Our team
Learning Cooperative Leadership
julie dzaack, director
After completing college at Frostburg State and Penn State, Julie moved to Canaan Valley to work as a park naturalist, XC ski director, and outdoor educator. She and her husband Ken homeschooled three daughters. Julie volunteered and worked extensively in administration and project management with several local non-profit organizations specializing in place-based education, trail connectivity, and public land use. She also moonlighted as a field technician for NOAA and performed endangered species wildlife research.
Julie joined MLLC in 2020 to support the growth of this learning cooperative. In her free time, she does fun stuff with her family and five grandchildren!
Learning Center staff
Jenny Lothes, Primary Classroom lead guide
Jenny is a Tucker County, WV native. She is the proud mother of three children whom she homeschooled during the pandemic. Jenny was previously employed as a certified medical assistant but decided she wanted to follow her true passion of helping small children learn and grow. Jenny has taken college courses in early childhood development, nutrition, human anatomy, and more. She was a 4-H clover bud leader for two years, teaches Sunday school at a local church and has several years of experience in child care. In Jenny’s free time, she enjoys spending time with her children, husband and pets. She is also passionate about nature, gardening, horseback riding, reading and writing. She recently published her first children’s book and is excited to share it with her class in the upcoming school year!
Jenny is completing her Early Childhood Teacher Training credential through North American Montessori Center.
vacancy, PRIMARY CLASSROOM ASSISTANT
Mountain Laurel Learning Cooperative is currently seeking a Primary Classroom Assistant.
Jessica Wamsley, Lower Elementary Classroom Lead Guide
Jessica grew up in Tucker County and has raised her family here as well. After studying Child Development and Family Studies, English, and History at West Virginia University, Jessica is thrilled to be pursuing a life goal of teaching! When freetime is possible, she finds joy in cooking, hiking, plants, animals, herbalism, and spending time with her grown kids, husband, and many pets. You also may find her at the ocean when the opportunity presents itself.
Jess is completing her Lower Elementary Teacher Training credential through North American Montessori Center.
Al Schneider, Upper Elementary Classroom Lead Guide
al received their MLitt in Theatre Studies from the University of Glasgow and their BA from The Evergreen State College; they completed their Upper Elementary Teacher Training credential through North American Montessori Center in 2021. al mentored in the classroom under Shannon McCann in 2020-21 and has been teaching with us since that time. When not in the classroom, al spends time with their dogs, makes theatre, and enjoys exploring problem solving and being curious through reading and doing math problems.
Eva Gutierrez, Upper Elementary Classroom Assistant
Eva is a second generation American, who grew up in the arid west and then in Florida, as a teen. She received a bachelor’s of arts degree from New College of Florida, with a thesis on Moroccan immigration and landmark nationalism in Spain. In the years that followed, she enjoyed many seasons in the backcountry, working variously in food access and wilderness education. From what is now her WV highland home, she relishes water, family, wild lands, salvaging secondhand items, and traditional singing.
Eva has completed her Elementary Montessori Classroom Assistant certificate through Trillium Montessori.
Eva is delighted to be a part of the Mountain Laurel team.
Kristen Behrens (KB), Advanced Practical Life Specialist & Montessori Mentor
At an early age, KB learned from the women around her the value of working with her hands to create things. She enjoys exploring different mediums, including various fiber arts, sewing, knitting, cooking, and gardening. In 2017, she completed a two-year Herbal Apprenticeship at Owlcraft Healing Ways in Scottsville, VA. She is grateful to be able to share her knowledge of practical life skills with these children and learn more with them, too. She values the natural world and works to incorporate this into the classroom.
Shannon McCann, substitute
Shannon earned a BS in environmental science from Lynchburg College and received her Master of Teaching degree (middle school math and science) from Virginia Commonwealth University. Shannon completed upper elementary Montessori certification through North American Montessori Center in 2016. She has worked in public schools, having taught 7th grade life science for five years and 5th–8th grade math, including algebra, for four years. She enjoys skiing, mountain biking, and hiking with husband Rob, daughter Delaney (a former MLLC student), and their dogs.
Annlee Boutwell, Substitute
Annlee was born and raised in the Greater Baltimore area of Maryland. She attended Towson University where she received her BSN and MS in Health Administration. Her love for backpacking, hiking and skiing brought her to Tucker County where she decided to put down roots with her husband, Rob and two senior pups-Rusty and Polly. In addition to exploring the great outdoors, she has a love for travel, yoga, reading and music. Annlee (AKA Booper) is looking forward to her new adventure at the Mountain Laurel Learning Center!