Our Faculty and Staff
Head of School
Paul Raymond Paul has nearly 30 years’ experience in Montessori schools as an educational leader and a teacher. He has taught at all levels, Primary (3-6 year olds), Elementary (6-12 year olds) and Middle School (12-15 year olds). He holds AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) Montessori certifications for both Primary and Elementary and has completed the Montessori Adolescent Training (NAMTA). Paul developed the Montessori Middle school program and curriculum for the Montessori School of Raleigh and led the school to dual accreditation during his tenure as Educational Director of the school. Paul taught both the lower and upper elementary programs for the Montessori School of Maui. Earlier in his career he owned and directed the Montessori Country School on a farm in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Assistant Head of School
Michael Barclay Mike brings 16 plus years of administrative and teaching experience to his role at Quest. He holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from American University in Washington, DC. Mike comes to Quest after spending six years as the Dean of Students at Moses Brown School. Prior to this, Mike was part of the founding faculty at Stuart Hall High School, member of the Schools of the Sacred Heart in San Francisco, where he was the school’s first admissions director. While at Stuart Hall, he oversaw the school’s growth from a first class of 44 students to a fully enrolled student body in grades 9 through 12. Mike’s daughter and son are both at Quest.
Quest Faculty and Staff
Frida Bonaparte Frida joins Quest as our Spanish Resource teacher. Frida recently moved to Rhode Island from Mississippi where she was a Cross Cultural Communicator at Mississippi State University for seven years and also had the opportunity to teach Spanish to children of different ages as part of a volunteer program. She also coordinated joint efforts toward educational programs for extension university educators and Hispanic groups. Frida has developed and implemented programs to help writers, editors, graphic designers; along with helping video producers to develop curriculum and educational materials in Spanish. Frida has an extensive background that includes developing international agriculture cooperation projects between the USDA and National University of Argentina. She has implementd study and cultural trips to Spain, Costa Rica and South America for professors and students. Frida has a Master degree in Agricultural education from Oklahoma State University and a Bachelor in Agronomy from National University of Tucuman, Argentina, where she worked for ten years before moving to the USA.
Katherine Bowen Katherine is a co-teacher in Upper Elementary. She is a founding parent and former Board Member of Quest. She joined the teaching staff in 2005. Katherine completed her Montessori Upper Elementary training at the Seacoast Center in New Hampshire. She has a B.S. in Industrial Psychology from Clarkson University and held management positions in technical support and customer service before coming to Quest. Katherine has a daughter who is a student at Quest and a son who graduated from the school in 2008.
Pam Branch Pam supports Quest as Administrative Assistant for the Head of School. In addition to being a professional Decorative Artist for over 20 years, she has developed and taught a variety of art workshops and has a degree in Fashion Design from The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, California. Pam’s son Logan is his 6th year at Quest.
Elizabeth (Libby) Furcolo Libby is a founding teacher at Quest Montessori School and has taught from preschool level up to the fifth grade. She currently teaches in the Middle School. She is Montessori certified in both Primary and Lower Elementary. She received her Primary certification from the Montessori Centre International (MCI) and elementary certification from the Seacoast Center (AMS). She has been teaching for 16 years and brings a true understanding of the elementary child and Montessori approach. She previously taught in the primary program and as the art teacher for grades 1 & 2 at the South County Montessori School. Libby has a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources from the University of Rhode Island. She is currently working on her 100 hour practicum for Orton Gillingham certification through the Dunn Institute in Providence.
Patricia (Tricia) Hart Tricia joins Quest as our Art Resource teacher. She has an MA in ArtEd from Rhode Island School of Design’03. She is the former Co-Director of ‘Artful Hands’ a Children’s Program at the NH Institute of Art and is a multi-award winning Visual Arts teacher from Manchester Memorial High School. She also initiated and instructed middle school B&W Photography classes at the Currier Art Center. Ever since being introduced to Dr. Montessori’s ideas and methods, Tricia has incorporated them into her course designs. She is K-12 certified experienced Art Educator.
She has two adult children, Katherine and Sean. She now lives in South County at her long time summer studio on Schoolhouse Road in Matunuck. There, along with her Old English Sheepdog, NellieBelle, she produces HartVision Documentaries and creates Moonstone Pottery.
Kelly House Kelly joined the staff as the Music teacher in 2010. She has a B.A. in Music from Amherst College and many additional years of training and performance experience as a vocalist and actor. Kelly taught and directed for All Children’s Theatre for eight years. She has experience teaching children from age four to 18. She currently teaches after school theater programs at Quest, St. Andrews School, and Gordon School. Kelly has a son and a daughter at Quest.
Cheryl Raymond Cheryl directs the Upper Elementary Program for Quest and joined the faculty this year after teaching for ten years at the Montessori School of Raleigh and two years at the Montessori School of Maui. She is an accomplished Montessori guide with twelve years of Montessori teaching experience in both Lower Elementary (3 years) and Upper Elementary (9 years). Cheryl holds both Montessori certification (AMI Elementary 6-12) and conventional Elementary Education training. Cheryl has her B.A. in Elementary Education from Drury College in Springfield Missouri, where she made Dean’s List, was recognized as an Academic Honor Scholar, and was President of the Kappa Delta Pi – Educational Honor Society. She and her husband, Paul, have a son at Quest and their daughter is a graduate of Quest.
Jennie Schwab Jennie is the teacher in the Lower Elementary classroom at Quest. She holds her Montessori primary certifcation from Northeast Montessori Insititute (AMS) and taught at the Montessori Primary level for five years at Cornerstone Montessori School in North Kingstown prior to joining Quest. She also holds an American Montessori Society Elementary I Credential from the Seacoast Center for Montessori Teacher Training in Portsmouth, NH. Jennie is the daughter of a career Montessori Teacher and Montessori Teacher-Trainer. Jennie was Montessori educated until the age of nine. Prior to her Montessori career, Jennie worked in the corporate sector where she held several leadership positions in the computer software industry. The most recent position being Manager of the Northeast sales engineering team for Broadvision. She holds a Master’s in Education from Endicott College, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and Computer Science from the University of Dayton, OH. She has a daughter and a son at Quest.
Glen Seelenbrandt Glen brings over 10 years of experience teaching math, science, and technology to the middle school. He has taught at several independent day and boarding schools, including Moses Brown, Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Mass., and Indian Mountain School in Lakeville, Conn. He earned his BA from the University of Vermont and has completed masters degree work at Columbia University’s Teachers College. He and his wife, Erin, have a 2 year old daughter who will be joining the Quest’s Chlidren’s House in January. Glen is also an avid snowboarder, mountain biker and outdoorsman.
Gary Viera Gary is Quest’s founding Physical Education and Health teacher. In 2005 Gary began working in the Lower Elementary classroom as a teacher’s assistant and this year he continues to work in LE and direct the school’s Physical Education program. Gary launched the Middle School intrastate cross country and track and field teams as Quest’s first athletic coach. Gary has worked at the YMCA as a Camp Director and a Preschool/Family Director and was also in charge of their sports program. Gary has a BA in Education from Norwich University (The Military College of Vermont). Gary enjoys coaching soccer, softball and rugby.
Jane Wainfor Jane is happy to be starting her 24th year of Montessori teaching with Quest! She brings her knowledge and experience to her new position of director of the Children’s House and is looking forward to collaborating with the Quest family. She graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and has also received her teaching certification in Early Childhood Education. She also holds a teaching credential from the American Montessori Society. When not in the classroom, Jane enjoys travelling with her mother Rosie and antiquing.
Jessica Wainfor Jessica is the assistant teacher in the Primary program at the Children’s House. She holds an Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education, graduating with High Honors. Jessica is finishing her Early Childhood Credential from the American Montessori Society this year. She comes to Quest with over seven years of Primary classroom experience. Before working as an Assistant teacher and Office Manager at Windswept Montessori, Jessica worked in Vermont at a Head Start program. She will begin her pursuit of her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island this fall.
