LUCIA FALLAS (Toddler Program Teacher)

Lucía was born in San Ignacio de Acosta a county of the province of San José, but has been living in Playa Garza for the last 17 years. She has a degree in preschool education and she is advancing her studies to get a graduate degree from UNED University. Ms. Lucía loves working with the toddler children in a Montessori environment. She is married and has 3 beautiful children.

SUGELY BARRANTES (Toddler assistant)

Sugely was born in Ciudad Neilly and has been living in Playa Garza since she was 3 years old. She loves her job position as the toddler assistant since her goal is to graduate as a Special Education teacher. Ms. Sugely  has a two year old daughter and she loves music and dancing.

AIDI 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 their 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.

MARÍA JOSÉ MÉNDEZ RODRIGUEZ (Lower Elementary 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.


VICKY TWYFORD (Upper Elementary 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 SADAÑA (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.

JODIE BUEHNER (Yoga/Dance Teacher)

Jodie is founder and Co-Director of the Yoga House.  She graduated from the Nosara Yoga institute and has also studied Yin/Yang yoga. Jodie also teaches fitness classes and Zumba. She is a graduate of the School of Integrated Nutrition and offers health and lifestyle coaching. Health, food, awareness and living with the highest vibration possible is her passion. She loves to share her knowledge and hopes to inspire others to live their full potential. Jodie has lived in Costa Rica for 5 years with her husband and 3 beautiful children.

PAUL BUEHNER (Physical Education Teacher)

Paul earned a Bachelors of Science with an emphasis in Sociology/Social Work from the University of Utah and worked in commercial real estate before moving his wife and three kids to Costa Rica 5 years ago. "We came for a year to learn Spanish and surf, and to check out the lifestyle...... and have not left!”  Paul has always enjoyed working with kids and has worked for the Boys and Girls Club and The Sorenson Center (an after school program) in Utah. Paul enjoys all activities and sports and truly enjoys watching the kids learn new physical activities. 

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.