace, mental health, service, and learning provided by the Montessori approach. She completed her training through the Houston Montessori Center to become an AMS certified guide for middle school and secondary. She is a member of the American Montessori Society and the American Psychological Association. Katrina Gamber lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, Alan, and son, Royal.