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First State Montessori Academy
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Welcome
    • Mission
    • Blog
    • Board / CBOC
      • CBOC Committee
        • Agenda and Minutes
        • Financial Reports
    • Governing Board
      • Agenda and Minutes
      • Board Members
      • Bylaws
      • Contact the Board
    • Staff
    • Location
      • Upper School
      • Lower School
    • FAQs
    • State Report Card
  • Enrollment
    • Events/Dates
    • Guidelines
    • FAQs
    • Lottery Logistics
    • Enrollment Materials
  • Giving / Support
    • Online Payment System
    • Annual Fund
    • Apparel Store
    • Leaf Donation
    • A Night in the City Event on 4/20/2024
  • Employment
  • Current Families
    • Procedures
      • Family Handbook
      • Bullying Reporting
      • Anticipated Absences
      • Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
      • Birthday Celebrations
    • Policies
      • Family Handbook
      • Federal Policies
      • General Operating Policies
      • Distribution of Materials Policy
      • Social Media Policy
      • Bullying Reporting
      • Suicide Prevention Policy
      • Grievance/Appeal Policy
      • Student-Led Clubs Policy
      • “Healthy Homework” Policy
      • Volunteer Policy
    • Parent Portal
    • Online Payments
      • Make A Payment
      • Refund Policy
    • Food Services
      • Online Payment Information
      • Free & Reduced Meals
    • Health & Wellness
      • Wellness Policy
      • Health Policies
      • Health Forms
    • Student Forms
    • Library
    • Responsive Classroom
    • Videos
    • FSMA Store
    • School Supply Lists
    • Summer Homework
    • Newsletters
  • Programs
    • Odyssey of the Mind
    • Open House
    • Middle School
    • Sports
      • Middle School Basketball
      • Middle School Soccer
      • Middle School Volleyball
      • FSMA Store
      • DIAA Physical Form
    • Afterschool Clubs
    • Electives
    • Summer Camps
  • Calendar

Staff

  • Home
  • Staff
  • Staff Directory
  • About our Staff

Staff Directory

Head of School
Courtney Fox
Courtney.fox@fsma.k12.de.us

Director of Education/Curriculum
Liz Madden
Liz.madden@fsma.k12.de.us

K/1st

Room 2

Eliza Davulcu
Eliza.davulcu@fsma.k12.de.us
My Dang
My.dang@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 6
Jennifer Scarpitti
Jennifer.scarpitti@fsma.k12.de.us
Taylor Sedar
Taylor.sedar@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 12
Elsje Kumpon
Elsje.kumpon@fsma.k12.de.us
Mariya Udud
Mariya.udud@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 5
Megan Rust
Megan.rust@fsma.k12.de.us
Laura Glazar
Laura.glazar@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 8
Emily Higgins
Emily.higgins@fsma.k12.de.us
Maggie Tomic
Maggie.tomic@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 13
Sara Stabb
Sara.stabb@fsma.k12.de.us
Lori Davis
Lori.davis@fsma.k12.de.us

2nd/3rd

Room 10
Olivia Baldacci
Olivia.baldacci@fsma.k12.de.us
Christine Szegda
Christine.szegda@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 16
Victoria Krumer
Victoria.krumer@fsma.k12.de.us
Lisa Pomraning
Lisa.pomraning.fsma.k12.de.us

Room 19
River Meyer
River.meyer@fsma.k12.de.us
Eileen Kehoe
Eileen.kehoe@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 11
Jocelyn Hall
Jocelyn.hall@fsma.k12.de.us
Erin Vinokur
Erin.vinokur@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 17
Cheryl Jones
Cheryl.jones@fsma.k12.de.us
Robin Bush
Robin.bush@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 20
Karin Nagle
Karin.nagle@fsma.k12.de.us
Michele Lewis
Michele.lewis@fsma.k12.de.us

4th/5th/6th

Room 113
Theresa Cummings
Theresa.cummings@fsma.k12.de.us
Layla Gros
Layla.gros@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 114
Rye Josloff
Rye.josloff@fsma.k12.de.us
Kelly Loeb
Kelly.loeb@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 305
Dean Godowsky
Dean.godowsky@fsma.k12.de.us
Anne Marie Burk
Annemarie.Burk@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 310
Ashley Olsen
Ashley.olsen@fsma.k12.de.us
Jenny Godowsky
Jenny.godowsky@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 312
Leah McCall
Leah.mccall@fsma.k12.de.us
Sarah Leaman
Sarah.leaman@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 115
Tori Avigliano
Toria.avigliano@fsma.k12.de.us
Andi Kuemmerle
Andi.kuemmerle@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 304
Danielle Crawley
Danielle.crawley@fsma.k12.de.us
Alison Welch
Alison.welch@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 307
Emilie Axelrod
Emilie.axelrod@fsma.k12.de.us
Rachael DeFino
Rachael.defino@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 311
Lesley Mellinger
Lesley.mellinger@fsma.k12.de.us
Mason Millar
Mason.millar@fsma.k12.de.us

7/8

Room 203
Kate Wilson
Kate.wilson@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 206
Michelle Treisner
Michelle.treisner@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 207
Deb Thurlow
Deb.thurlow@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 204
Ashley Faulkner
ashleym.faulker@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 208 – Science
Liz Plant
Liz.plant@fsma.k12.de.us

Room 211 – Math
Beth Thomas
Beth.thomas@fsma.k12.de.us

Special Education

Anabelle O’Malley
Teacher
Anabelle.omalley@fsma.k12.de.us

Meghan McNeill
Teacher
Meghan.mcneill@fsma.k12.de.us

Maureen Northey
Teacher
Maureen.northey@fsma.k12.de.us

Leslie Turner
Teacher
Leslie.turner@fsma.k12.de.us

Renee Reasons
Middle School Special Ed
Renee.reasons@fsma.k12.de.us

Melissa Scopio
Speech Language Pathologist
Melissa.scopio@fsma.k12.de.us

Kelsie Ward
Speech Language Pathologist
Kelsie.ward@fsma.k12.de.us

Lauren Janusz
Occupational Therapist
Lauren.januz@fsma.k12.de.us

Holly Pommerening
School Psychologist
Holly.pommerening@fsma.k12.de.us

Alexis Adams
School Psychologist/Student Support
Alexis.adams@fsma.k12.de.us

Special Area Teachers

Art 
Tracy Bauman
Tracy.bauman@fsma.k12.de.us

Music
Maria DelNaja
Maria.delnaja@fsma.k12.de.us

Science (6th Grade & Electives)
Lesley Bensinger
Lesley.bensinger@fsma.k12.de.us

STEM
Mike Fajardo
mike.fajardo@fsma.k12.de.us

EL/Library
Meaghan Harris
Meaghan.barris@fsma.k12.de.us

Phys. Education
Jenny Boulianne
Jennifer.boulianne@fsma.k12.de.us

Student Support

Laura Schwait
Laura.schwait@fsma.k12.de.us

Carla Broadway
Carla.broadway@fsma.k12.de.us

Nursing Team

Laurie Murray
Laurie.murray@fsma.k12.de.us

Rebecca Adeleke
Rebecca.adeleke@fsma.k12.de.us

Office Staff

Sherry DiGiovanni
Sherry.digiovanni@fsma.k12.de.us

Michelle Dempsey
Michelle.dempsey@fsma.k12.de.us

Stephany Pachowka
Stephany.pachowka@fsma.k12.de.us

Julia DiMattia
Julia.dimattia@fsma.k12.de.us

Cass Winner
Cass.winner@fsma.k12.de.us

About our Staff

Head of School

Courtney Fox

Courtney is an accomplished educator and respected school leader. She has been a part the Delaware education landscape for many years, teaching elementary school for 15 years and is currently the Head of School of a Montessori based charter school. In 2008, she was named the Delaware Teacher of the Year and this title created opportunities for her to work with teachers on a national level on many education initiatives. Courtney has attained National Board Certification, as an Early Childhood Generalist, was a National Consultant for the Northeast Foundation for Children, and has trained teachers all over the country in Responsive Classroom. She currently holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction as well as her Principal’s Certificate. Courtney serves on the Delaware Charter School Network’s Board of Directors as well as many other statewide committees.

As a leader in education, Courtney’s work has commanded many awards: she has received a National Endowment for the Humanities Picturing America Award, NEA Teaching Excellence Award, Secretary of Education Merit Award, Character in Education Promising Practices Award, Presidential Teaching Nominee, a Delaware Superstars in Education Award, and was named a 2012 Hope Street Group National Teaching Fellow. Since becoming the Head of School in 2014, Courtney received an IDEA Impact Award and the school received a DCSN Inches and Miles Award for the academic growth made at FSMA. Courtney’s educational work has had wide spread impact across the state of Delaware and is grounded in her deep understanding of children, which she has developed by watching her own three children learn and grow.

Email Courtney

Director of Education

Liz Madden

Liz has been involved in Montessori education for over 20 years as an educator and leader. Most recently she has been a part of the founding staff at First State Montessori Academy, where she serves as Education Director. Previously she was the Director of Education at Wilmington Montessori School and prior to that Liz taught 1st – 3rd grade for many years. She earned her BA in Psychology, MEd in Elementary Studies, and Montessori Certification from Princeton Center for Teacher Education. Liz has presented locally for the Center for Montessori Advancement and nationally for the American Montessori Society. She strives to integrate current research and educational best practices within the time tested Montessori philosophy. She is inspired to continue to make this educational method available to more children in Delaware.

Liz lives in North Wilmington with her husband, 2 boys (former and current Montessori students), and their three dogs.

Email Liz

About the FSMA Staff

FSMA believes that every staff member is an important part of our school. Each person embodies the spirit of our school and has a great depth of skills. Our goal has always been to attract, develop, and retain the best teachers in Delaware to be a part of our “Dream Team” and we feel we have been successful in doing so. Our educators play an integral part of the growth and decision-making processes of our organization and help form the community that defines First State Montessori Academy. The educators at FSMA have the opportunity to be a part of an innovative organization that will positively change the educational experience of hundreds of children and their families.

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17Mar2025

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