Teachers & Staff

Black Mountain Montessori is proud to have an accomplished team of caring, creative and talented educators.  You just won’t find a more qualified group dedicated to supporting and guiding each student.  

Ready to explore early childhood education and private elementary opportunities in the Asheville area? We invite you to meet the team, see the beautiful classrooms, and experience the Montessori method! 

Head of School

Erin Van Note

Erin is a graduate from the University of Georgia with a degree in Education and Business Administration. Originally from Athens, GA, Erin attended Athens Montessori School for much of her early education.

As a result she was drawn to the Montessori method as her children started school, and all three girls have attended Black Mountain Montessori.

Erin is very passionate about education, the Montessori method in particular. She has been serving at the school for the past fifteen years, first on the Board of Directors and now as a member of a dedicated administrative team. Erin previously worked in product development and marketing for an educational consulting company in Georgia that specializes in writing curriculum. Erin and her family have lived in the Black Mountain area since 2003, and they currently live on a small farm and raise chickens and goats.

Curriculum & Childcare licensing Coordinator

Kristy Beaver

Kristy has been involved in education for over twenty years as a Title 1 Reading Specialist, a private tutor, a Montessori preschool teacher, and a Montessori Lower Elementary teacher.

Her college degree is in Psychology, with an NC K-6 teaching license. As a reading specialist, she has a K-12 reading license from UNCA. Kristy has the AMS 3-6 Montessori certification and joined SVMS as a primary teacher in 2007.

She received Orton-Gillinaham training in 2014, a multi-sensory, kinesthetic, and phonics based approach to teaching reading, and is excited about incorporating this training into the classroom. Kristy has two daughters in college. Kristy and her husband of more than twenty years like to camp and hang out with friends. She loves to read, cook and explore new places with her family.

DRAGONFLY CLASSROOM LEAD TEACHER & CHILDREN’S HOUSE EDUCATION Coordinator

Rachael Pratt

Rachael was born and raised in Nashville, TN.  She attended the University of Alabama where she obtained a B.S. in Elementary Education, with a focus on K-6.

From there, Rachael moved to Atlanta in 2012 for Montessori training, and remained there, working as a lead in Montessori schools for five years.  Rachael currently lives in Black Mountain with her wife, Ashlee, daughter Maggie June and their pup Tuck.

In her free time she enjoys exploring the outdoors, listening to live music, indoor rock climbing, reading, and cooking.  Rachael is excited to begin her fourth year as the Dragonfly Lead Teacher and feels so privileged to be in this role. She has found a deep connection with the Montessori philosophy and ideals of respecting and nourishing the internal spirit of every child.  Rachael is sincerely committed in her efforts to facilitate within the children peacefulness, independence, confidence, and the motivation to become lifelong learners.

Dragonfly Classroom Assistant Teacher - Children’s House

Autumn Wheeler

Autumn is native to WNC, and grew up in Swannanoa, N.C. She has over a year of experience working in Pre-K, as well as approximately six years of experience working with children in numerous settings, including experience as a nanny, camp counselor, horseback riding instructor, and agricultural program interpreter for school groups. Autumn graduated from Western Carolina University with a Bachelor's degree in Parks and Recreation Management. 

Autumn is new to the Method of Montessori in practice, but has long had a love for the Montessori principles which guide children to grow as the unique individuals that they are and to find joy and fulfillment in learning, in a way that facilitates lifelong learning. She found her love for the Montessori method in her search for alternatives to traditional education as well as through friends and family who shared their Montessori experience. She is very excited to have found her way into a space that provides opportunities for learning and growth as a Montessori educator.

Autumn is also very passionate about outdoor education as well as agricultural education, and enjoys providing programs to help children connect to the natural world around them and to the amazing food systems that feed and nourish us.

In her spare time Autumn enjoys spending time with her family and her toddler, and loves adventures in the great outdoors, especially when they involve off-the-beaten path swimming holes or waterfalls. She also thoroughly enjoys regenerative home gardening and farming, as well as backpacking, camping, family vacations, playing music, and singing. 

Firefly Classroom Lead TEACHER ‒ CHILDREN’S HOUSE

Alyssa Fisher

Alyssa grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts, where she attended Massasoit Community College and received an Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education. She moved to Asheville in 2015 where she began working on her B.A. in Education at Mars Hill University. While attending, Alyssa found her path into Montessori education and received her Associate in Montessori credential through the American Montessori Society in 2019. 

Alyssa has 15 years of experience working in the educational field. She has a diverse background working with children, including children in foster care, with special needs, and in the public school system. 

Alyssa comes from a large family of 14 siblings and has two children of her own with husband Rob, Adeline (10) and Indy (2.5). In her free time, she enjoys hiking, weaving, making art with her children, and helping out at her husband's skate shop and art gallery in downtown Asheville. She looks forward to leading the Firefly class and bringing her artistic, creative side into the classroom! 

FIREFLY CLASSROOM ASSISTANT TEACHER ‒ CHILDREN’S HOUSE

Vanessa Schaefer

Vanessa was born in Voorhees, NJ but grew up in Bradenton, FL. She then moved to Tallahassee, FL where she attended Flagler College and obtained a B.S. in Elementary Education. 

Vanessa has enjoyed working with children for about 16 years and in the preschool setting for about 8 years. She moved from Tallahassee to Asheville, NC in Summer of 2020 and moved over to Black Mountain in August of 2023. She has made all these big moves with her fur child, Obi, who is a five year old lab/hound mix and her best friend!

In her free time she enjoys taking Obi on hikes and waterfall/river adventures, reading, traveling, spending time with friends, visiting family, and finally getting to experience all of the beautiful seasons and mountains!

Vanessa has plenty of experience with children, but this will be her first time in a Montessori setting. She is very excited to begin her journey as the Assistant Teacher in Firefly classroom and is beyond happy to be a part of the Black Mountain Montessori Family!

BUTTERFLY CLASsRoom LEAD TEACHER - CHILDREN’S HOUSE

Kate Lasher

Kate is a native of WNC! Born and raised in Weaverville, Kate left NC for New England to attend Mount Holyoke College. At Mount Holyoke, Kate earned a B.A. in Gender Studies and discovered her love of the Montessori method. During her senior year there, she was tasked to take on an internship in something new— found the method— and never looked back! After graduating, Kate headed south to Austin, Texas. There, she joined the inaugural teaching team at the first public Montessori school in the capital. Her love of the method grew and her time there confirmed that Montessori is for everyone! Soon after, she made it official and started Montessori training in 2016. Kate completed her M.Ed in Early Childhood Education and her AMS 3-6 credential at Xavier University in 2018.

Kate is eager to return to the Black Mountain Montessori community and share her joy and passion with young learners and families. She believes that Montessori is truly magical in how it unlocks children’s potential to be their truest selves. Kate is excited to share community, communication, and connection in the new Butterfly classroom. Outside of the classroom, Kate enjoys thrifting tiny treasures, spending time with her cats Gus and Edie, and exploring the best swimming holes of WNC.

BUTTERFLY Classroom Assistant TEACHER - CHILDREN’S HOUSE

Mary Rockwell

Mary is an Eastern Michigan University Graduate with a bachelor's degree in social work. She has a background in Foster Care and adoption social work as well as experience with children in the daycare, home, and school setting. Mary moved to Asheville in 2021 to expand her experience in education by joining an AmeriCorps program called Project MARS. After her year with AmeriCorps ended, Mary began her Master's of Social Work Program through the University of Michigan. Mary has enjoyed working with children for the past 10 years and is eager for her first experience in the Montessori environment. 

In her free time, Mary loves hiking with her fiance and their toddler son especially during the season of fall. She also enjoys reading and trying new recipes. 

FLoating Assistant & After care Teacher - Children’s House

Becky Taylor

Becky comes from West Virginia and has been in childcare profession for several years. Becky attended college later in life, but has always envisioned herself as a teacher. Becky has an Associates in Early Education, and has her BS in General Studies with an emphasis in Psychology. She worked 10 years an Adult Education Instructor. Believing the importance of family and child care, she she became a child protective agent for the State of West Virginia until moving to North Carolina.

Becky is family oriented, that’s one of her favorite things to do is be with her family. She lives in Black Mountain, and enjoys reading and cooking. This is her 2nd year with Montessori school as the After Care teacher. Even though Becky is fairly new to the teaching method of Montessori; she has embraced the philosophy of Montessori education wholeheartedly.

LEAD TEACHER ‒ ELEMENTARY

Chandra Gilmore

Chandra comes to us with a Bachelors in Elementary Education as well as a dual Masters in Lower and Upper Montessori Elementary Education received from Loyola University in Maryland. Chandra is also Orton-Gillingham trained to help struggling readers, such as students with dyslexia or other reading difficulties. Chandra easily integrates the Montessori and OG literacy approaches in her class at Black Mountain Montessori.

Chandra was born right here in Asheville, but grew up near Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. She was lucky enough to live here three times in her twenties in between spending a few years working for AmeriCorps as a year round wilderness camp counselor, ropes course facilitator, and white water rafting guide. She then headed to Baltimore City to teach music, theater, and dance before getting her Montessori training and spending fours years teaching Upper Elementary in Maryland.  Six years ago, she and her husband made the move from Baltimore to Asheville to call it “home.” They enjoy taking hikes and adventures with their pup, as well as kayaking and biking around the Biltmore. Chandra feels blessed to be a part of the Black Mountain Montessori community.

BOOKKEEPER

Jen Thorstad

Jen has been an accounting professional for twenty years in both for profit and not-for-profit settings.  She has extensive knowledge in the areas of budgeting, financial analysis, multi-fund accounting, human resources, and operations.

She enjoys auditing, forecasting, and running scenarios for cost-savings and business strategy.

Although her roots are in the plains of Oklahoma, Jen is a graduate of the University of Central Florida and spent eighteen years in the Cocoa Beach area.  She moved to Black Mountain in 2016. Jen is the proud mother of Joshua and Elizabeth. In her spare time, Jen enjoys camping, hiking, jewelry making, and photography.