West Classroom
Our West Classroom is an inviting space with areas devoted to Montessori materials, science (including live animals), reading, art, dress-up, music and manipulative work.
It’s always humming with activity and filled with the voices of children discussing field trips, science experiments and much more.
The learning never stops with creative projects and thematic teaching going on at all times.
This classroom also contains our PM Class (Monday-Friday, 1:30-4:30) which welcomes three to five-year-olds as well.
Wendy Oppenheimer
West and PM Head Teacher
Wendy is extremely happy to be joining the MMS staff this fall. She has been an early childhood teacher for twenty five years now.”Working with children is my passion.”
Wendy graduated from Queens College and went on to receive her Masters in Education from from Long Island University. At first, Wendy worked with two-three year old children. She later went on to teach fours and fives. Wendy has previously enjoyed working at Epiphany Community Nursery School as well as Temple Shaaray Tefila Nursery School on the Upper East Side. Her past experiences also include teaching and directing Parenting programs at the 92nd Street Y. Her Latest projects involved creating an afterschool book club program for children ages three-five. Her belief that exposure to books and being read to at an early age is the first step towards a love of learning.
Wendy lives in Oradell, N. J. with her husband Mark. She has two grown children, Helene and Faye as well as two small grandchildren, Lila and Avi.
Anna Maria Hanlon
West Co-Head Teacher and Montessori Teacher
Anna Maria, or “Al” as she is known to her co-workers, has been teaching at Morningside since 1996.
She is a certified Montessori teacher with a certificate from the London Montessori Examination Board (Dublin, 1991) and a Diploma in Nursery Nursing as well. Al is presently working on her undergraduate studies in Early Childhood Education at Hunter College.
Al was born in Dublin, Ireland and moved to New York in 1994. She has been working with young children since 1991. She and her husband Neil have two sons, Liam and Jack.
Al works her Montessori magic in the West Class and has also worked in our PM Class as well. She brings a wealth of experience and kindness and a bright sense of humor to all her classes.
Jasmine Melendez
West Assistant Teacher
Jasmine has been with Morningside since 1996. She brings a quiet strength and caring demeanor to our West Classroom.
She was born in NYC. She and her husband Elton have one son, Kasten (a Morningside alumnus).
Jasmine has shown a valuable ability to help out wherever there is a need.
Sheree Evans
West Assistant Teacher and PM Co-Head Teacher
Sheree has been with Morningside since 2001. She has been working with preschool-age children since 1995 and brings her warmth and quiet wisdom to our West classroom.
She particularly enjoys bringing hands-on science and cooking components to her classes – all with a touch of humor.
She was born in New York and has three children, Malachai, Anaiah and Anisa.
Sheree also teaches in our PM Class in the West Classroom and has been a head counselor in the Peewee program (ages 2-3) of Camp Morningside (or summer camp) since arriving in 2001.
Karyl Mpontsikaris
PM Montessori Teacher
Karyl began teaching at Morningside in 1986. She brings a tremendous amount of experience as well as a love of dance which she enjoys sharing with the children.
A native of New Bedford, MA she attended The Boston Conservatory of Music before coming to NYC in 1973 and has two grown children who both went to Morningside. Until 2006 she also worked at Pointes West teaching creative movement and pre ballet. After leaving she decided to pursue her Montessori studies and received her diploma from The North American Montessori Center in June 2008.
She has previously worked in the South and Explorers classroom and the Office.
Teri Lewis
Montessori Teacher in training
Teri was born in Moline, Illinios and soon after she and her family moved to New York City.
Teri currently lives in the Bronx with her daughter Eve Marie, who graduated from MMS in 2010.
Teri has a Bachelor’s from Lehman College in Speech Pathology and Audiology and an Early Childhood minor. She is currently working on her Master’s in Early Childhood and Special Education. Teri also started her Montessori training in the September, 2011.