Greenbrier offers a nurturing learning environment for children.
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Nestled in the heart of South Minneapolis, Greenbrier is an authentic Montessori preschool for children ages 3 to 6. We are proud to be located in the Powderhorn Park neighborhood across from Mayday Cafe!
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Grounded in our community values, we value the education of the whole child, and respect support their journey in becoming the next leaders of our world!
Our Teacher Leader
Veronica Vital
Teacher Leader and Primary Guide
Born in Mexico, Veronica graduated from the University of Puebla with a major in World Languages: English and French. She then taught English to middle school students and through adult education. Veronica moved to Minnesota. In 1996, she worked as an assistant in a Montessori classroom. Veronica earned her AMI Montessori credential in 1999. Since then she has worked as a lead guide in a single teacher and a co-teacher model, in both private and public schools. She also worked in St. Paul public schools as a Spanish teacher for community education.
Our Staff
Gloria Esmeralda Mejia
Assistant
I am from El Salvador and I moved to the USA in 1993. I lived in California and moved to MN in 1999. I’m married and mother of 3 beautiful children, two girls and one boy. My husband’s name is Rev. Saul Mejia and we both are pastors of Lirio de los Valles church in Minneapolis where I have also worked in the kids ministry. I have more than 16 years of experience working with children and I have seen that their learning is effective in a Montessori classroom and to see their development in their early years and how they become independent. It gives me a lot of joy and excitement watching each of their stages and it is for me an experience where I also learn from them.
Our Board
Raphael Gang
Board Chair
Raphael Gang is a Director of Education at Stand Together Trust where he manages a portfolio of programmatic investments focused on supporting education entrepreneurs who are launching innovative learning environments for families. A former elementary school teacher, Raphael helped launch a statewide school voucher program, oversee charter schools, and manage policy for supporting choice at the Louisiana Department of Education. After that he worked at 4.0 Schools, a nonprofit national incubator for early-stage education impact ventures leading communications, fundraising, and research. As a father of two young children, Raphael believes strongly that if we want a future of learning that is for all children, we need to build it.
Betsy Symanietz
Board Treasurer
Betsy is an organizational design consultant, writer, custom quilt-maker, and founder/facilitator of Holy Time, a weekly virtual gathering for people who are craving more of the sacred in everyday life. As a founding Partner of the Wildflower Foundation in 2016, Betsy led the design of the Wildflower network's unique operational model and learning environment, coached and advised Wildflower's Regional leaders nationwide, and led the initial effort to grow Wildflower Schools in Minnesota--including recruiting teachers, raising funds, and spearheading the design and launch of Wildflower's first charter school. Prior to Wildflower, Betsy spent 10 years leading urban education talent and leadership development initiatives, most recently as a senior administrator at Minneapolis Public Schools, and before that, at The New Teacher Project, a nonprofit public education consulting organization. She lives in south Minneapolis, and can often be found walking her dog in or near Powderhorn Park.
Beka Herzog
Board Secretary
Beka Herzog is a Montessori mother of three. She first met Veronica when they worked together at a Montessori school over a decade ago and two of her children have been lucky enough to have had Veronica as their guide. With over 15 years of experience in Montessori, Beka has been a Lead Guide in Nido (infant class), Toddler Community, and Parent Infant Class. Along with two other Teacher Leaders, Beka opened Sweet Pea Montessori, a Wildflower school for infants and toddlers. When not in the classroom, she enjoys reading and spending time in the woods.
Victoria Karpeh
Board Member