A Montessori student is motivated by their inherent desire to investigate and explore.
Our role is to encourage and uncover their potential by providing a fun, engaging learning environment for our students.
Montessori teachers are trained to assist the children, both individually and through small groups, in the use of the equipment located throughout the classroom.
“‘Wait while observing.’ That is the motto of the educator.”
By following the child’s lead we observe where your child’s interests and needs are and guide and nurture them in their development. We are careful not to interrupt the children during work, or to force a lesson beyond the children’s interest. We also set the example for children to respect one another so that they can mutually learn from each other.
Our classroom is a lively area where children actively explore and investigate the world and its wonders. We serve as guides, not instructors.
GAY Canseco / Director, Lead TEacher
Ms. Gay has been a part of LHMS since June 2003. She completed her Montessori education in January 2004, and is currently enrolled at St. Catherines University working towards her masters in Montessori education. Her favorite thing about teaching at LHMS is the amazing people: the students, parents and other teachers. She is a native Minnesotan who actually enjoys winter. Her interests include botany and reading, specifically books related to women’s history. She also enjoys embroidery, beading and painting. She has two nieces, Lily and Magdelena, who she loves to spend time with.
Florence Bambu / Lead Teacher
A part of LHMS since September 2008, Ms. Florence is an early childhood/elementary teacher from Sudan, Africa who has completed her Montessori training. Her favorite thing about LHMS is teaching the children and getting to see their progression each day, as it is amazing to witness. When not at LHMS, she likes to cook and maintain a beautiful home for her husband and her four children: Emma, Loro, Yike, and Joan.
Athena Gorsuch-Reichenberg / Assistant director
Athena moved to Minneapolis in 2003, then started at LHMS in 2004. She completed her Montessori preschool training in 2005, then in 2010, Athena left LHMS to pursue college. During this time, she met her husband-to-be. Athena completed Montessori training for infant/toddlers in 2016. She also worked in the special education department of an elementary school where she developed a love and appreciation for working with a wide variety of students. Athena returned to LHMS in 2019 and is here to stay! Athena is passionate about inclusion in Montessori. She enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, cooking, hula hooping, podcasts, traveling and going on adventures of any type, discovering new music, and meeting new people. Her favorite thing about LHMS is the uniqueness of the school, the amazing families it attracts, and the positive sense of community it’s created.
ALISHA BULLARD-GREEN / AIdE
Alisha started at Lake Harriet Montessori in 2016. She completed her CDA in 2021, and is a student at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, working on getting an Associate of Science Degree to become an “Early Childhood Education Preschool Teacher”. In the far future, she hopes to get a “Bachelor of Arts Degree” in Early Childhood Education, to teach art to preschoolers. When asked what she loves most about LHMS, she says “My favorite thing about LHMS is helping guide the children as a group or one-on-one. I like seeing each child work hard towards accomplishing tasks/ completing their work, and reaching their goals, by using different work materials in the classroom, which will help improve their growth development over time. Guiding them towards developing their social skills, and learning to work with one another, is a wonderful experience to see! I like innovating and coming up with ideas to incorporate into the classroom, from what I have learned as a student while in college. Every child has their own unique sense of humor and personality, and just being around them brings me so much joy! I really get to see and know who each child is individually as a person!” Her favorite hobbies are: painting, drawing, and making crafts. She really enjoys listening to music, hanging out with her 2 cats, hanging out with friends, going on walks, going to the movies, playing puzzles-Sudoku, going on vacations with her mom, rollerblading around the lake in the summer and fall, snowboarding, and taking care of children!
Rhett Romsaas/ teacher
Rhett's first stint at LHMS started in the fall of 2006. In 2010, he moved to Nashville and began life as a competing dance instructor, which he still enjoys today. He is a professional actor/voice actor, working on stage, film, tv, and radio.
He works closely with first responders and local business owners through his company, Crisis Actors of MN (CAMN), which is a de-escalation role-play training company that specializes in accurately portraying citizens in crisis. This summer he'll be celebrating his 16th year in the field.
On a more related note, he's so honored and thankful to again be apart of the LHMS community. This school radically changed his perspective on how we learn and is excited to start his Montessori training this summer!
He has a son, Nikola (2), a sweet gal, Coralee and two nuts-o boxers, Leeloo & Ruby.
Beth heinrich/teacher
Beth started at LHMS in the summer of 2008 before leaving for graduate school in the summer of 2009. LHMS was a transformative experience and where her love of teaching began.
Beth holds an early childhood education certificate from New Mexico(2013) and a Master’s Degree in History from the University of Iowa (2011). Beth has been living in California and New Mexico for the past 12 years where she has continued to work as a teacher in early childhood education and a college instructor of History at Central New Mexico Community College.
She is so excited to be apart of LHMS again. Beth is passionate about learning, fostering creativity and empathy for humans of all ages.
Additional Staff
loro lako / aide
Mr. Loro began working at LHMS in the summer of 2015 and has been a part of the school since. While being a student at Normandale, he plans to achieve a career in computer science, and learning new things every single day. Being around children is a great joy for him, and working here has given him many meaningful interactions and lessons he will carry along the way.
Emma Lako / summer AIDE
Ms. Emma started working at LHMS in the summer of 2017 and continues to come back every summer since then. She graduated the University of Iowa with a degree in biology. Even though she plans to enter the science field, getting to help and connect with the children at LHMS is a very rewarding experience for her. She hopes to continue to teach, and even learn from all different children and families that she meets along the way.
piper theisen/aide
Piper Theisen joined the team in January of 2023.
yike lako/summer aide
Yike began as an aide in 2020 .
Magdalena Eggen Lim/ summer aide
In the summer of 2022, Magdalena joined the team!
