Staff Bios

Arthur "Chip" DeLorenzo, Executive Director

Chip DeLorenzo came to Damariscotta Montessori School in 2001 as the school's Executive Director.  The following year Chip started the school's elementary program and is currently the Executive Director of the school.  Before coming to DMS, he was a Head Teacher at the Children's International School (now Bowman International School) in Palo Alto, CA and the Middle School Director at the Bowie Montessori Children's House in Bowie, Maryland.  Chip received his Bachelor's degree from Hampton University and his Masters degree in Education from Endicott College.  He holds Montessori credentials for Early Childhood (ages 3-6), Elementary I (ages 6-9) and Elementary II (ages 9-12), and has advanced training in Montessori adolescent programs.  Chip and his wife Sondra live in Newcastle with their sons Quinn, Nicholas, and Peter.

Joe Harris, Middle School Teacher

Joe is the Middle School Teacher at Damariscotta Montessori School. Joe will be working in partnership with Chip DeLorenzo to develop and implement the Montessori Erdkinder (“earth school”) at DMS. Joe believes his calling is to work with adolescents and young adults in an educational capacity—work that he has enjoyed in a many capacities. Joe received his Bachelor of Science degree from Granite State College, and has completed graduate work with the University of Southern Maine (USM) and Fitchburg State College. Joe attended North American Montessori Teacher’s Association (NAMTA) Adolescent Training in Concord, Ohio, including 2 weeks at the Hershey Farm School for certification to support development of the new adolescent program.

Joe comes to Damariscotta Montessori from York High School where he has worked both in the traditional classroom as well as with special needs students. He is certified to teach English and Social Studies. In addition, he has served as a youth counselor and private tutor. Joe is well-rounded and takes a hands-on, pragmatic approach. He has a background in business, journalism, photography and program support for public broadcasting. He serves as a member of the Community Advisory Board for Maine Public Broadcasting and believes strongly in “giving back”.

Joe and his wife Lisa are no strangers to Montessori philosophy. They have two children, Josh and Garrett, who both began early childhood programs at Montessori schools; at ages 2 ½ and 3 respectively. They have been participants at several Montessori schools and are strong believers in child-led education. Before relocating to Maine in 2006, Joe and his wife had a farm in Alton, NH, where they experimented with organic gardening practices and raising chickens and enjoying the land. When not working, Joe enjoys hiking, camping, and biking with his family, and has a passion for current events, politics, music and photography.

Karen Bickmore, Upper Elementary, Head Teacher

Karen Bickmore started with DMS in 2008 the head teacher of the Upper Elementary program, also known as the Osprey's nest.  Prior to teaching at Damariscotta Montessori School, Karen was the head teacher in the 9-12 classroom at the Children's House Montessori School in Camden for seven years.  She attended the University of Maine and received a degree in Elementary Education.  Karen completed her Montessori training in New York and is certified in both lower and upper elementary.  Karen enjoys sports and has coached high school basketball, softball, and field hockey.  She also loves reading and spending time with her family.  Her two children, Jake and Mackenzie, both attend DMS.   

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Shawnaly Tabor, Lower Elementary Head Teacher

Shawnaly Tabor is one of the lead teachers in the DMS Lower Elementary program.  She grew up in the shadow of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park (otherwise known as Glacier Park). She attended Woodland Montessori School in Kalispell, Montana, from pre-school through sixth grade, making many life-long friends and learning a variety of valuable skills, both academic and practical. While attending college she spent time volunteering with the local literacy center, CASA, and her son’s daycare.

Mrs. Tabor realized her passion for working with children through her volunteer work and experiences with her own family.  However, it was her early memories and lasting impressions of being a Montessori student that lead her to teach and ultimately pursue a career as a Montessori teacher. After earning a B.A. in Education, Mrs. Tabor went on to attain an AMS Montessori teaching credential for Lower Elementary.  She also holds public school licenses for K-8 in both Montana and Maine.

Along with her husband and son, Mrs. Tabor made the 3,000 mile journey across the country from Kalispell, MT to Maine to teach at DMS.  They currently reside in Nobleboro; missing the mountains, but loving the people, ocean, trees and culture of the Maine coast.

Allison Roberts, Primary Assistant Teacher

Allison Roberts is the Assistant Teacher in the Loon’s Nest.  She hails from Woodville Maine, a very small northern town with a population of about 250 people and is surrounded by, you guessed it--lots of woods! She spent lots of time hiking and exploring the Maine woods, fishing, swimming, kayaking, and lots of other outdoor activities.
 
Allison holds a bachelors degree from the University of Maine at Orono where she majored in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Child Devlopment.  She has been at the Damariscotta Montessori School since 2008, and lives in Damariscotta with her two cats and husband Allan, who is employed at his family's locally owned business, The Lincoln County News. When not at DMS, Allison enjoys reading, singing, playing guitar and piano, and spending time with her family. One of her favorite pastimes is to go fishing on Damariscotta Lake with her husband Allan, and just for one day, be able to catch more fish than him--just once.

Chrissy de Kanter-Bellows, Primary Assistant Teacher

(Coming soon)

Kimberley Tolley, School Administrator

Montessori has been part of Kim's  life for the last 15 years. Kim has worked at DMS as the school administrator for the past several years, but she is also a certified Montessori primary teacher and a mom to three Montessori educated daughters, all currently in elementary.

Kim graduated from Northeastern University with a business degree and worked for an international consulting firm called IdeaScope Associates.  The firm, with offices in Boston and San Francisco, specialized in helping Fortune 50 companies develop plans for long term strategic innovation.  Starting out as their Director of Operations, she soon became a principal and part owner of the firm.  Part of the mission as officers of the firm was to help smaller non-profit organizations develop strategic plans to help them flourish, and Kim became closely involved with the board of the Creative Education Foundation and The Thinking Center.  It was through her pro bono work with these two groups that she met many Montessori teachers and became intrigued with the simplicity and effectiveness of the Montessori philosophy.  Kim served as a board member of the Thinking Center for four years and taught classes along side Montessori teachers at the Creative Problem Solving Institute and The Thinking Lab, and even guest lectured at the Harvard Business School on the topic of entrepreneurship and strategic innovation. 

Eventually, Kim met Michael—a very handsome sea captain--in Maine and fell in love. Just after her partners  sold the consulting firm, Kim and Michael got married, traveled the world and had twin girls, all within a year!  It was while she was pregnant with her third daughter that she began her certification to become a Montessori primary teacher. She studied in Boston and put in classroom time at the Kingsley Montessori School.  Kim's family moved from Boston to mid-coast Maine, settled down with their little girls and rest is history.  The Tolley family enjoys traveling, camping, sailing, performing (badly), and laughing together.