MARÍA JOSÉ MÉNDEZ RODRIGUEZ (Spanish and Social Studies Teacher)

Earned a bachelor degree in Special Education with an emphasis on mental disorder from the Universidad Interamericana de Costa Rica, Heredia.  She has worked for two years in a private school as a teaching assistant and has volunteered in many nonprofit organizations to help children with learning disabilities.  She has also developed a program in art therapy to help public school children as part of her student teaching graduation project.  Her interests include art, surfing, cooking, drama and sharing with friends and family.

AMY LEWIS (Toddler Program Teacher)

Is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Prior to moving to Costa Rica thirteen years ago, Amy taught third grade in a public school in the United States.  She enjoys hiking, yoga, and spending time with her family and friends.  Amy lives in Nosara with her husband and daughter. 

ANGELINA NOGUERA LÓPEZ (Toddler assistant)

Is a true Nosareña. She has lived in Nosara all her life and is a mother of a 4 year old boy. Her passion is working with students in practical life activities, art projects and physical education. She wants to pursue a college degree in preschool education.  She enjoys horseback riding, reading and dancing.

DI SHEFFIELD (Casa Montessori Teacher- PreK/K)

Studied Bilingual Preschool Education at Universidad Hispanoamericana in San José , Costa Rica and has a Montessori teaching certification from  Princeton Center for Teacher Education.  Before moving to Nosara, she ran her own private daycare in Jacó for one and a half years. Miss Aidi worked as the head teacher at Las Nubes School,  a private school  in Jacó, Costa Rica for two years.  

JOEY EDELI (Casa Montessori Teacher- PreK/K)

Was born and raised in San Francisco, California.  He attended the University of Califonia Santa Cruz and the Montessori Teacher Training Center of Northern California.  His interests include surfing, soccer, and helping all children reach there full potential.  He is very excited to be living and working here in Nosara, Costa Rica.

SARAH HASSEBROEK (Lower Elementary Montessori Teacher)

Sarah has a Masters in Education and is licensed to teach K-8 with specialties in Spanish and Montessori training (grades 1-6). She also has an undergraduate degree in anthropology. Sarah teaches across the curriculum areas and integrates music and reading into all subject areas.  Miss Sarah taught in a Montessori School in Minneapolis, MN and at two other Montessori school locations for 6 years. She has worked on aligning curriculum to state standards, trained assistants in her classrooms, worked with Administration on continuing Parent Education, and was a member of her School’s Board, Finance Committee, and Academic Achievement Committee. Sarah will co-teach the Lower Elementary class, help to develop of our Spanish as a Second Language curriculum, and will assist with the transition from LE to UE.

VICKY TWYFORD (Lower Elementary Teacher and Upper Elementary Math Teacher) 

Has a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education and a B. A. in Art.  Miss Vicky has been teaching in Costa Rica for three years, since the very beginning of DMA.    She was awarded a scholarship at Virginia Wesleyan College and through university meetings and seminars helped encourage other single mothers to further their education.  She previously taught at a public school in Virginia for fifteen years.  She has two sons—Trevor, who is in graduate school studying Applied Medical Physics at Columbia University and Tyler, who is a junior at Virginia Commonwealth University, majoring in Environmental Studies.  After living in Virginia her entire life, Vicky made the big switch to the Pura Vida lifestyle, moved to Costa Rica with two suitcases, her dog Rocky, and her surfboard.

CLAUDIA SAUCY (Upper Elementary Teacher)

Also known as Ms. Karuna, earned her Masters in Education degree from Framingham State College in Massachusetts. She has been teaching in international schools for more than 12 years. Originally from the United States, she has lived in Europe, Canada, India and Costa Rica.  She speaks five languages. Ms. Karuna has taught a variety of subjects to children, and has also conducted professional development activities for teachers. Ms. Karuna loves teaching, enjoys being out in nature, is creative and artistic, likes to sing and listen to music, and is learning Latin dances.

JUAN CARLOS SADANA (Art Teacher)

Was born in Guadalajara, Mexico.   He earned a degree in Arts and Humanities with a major in visual arts from the National Institute of Fine Arts.  When he was eighteen years old his first photographic works were presented in gallery. Soon thereafter, he left his country  and moved to Bolivia, where he lived in an ecological community. He  traveled through Peru, Uruguay, Argentina and the USA.   When he returned to Oaxaca, in southern Mexico he worked in the printing workshop of artist Fernando Sandoval before moving to Costa Rica.  He recently opened a therapeutic center where some of his newer artwork is shown.  He is the father of two children, Jana and Gael.

MANUEL VARGAS HERNÁNDEZ AND XINIA BONILLA CHACÓN (School Grounds Keepers)

Moved to Nosara in 2007 from San Carlos with their three children Gustavo, Merlin, Pablo, and their loving memory of their fourth son, Brayan. Before DMA’s inauguration, Manuel and Xinia helped beautify our school grounds. They reside and work on our campus where Manuel does a little of everything:  planting, watering, repairing, cleaning and even works with the children on farm animal duty.  Xinia helps maintain and clean the buildings and often shares her wonderful Costa Rican meals with all the staff.  Their home is always open, and they are definitely major contributors to making our school a magical place.