Our Faculty and Staff
At Everbloom Montessori, our staff and faculty are educators, guides, caregivers, and community builders committed to nurturing the whole child. Rooted in Montessori principles and grounded in collaboration, our team creates thoughtful, prepared environments where children are encouraged to grow with curiosity, confidence, independence, and care. We believe learning happens through relationship, and we are honored to partner with families in cultivating a supportive, inclusive community where every child can flourish. We invite you to get to know the individuals who help shape the daily life and spirit of our school community.
Our Administrative Staff
Emily Jacobson
Head of School
Emily Jacobson (she/her) is the Head of School at Everbloom Montessori. She completed her Infant and Toddler Montessori training through the American Montessori Society and has been working with young children for over 30 years.
Emily believes that birth through age six is the most important period in a child’s life, and that Montessori education offers the most supportive foundation during these formative years.
At Everbloom, you will find Emily spending time with the children, connecting with prospective families, supporting and mentoring staff, leading parent education, and guiding the overall vision and operations of the school. Her favorite part of the work is observing children as they develop independence and witnessing the meaningful interactions between children and guides.
Outside of school, Emily is a mom of two grown Montessori graduates and three stepchildren with her husband, John. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and thrifting.
Annie Cloyd
Director of Integrity and Compliance
Annie Cloyd (she/her) is the Director of Integrity and Compliance at Everbloom Montessori. She trained at the Seton Montessori Institute and received her Infant and Toddler Certification in 2020. She has been working with young children for 14 years. She believes that education begins at birth and even our youngest learners are capable individuals who lead their own development. We are guides to who keep supporting and challenging them to reach the next level. Watching an infant crawl, begin to babble and express themselves, or even drink from an open cup are all such exciting moments! Outside of school she’ll often be reading or finding new reads at the local bookstore or library.
Melissa Atkinson
Director of Administrative Operations
Melissa Atkinson (she/her) is an Administrator at Everbloom Montessori. She focuses on enrollment systems development and administration, supports families navigating the MDHHS Child Development and Care (CDC) subsidy program in partnership with Vibrant Futures, as well as the internal subsidy administraton of the CDC scholarship, and manages day-to-day financials and banking, along with a wide range of operational needs that support the school community.
Melissa brings over 15 years of experience in business management and operations development. She joined Everbloom in January 2025, after being part of the community as a parent since the school’s opening. Her son, Emmett, began as a toddler in the Magnolia Room and graduated from Children’s House last fall. Her family’s long-standing connection to Everbloom is what inspired her to join the team and continue supporting the school’s growth.
Outside of school, Melissa enjoys spending time and going on adventures with her son Emmett and her husband, Ken. She is an avid reader and a proud “romantasy” fan, often finishing 3–4 books a month. She also loves live music and, together with Ken, aims to attend at least one concert each month. Some of her favorite bands include The Elovaters, Dispatch, and Tropidelic.
Our Lead Guides
Avery Tafelsky
Infant Guide, in the Sweet Pea Classroom
Bio coming soon.
Chris Swanson
Young Toddler Guide, in the Poppy Classroom
Chris Swanson (he/him) is the lead young toddler guide at Everbloom Montissori. He studied at Ferris State University and has been working with children for ten years. He believes that play is the work of children.
In the young toddler room you will find him singing and dancing with the little humans. Outside of work he is an avid concert goer and aquarium enthusiast!
Alyssa Lock
Older Toddler Guide, in the Violet Classroom
Alyssa Lock (she/her) is a lead guide at Everbloom Montessori. She trained at Seton Montessori and has been working with young children since 2007. She believes children are naturally curious, eager learners and it is the guide's job to support their interests.
In the Violet room, you will find Alyssa right in the middle of all the action, sharing in all the joys and challenges of toddlerhood.
Outside of school, her favorite place to be is in a hammock with a good book
Danielle Scarberry
Older Toddler Guide, in the Zinnia Classroom
Bio coming soon.
Claire Schantz
Children’s House Guide, in the Daisy Classroom
Claire Schantz (she/her) is a Children’s House guide at Everbloom Montessori. She trained through the American Montessori Society program at Seton Montessori Institute in Illinois and has been working with young children for over 20 years. She believes children’s independence should be nurtured and encouraged at every opportunity, to build their self-confidence. In the Children’s House, you will find her surrounded by curious young minds eager to absorb new knowledge or show off what they have already learned. Outside of school she can be found honing her amateur photography skills, daydreaming about her next travel destination, or watching one of too many TV shows she enjoys!
Kirsten Rothenbucher
Children’s House Guide, in the Sunflower Classroom
Kirsten Rothenbucher (she/her) is a Lead Guide at Everbloom Montessori. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Sciences through Lewis University in 2016, taught youth about outdoor sciences through a team building program, and worked as a tour guide at Lewis and Clark Caverns in Montana before beginning teaching at a Montessori School in 2019. She trained with the Authentic Institute of Montessori before receiving her Lead AMS certificate in 2023. She has been working with children aged 3-6 for 7 years.
In the Sunflower Children's House classroom, you may find Kirsten enunciating phonemes with great passion, strumming a class favorite on her ukulele, or creating a scavenger hunt to "trick" the children into learning something new while getting some large motor movement in, like finding 5 objects in the room that start with the same sound. Kirsten is a strong believer in trusting her students to try things by themselves before asking for help. She believes one should "never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed", a direct quote from Maria Montessori herself, emphasizing the importance of independent bodies, wills, and minds.
Outside of school, you may find Kirsten with her nose in a book, with hiking boots on her feet, or with a coffee in her hand, strolling at Frederik Meijer Gardens or exploring a new thrift shop, looking for treasures for her classroom.
Brynn Curry
Children’s House Guide, in the Marigold Classroom
Brynn Curry (she/her) is a Children’s House Lead Guide at Everbloom Montessori. She holds an AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) Diploma from Montessori Institute of North Texas as well as a BFA in Musical Theater from WMU. She has worked with children as a Program Director, Music Educator, and Montessori Teacher since 2010. Brynn believes firmly that education and respect for children is a right, not a privilege, and that children learn and grow in spaces where they are seen, supported, and loved deeply. In the Marigold Classroom you’ll find her singing, dancing, and laughing with children every day. Outside of school Brynn loves to spend time with her partner and children.
