Meet our faculty.

Montessori guides “must be keen-eyed in observing, in serving, in approaching and in withdrawing, in speaking and in keeping silent, in accordance with the occasions and needs. They must acquire a moral alertness which has not been demanded by any other method, a mingling of calm, patience, love and humanity. Virtues and not words form their main qualification.”

—Dr. Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child

Toddler Community

Nora Schlang

LEAD GUIDE, TODDLER COMMUNITY

  • Montessori has always been a part of Nora’s life. Her mother is a trained 3-6 guide and she attended Montessori schools in her hometown of Washington D.C. through elementary school. Nora completed her AMI birth to 3 training in St. Louis in 2019. She was so inspired by my training that she decided to continue her Montessori education and moved to the Twin Cities to attend the 3-6 training, graduating in 2021. Nora also holds a Bachelors in Early Childhood from St. Kate’s.

    Nora plays guitar and sings in two bands. She enjoys going to shows in her free time. This love of music influences her work with children as she brings this interest into the classroom. She also enjoys sewing and going on long walks with her dog, Lady.

Essance Negron

ASSISTANT, TODDLER COMMUNITY

  • Essance was born in Chicago and raised in Saint Paul. Her career goal is to earn a degree in Early Childhood Education and become a Montessori guide. Essance believes that children are the future and they deserve holistic education. She approaches children with compassion, patience, empathy, and enthusiasm. 


    In her spare time, Essance enjoys reading, spending time with her family, taking trips to Chicago, and discovering new cuisines. 

Karyne Olcott

AIDE, TODDLER COMMUNITY

  • Karyne is a Saint Paul local who has worked around children for most of her life, both professionally as a team lead at the Minnesota Children’s Museum and through volunteering with a children’s community theater.

    She has a deep love and respect for children and hopes to further her education in the Montessori method.

    In her free time, Karyne likes to take walks in nature, cook, and read.

Children’s House

Alex Link

FOUNDING LEAD GUIDE, CHILDREN’S HOUSE

  • Alex is the Founding Children’s House Lead Guide at Clover Montessori School. Alex, Jana, and Staci worked side-by-side to build Clover Montessori School. He was born in the Twin Cities and has dual citizenship with the United Kingdom.

    Alex completed his AMI training at the Montessori Center of Minnesota after graduating from Gustavus Adolphus College with a BA in Psychology. He has been working in Montessori environments for the past 12 years. Before becoming a Montessorian, Alex worked as a personal care assistant and direct support professional for adults and children. Alex has also worked in YMCA development programs.

    Alex grew up in Montessori settings and feels immensely privileged to work with children during their most formative years. One of his greatest honors in life is to put children in touch with these beautifully crafted and scientifically engineered Montessori materials that have been so influential for children for over one hundred years.

Elsabet Roth

GUIDE TRAINED ASSISTANT, CHILDREN’S HOUSE

  • Elsabet has worked within the Montessori world as a Children’s House guide for many years. She earned a Masters in Education from St. Catherine University and completed her AMI Montessori Training at the Montessori Center of Minnesota in 2014.

    Elsabet is always excited to share her passion for early childhood education. She has worked at St. Catherine University in training future Montessori teachers, and has supported parents and families in her role as a nanny and a parent educator. Most recently, Elsabet was immersed within the world of Montessori in the home with her own daughter who now attends Clover Montessori School in the Toddler Community! Elsabet has a background in visual arts and loves cooking, exploring the great outdoors, and creating.

Dan Bertaud

ASSISTANT, CHILDREN’S HOUSE

  • Dan grew up in California and moved to Minnesota to attend college, eventually making the Twin Cities his home.

    After working with children in a variety of settings, he began his career in Montessori and immediately loved the Montessori method’s peaceful and beautiful environments and considerate, thoughtful approach to early childhood development and learning. Dan spent several years as a Children’s House assistant in Minneapolis before joining the staff at Clover Montessori, where he is excited to bring his experience and appreciation for Montessori education.

    In his free time, Dan enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with his partner and their son.

Sydney Johnson

AIDE, CHILDREN’S HOUSE

  • Sydney was born in Duluth and raised in Rochester, Minnesota before moving to Saint Paul in 2024. She has experience working with children ages 6 weeks-6 years. Sydney is passionate about growing in this field and loves the Montessori method. 

    Some of her hobbies include traveling, being outside, walking along the river, and reading. 


Administration

Jana Hedlund

CO-FOUNDER AND HEAD OF SCHOOL

  • Jana has passionately dedicated the past 12 years to early childhood education, immersing herself in various roles across diverse cultures. Her professional journey in Montessori education began at Duhovka, a bilingual Czech/English Montessori school in Prague, where she experienced the transformative power of this educational approach. Since then, Jana has taught and taken on leadership and mentorship roles in schools in England, North Dakota, and Minnesota, gaining invaluable insights into the universal ways children adapt, absorb, and learn within different cultural contexts.

    Jana's own educational path started in a Montessori casa in Houston, Texas, where her love for learning was nurtured. Jana earned her Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) diploma at the Montessori Center of Minnesota in Saint Paul, and her AMI Montessori Administrators certificate at Montessori Northwest in Portland, Oregon. She graduated cum laude from Metropolitan State University with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Early Childhood Studies. Additionally, she holds a credential in Education Studies from Bath Spa University in Bath, England.

    Throughout her career, Jana has remained committed to fostering an enriching learning environment for young children, drawing on her rich experiences to inspire and guide both students and fellow educators. Her deep understanding of diverse educational frameworks enables her to advocate effectively for children's developmental needs, ensuring they thrive in their formative years.

Francesca Miel

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

  • Francesca has worked in Montessori environments for ten years. She spent most of her years working in the 3-6 classroom as an assistant and as a lead guide, and has worked as Director of a Montessori school that served ages 6 weeks-6 years. Originally from California, she came to the Twin Cities and Clover by way of Dallas, Texas. During her time there, she earned an AMI 3-6 diploma and Montessori Core Principles Certificate from Montessori Institute of North Texas and graduated summa cum laude from Texas Woman’s University with a degree in Child Development.

    Francesca’s knowledge of Montessori creates the framework for her approach to all of life, informing her understanding of children as an oppressed class. This motivates her to work for children’s liberation alongside the liberation and flourishing of all others.

    Francesca is a fiber artist, working primarily in knitting, but also in spinning, weaving, dyeing, and more. She loves biking, playing board games, being outside, and photographing all the natural beauty Minnesota has to offer.

Staci Hedlund

CO-FOUNDER, OPERATIONS AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

  • Staci co-founded Clover Montessori School, alongside Jana Hedlund and Alex Link. In the school’s first year, Staci served as the Lead Guide in the Toddler Community, and in the second year, she served as Clover’s Assistant Director. Now, she supports Clover with building maintenance and lends her presence when administrators take personal leave.

    Alongside her support of Clover, Staci has co-founded The Shared Environment, an online marketplace for Montessori practitioners and families. In the summer of 2026, she is opening Prepared Environments, a brick-and-mortar retail store for Montessori materials in Highland Village, Saint Paul.

    Staci earned her Association Montessori Internationale diploma (Ages 2.5 to 6) at the Montessori Center of Minnesota, where she was trained by Molly O’Shaughnessy and Liza Davis. She attended Smith College and Rice University, where she earned a BA in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

    Staci enjoys making Montessori materials, camping, mushroom hunting, and crocheting. She has lived in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Scotland, and six states within the US.

Join our team.

We are always accepting applications for subs who want to grow their Montessori experience.

If you are interested in joining our team, please submit your resumé here.

“Kind, fair, and with the children’s best interests at heart, the teachers and staff create a nurturing environment where learning feels like a magical adventure.”

— Nikhil J.

Visit Clover Montessori School!

Book a Tour