About Our School

Our mission is to nurture and support young, curious minds to explore their world in a way that feels authentic to the learner.

At Alyssum, parents and teachers strive to create a supportive and inclusive atmosphere for children’s inquisitive minds. Learning is student-driven and supported by trained teachers. Teacher-leaders and families are partners, building connections that blur the lines between home and school.

Two children drawing and working together

How do we envision Montessori at Alyssum?

Because children are intrinsically motivated to blossom in a beautiful, uncluttered, multi-age learning environment, we surround ourselves with a nature-inspired interior which nurtures the mind and spirit and provides children a sense of calm conducive to learning.

Help Me Help Myself:
The 3-6 Classroom

– Home-like environments are light, bright, uncluttered and child-sized.

– All children work and move at their own pace.

– Each child’s work is respected and uninterrupted.

– Our materials are hands-on and language-rich.

– We emphasize grace and courtesy.

Help Me Know Why and How:
The 6-12 Classroom

– Our classrooms promote experiential learning in all subject areas including ecology, social justice and conflict resolution.

– Inspiring stories and demonstrations fuel the child’s imagination.

– Movement within and out of the classroom builds confidence.

– Group work and independence are encouraged.

Bimonthly Forest School Experiences for grades K-6
Alyssum offers unique experiences for our K-6 grade students with bi-monthly, off-site Forest
School experiences that occur every other Friday between 8:30am-2:30pm. The goal of this
program is to grow independence, problem solving and an appreciation for being outdoors.

Classes with the Fort Wayne Dance Collective for grades 1-6
In collaboration with our local dance collective, Alyssum helps students explore music and
movement through dance and taiko drumming.

Montessori Model United Nations for 6th grade students
A unique program that supports young minds to become world changers on a global scale.
Montessori Model United Nations

Our Teacher Leaders

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Sara Gensic

Co-Founder,

Upper Elementary Teacher Leader

For the past 20 years, Sara was either in the classroom or the library. She has been fortunate to work with children of all ages from infants through high school and places great value on collaboration with parents, students, and teachers. While she loves Montessori Cosmic Education for elementary students, some of her favorite lessons include Ancient Civilizations, Peace Studies with Montessori Model United Nations, and Writer’s Workshop. Her educational journey includes an AMI, 6-12 Montessori credential from Hershey Training Center, a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary English Education from Grace College-Winona Lake, IN and a Master of Library Science from Indiana University-Fort Wayne. She is overjoyed to be part of the first Wildflower school in Fort Wayne and the state of Indiana. Likewise, Sara feels grateful to continue sharing Montessori with families in Fort Wayne as she was able to do for her own children for many years.

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Beth Speiser

Primary Teacher Leader

Beth has a deep-rooted passion for working with young children, a love she inherited from her mother. While at home raising her two daughters, she began her journey in early childhood education by opening a home daycare, where her interest in the Montessori method first blossomed.

With over 21 years of teaching experience, Beth holds a Montessori certification for children ages 0-6. She is committed to nurturing the whole child, focusing on their emotional well-being and developmental needs. Known for creating warm, homelike classroom environments, Beth’s teaching approach ensures that her students feel both safe and inspired.

Beth has a particular fondness for Montessori’s math materials, believing they are instrumental in fostering children's curiosity and understanding. Her classrooms are not only places of learning but also of warmth and community, extending her care to the families of her students.

As part of the Alyssum community and the Wildflower network, Beth is excited to continue her journey as a lifelong learner, all while inspiring her young students to cultivate their own love of learning.

Our Staff

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Jess Croft

Elementary Classroom Teacher

Although Jess has worked with children for over 7 years, when she discovered Montessori she knew she’d found a philosophy that reflected who she is as a parent and educator. So, for the last three years, you could find Jess in the Montessori elementary classroom where she loves exploring the hands-on materials with the children. Watching young people develop their interests and discover the world and their place in it, is the best part of her day. Jess also has a passion for getting children outdoors so they can experience how to coexist with nature in a way that teaches collaboration, sustainability, and problem solving skills. Her love of music, hiking and laughter is a big part of the Alyssum community.

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Nancy Hathaway

Primary Classroom Teacher and Kindergarten Specialist

Beginning her 28th year of teaching, Nancy joins Alyssum with a commitment to leadership, positive relationships, collaboration, and parent education. She is a life-long learner! She is excited to join Beth as a co-teacher in the Primary classroom; together again, after working side by side in Primary over twelve years ago. Nancy has a great passion for the Montessori philosophy and methodology and a dedication to support and teach based on the developmental needs of the child using the Montessori principles. She regularly researches and continues her studies in all curricular areas of the classroom, including cursive writing, reading, math, and zoology. She is especially fond of Kindergarten social work groups where she is a witness to how this big work brings the children confidence and joy. Nancy wholeheartedly believes in the practice of love, compassion, and peace in the classroom and knows, as Maria Montessori did, that to build a better world for our children, peace must begin with ourselves. Nancy holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in Elementary Education with a Kindergarten endorsement. She completed her Montessori education in Early Childhood from Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center in Evanston, Illinois.