Teaching Staff

Brooke Miller

Ms. Brooke is an alumna of Children’s House and has been affiliated with our school continuously since she was three years old! She graduated from State College Area High School and is currently attending classes at P.S.U. majoring in Elementary Ed. This is Brooke’s seventh year as an official member of our staff.  She works with the pre-school children in the morning & also tends to the administrative needs of the school.

Colleen Boyd

Ms. Colleen has a B.A. in History and Elementary Ed from Seton Hill College and an M. Ed. Equivalency from Penn State. She also holds Montessori Preschool and Elementary diplomas from Montessori St. Nicholas Centre— London. She is entering her 37th year of teaching and has completed 33 years of Montessori here at Children’s House and 4 years of public school experience.

Richard Punshon

Mr. Richard has been with us for four years! He holds a BS from Temple University and a M.Ed. from the University of Tennessee. Richard is a certified Montessori teacher and has taught for many years. Richard teaches music (Recorder) as well as other academic areas to both the Preschool and Elementary classes here at Children’s House.  Mr. Richard is the Elementary teacher at Children's House.  

Kathryn Mitchell

Kathryn received a B.F.A. in Graphic Design from Kansas State University and a M.S. in Elementary Education from Hofstra University on Long Island, New York.  She has moved from Kansas to Texas to New York, back to Texas, California, and back to Texas (once again), and now lives here in State College.  Moving is second nature to her after growing up in an Army family.  She has worked as a photographer (in Kansas), a substitute teacher (in Arlington), a third grade assistant (at the City & Country school in Greenwich Village, NY), a library assistant (also at City & Country) and a third grade teacher (at the Oakridge School in Arlington), before becoming a full-time Mama.   She returned to teaching at the Barbara Gordon Montessori School in Colleyville, Texas, where she was the school Librarian.  It was a very nice situation due in part because her daughter (now a 2nd grader) attended the same school.   Kathryn loves to read, journal and create art.

Ruth Brigandi

Ms. Ruth has a B.S. in Elementary Ed from Penn State. She also holds a Montessori Preschool Diploma from St. Nicholas Centre— London and a Masters Degree in Library Science from Clarion University. Ruth has taught off and on at Children’s House over the past 30 years. Additionally she has seven years of experience as a public elementary teacher and seven years as a public school librarian. Miss Ruth teaches our Kindergarten and Elementary program as well as working on enrichment activities. Ms. Ruth is also the Director of the school.