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| Meet our Staff |
Black Mountain Science Academy is a privately owned Montessori preschool
providing a unique environment for stimulation of the sciences. The Science
Academy program builds on the standard conventions of the Montessori Method by
coupling them with the fascinating world of science.
Barbara Sue Bolin - Chief Executive Officer
Barbara has her Montessori certification from the North American Montessori Center
in the Preschool/kindergarten Montessori Teacher Training Program. Barbara also
has a BA degree in Bacteriology from Miami University. With this degree and over 45
years of laboratory and management experience in the fields of bacteriology,
virology, mycology, parasitology, immunology and research and development she
brings an excitement and enthusiasm for science that she wants to impart on the
minds of the young preschooler. She is excited about making science fun for the
children.
During the course of her scientific career Barbara was instrumental in pioneering
development of the world’s first diagnostic test procedure for screening the world’s
blood supply for the Hepatitis B virus.
At the local level, she was the first researcher to isolate the rare and deadly amoeba,
Naegleria fowleri from Arizona water supplies. In response to the anthrax
bioterrorism attack in 2001, Barbara lead the development of one of the countries
few private testing labs capable of offering a complete line of laboratory services for
bioterrorism. In addition to these professional accomplishments, she has had a
lifelong love of children and the Montessori method of education. She has been a
Montessori advocate for many years.
Rebecca Grim - Director
Rebecca comes to the school with eleven years of practical Montessori experience
both as an instructor and director/administrator. Rebecca became very much
interested in the new Montessori experience during numerous discussions with the
school founder, Barbara Bolin. She is married with three children; Benjamin, Victoria
and Zachary. Benjamin and Victoria attended a Montessori School from pre-school
through 3rd grade. Zachary is attending preschool this year. After graduating from
Glendale High School in 1991, Rebecca attended Apollo College where she received
her degree as a Medical Assistant. Public school education was not providing the
educational foundation she felt necessary for her family. It was after working as a
Medical Assistant for 10 years that she started her Montessori career. Mrs. Grim has
formal training in Early Childhood Development. During her tenure as an instructor
and director for a previous Montessori School, she worked in the Preschool class as
well as operating an after school program.
Jane Duffey, B.S., IMI– Elementary Lead Teacher
Jane Duffey has taught in the Montessori classroom for eight years. She completed
her training with the International Montessori Institute in Sage, California. She has a
B.S. in Child Development as well as her teaching certificate for Arizona K-12.
She has been a resident in Glendale for the past 13 years where she and her
husband raised 3 children.
She enjoys crafting in her leisure time and looks forward to sharing her talent with the
children in all areas of the Montessori classroom.
Sandy Raucci- Preschool Lead Teacher
Sandy Raucci has been a Montessori Assistant Teacher for five years with
experience in a toddler environment, preschool environment, and the elementary
environment. She has her Montessori training with NAMC with a certificate for
preschool (ages 3-6). She is in the process of completing her training for early
elementary (6-9). She and her family moved to Arizona from Chicago 8 years ago.
She has been married for 23 years and has 3 boys. Her youngest son attended a
Montessori school from preschool through 6th grade. It is through her volunteer
work in her son’s classroom that she learned the value of the Montessori way of
teaching.
Cindy Wells-Assistant
Nicole Wanke-Assistant
providing a unique environment for stimulation of the sciences. The Science
Academy program builds on the standard conventions of the Montessori Method by
coupling them with the fascinating world of science.
Barbara Sue Bolin - Chief Executive Officer
Barbara has her Montessori certification from the North American Montessori Center
in the Preschool/kindergarten Montessori Teacher Training Program. Barbara also
has a BA degree in Bacteriology from Miami University. With this degree and over 45
years of laboratory and management experience in the fields of bacteriology,
virology, mycology, parasitology, immunology and research and development she
brings an excitement and enthusiasm for science that she wants to impart on the
minds of the young preschooler. She is excited about making science fun for the
children.
During the course of her scientific career Barbara was instrumental in pioneering
development of the world’s first diagnostic test procedure for screening the world’s
blood supply for the Hepatitis B virus.
At the local level, she was the first researcher to isolate the rare and deadly amoeba,
Naegleria fowleri from Arizona water supplies. In response to the anthrax
bioterrorism attack in 2001, Barbara lead the development of one of the countries
few private testing labs capable of offering a complete line of laboratory services for
bioterrorism. In addition to these professional accomplishments, she has had a
lifelong love of children and the Montessori method of education. She has been a
Montessori advocate for many years.
Rebecca Grim - Director
Rebecca comes to the school with eleven years of practical Montessori experience
both as an instructor and director/administrator. Rebecca became very much
interested in the new Montessori experience during numerous discussions with the
school founder, Barbara Bolin. She is married with three children; Benjamin, Victoria
and Zachary. Benjamin and Victoria attended a Montessori School from pre-school
through 3rd grade. Zachary is attending preschool this year. After graduating from
Glendale High School in 1991, Rebecca attended Apollo College where she received
her degree as a Medical Assistant. Public school education was not providing the
educational foundation she felt necessary for her family. It was after working as a
Medical Assistant for 10 years that she started her Montessori career. Mrs. Grim has
formal training in Early Childhood Development. During her tenure as an instructor
and director for a previous Montessori School, she worked in the Preschool class as
well as operating an after school program.
Jane Duffey, B.S., IMI– Elementary Lead Teacher
Jane Duffey has taught in the Montessori classroom for eight years. She completed
her training with the International Montessori Institute in Sage, California. She has a
B.S. in Child Development as well as her teaching certificate for Arizona K-12.
She has been a resident in Glendale for the past 13 years where she and her
husband raised 3 children.
She enjoys crafting in her leisure time and looks forward to sharing her talent with the
children in all areas of the Montessori classroom.
Sandy Raucci- Preschool Lead Teacher
Sandy Raucci has been a Montessori Assistant Teacher for five years with
experience in a toddler environment, preschool environment, and the elementary
environment. She has her Montessori training with NAMC with a certificate for
preschool (ages 3-6). She is in the process of completing her training for early
elementary (6-9). She and her family moved to Arizona from Chicago 8 years ago.
She has been married for 23 years and has 3 boys. Her youngest son attended a
Montessori school from preschool through 6th grade. It is through her volunteer
work in her son’s classroom that she learned the value of the Montessori way of
teaching.
Cindy Wells-Assistant
Nicole Wanke-Assistant
Children possess an
unusual sensitivity and
intellectual ability to absorb
and learn from their
environment that is unlike
that of the adult both in
quality and capacity.
unusual sensitivity and
intellectual ability to absorb
and learn from their
environment that is unlike
that of the adult both in
quality and capacity.
