Ms. Kimberly Clauson serves as the Head of School. She is responsible for the overall daily operations of the school, including classroom instruction, curriculum development, and guiding staff in their journey in Montessori teaching.
Ms. Kimberly enjoys discovering and creating with children. She appreciates the absorbent minds of her students, enjoys watching them gain independence, and feels blessed for the opportunity to guide them during such a pivotal moment in their lives.
Prior to appointment to Head of School at Bay Grove Montessori in 2023, Ms. Kimberly was the lead early childhood teacher at Saint Augustine Public Montessori School for five years. Her background also includes teaching, Art, English as a Foreign Language, Montessori Toddler, and Early Childhood in Chile, Costa Rica, Chicago, Tallahassee, and Santa Rosa Beach. Ms. Kimberly is excited to return to her roots here on the Emerald Coast and serve as the guide and mentor for students and teachers at Bay Grove Montessori School.
When not at school, Ms. Kimberly enjoys studying permaculture, watching garden YouTube videos, and camping with her family. She spends most of her time in the garden or at the farmer’s market.
B.S., Art Education, Florida State University
Early Childhood Montessori Certificate, Seton Montessori Training Center
K-3 Teaching Certification: Florida
DCF Staff & Director Credential
First Aid Certified (CPR, AED, Epi-Pen)
Ms. Andrea Georgas serves as a lead teacher. She is responsible for designing and implementing Montessori curriculum in the classroom and guiding students through their daily routines.
Ms. Andrea first stepped into a Montessori classroom during her husband’s elementary training a decade ago and was instantly drawn to the aesthetics of the classroom materials.
Ms. Andrea was able to combine her lifetime love of drawing with her newfound love of Montessori education when they moved abroad to Japan in 2014. She was the after school art specialist for the elementary children at the Montessori School of Tokyo and also taught private lessons off campus to children ages 6-18. After welcoming a daughter into the world, Ms. Andrea's family relocated back stateside in 2017 and she enrolled in the training course at Montessori Northwest in Portland, OR.
When she’s not in the classroom, Ms. Andrea is busy drawing, homesteading and homeschooling on 20 acres of wild Florida land. Her family is currently growing a variety of edible plants, flowers and trees using permaculture farming techniques. She originally relocated to our region in 2021 to lead the Children’s House classroom at Sweetbay Montessori.
BFA., Illustration, Savannah College of Art and Design
Early Childhood Montessori Certificate, Montessori Northwest Training Center
MEd., Montessori Education, Loyola University
First Aid Certified (CPR, AED, Epi-Pen)
Bay Grove is expanding its Children's House program for the 2024-2025 school year. We are actively looking for another lead teacher for the primary age group (3-5). Interested parties can learn more about the position and application process on our career opportunities page.
Bay Grove is expanding its Children's House program for the 2024-2025 school year. We are actively looking for another assistant teacher for the primary age group (3-5). Interested parties can learn more about the position and application process on our career opportunities page.
Ms. Kate serves as the school's Interim Director of Operations. She is responsible for managing the logistical side of the school's day-to-day operations, including school credentialing, admissions/enrollment, billing, employee paperwork, and onboarding.
Prior to joining Bay Grove, Ms. Kate held several administrative, director, supervisor and instructional instructional roles throughout her decade-plus of experience in public education. She has also served the educational community as a researcher and peer-reviewer for several national music organizations. Most recently, Ms. Kate was an instructional designer and research analyst in the corporate sector where she gained new perspective about the purely business-aspect of learning.
Outside of school, Ms. Kate loves spending time with her family enjoying the Florida sunshine and exploring the beautiful Emerald Coast beaches, as well as reading, and crafting.
B.A., Music & Legal Studies (Dual Major), University of Massachusetts Amherst
M.S., Education, Troy University
Ph.D., Music Education, University of Colorado Boulder
P/K-12 teaching certifications: Massachusetts, Colorado, and Alabama
First Aid Certified (CPR, AED, Epi-Pen)
Ms. Madison serves as the Office Support Person at Bay Grove Montessori School, working collaboratively with Mr. Kimberly and Ms. Kate to provide essential administrative assistance and operational support.
Ms. Madison finds fulfillment in the Montessori philosophy's emphasis on independence and self-correction, values she holds dear. Her journey includes teaching children to swim in her hometown during high school and college. She pursued a BS in Biological Engineering at Mizzou, conducting research on fermentation techniques for bioplastic production and graduating as an Honors Scholar. Throughout her academic journey, she extended her commitment to education by tutoring peers and younger students in mathematics.
Her professional background extends into manufacturing operations, where she gained experience in change management, construction projects, and manufacturing supervision.
Outside of work, Ms. Madison enjoys baking sourdough goods, running, and beach outings.
B.S., Biological Engineering, University of Missouri
First Aid Certified (CPR, AED, Epi-Pen)
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It saddens us to share the news that Bay Grove Montessori School will be closing at the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
Life is a cycle. While this chapter is closing, we are hopeful that it has sown seeds for new beginnings and growth.
Wishing you peace and love,
BGMS