Staff
Virginia Rogers serves as the Interim Executive Director at LCMCS, having joined the administration team in July 2022. A lifelong Montessorian in the Portland area, Virginia attended Montessori from ages 2.5 to 15, earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Puget Sound with a focus on alternative and environmental education, and completed her AMI Birth-to-3 Montessori training at Montessori Northwest. After six years as a classroom guide, running a parent support and coaching program, and serving as a Montessori parent and administrator, Virginia now utilizes her systems-oriented leadership to support accessible Montessori education for children across the community.
Lora Modlin has been with LCMCS since 2012, currently serving as the Dean of Students as well as the Civil Rights and Title IX Coordinator. She holds a Bachelor of Education in K-12 Art Education, AMI Elementary training from the Montessori Institute of Milwaukee, and a Master’s Degree in Montessori Education. After starting her career as a primary assistant and teaching public Montessori in Kansas City, she joined LCMCS, where she taught older elementary for eight years and built the school’s visual arts program over four years.
Lora is passionate about responsive and supportive education. She has a special fondness for birds—especially raptors—and encourages everyone to take moments to look up and appreciate the sky.
■ Children’s House Program Administrator
■ Nutrition Program
Primary Staff
Maddie Pyle serves as the Sea Otter Assistant at LCMCS, having joined the school team in 2025. Her connection to Montessori began early, as her childhood elementary school housed Alder Montessori, where she later returned to volunteer after graduating high school. Outside of the classroom, Maddie enjoys spending time pursuing a newfound passion for gardening, enjoying growing a wide variety of plants.
Elementary Staff
Kimberly Lewis has served as the Prairie Dog Home Guide for six years. She completed undergraduate degrees in Sociology and Philosophy at Frostburg State University, followed by a Graduate Degree in Montessori Education from Loyola University. Her extensive Montessori qualifications include American Montessori Society (AMS) Infant/Toddler and Early Childhood credentials, as well as Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Elementary credentials.
Guided to Montessori by a college advisor, Kimberly delights in working with the Prairie Dogs every day. Despite her father joking that a philosophy degree wouldn’t be practical, she actively integrates philosophical discussions into her daily interactions with her young students.
Piper Hope is a Classroom Assistant in the Prairie Dog Home, having recently joined the LCMCS community. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and was first introduced to the school community ten years ago.
Piper’s favorite part of working at LCMCS is interacting with and supporting the children each day. Prior to her career in education, she was a standout athlete who attended university on a full-ride track scholarship.
Merrett Krahn guides the Juniper classroom, having joined LCMCS after initially serving as a school-wide floater. Merrett’s Montessori journey began at Whitman College while writing a senior honors philosophy thesis on Montessori and aesthetics. Merrett holds AMI Elementary training, AMI Primary training, and a Master of Education from Montessori Northwest, and has served as an elementary course assistant, primary guide, and member of the Board of Directors for Montessori Northwest.
Beyond guiding students in the classroom, Merrett enjoys vegan cooking, traveling, reading, playing video games, and spending time with family and cats.
MAC Staff
Justice Evans is a MAC Guide with 15 years of dedicated service at LCMCS. A state-licensed teacher and Montessori-trained guide, Justice holds a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies and a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT).
Justice values the strong sense of community and student independence fostered at LCMCS. Beyond the classroom, Justice is an enthusiast of punk rock and hardcore music.
Susan Hardenbergh has been a MAC Guide at LCMCS since 2011. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from Central Washington University, a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Elementary Education from Concordia University, and a Montessori Adolescent Certificate. Susan was first drawn to LCMCS while seeking an alternative public education option for her own children, who began attending the school in 2010.
Susan treasures the school’s commitment to seeing each student as a unique individual and meeting them where they are. Outside of teaching, Susan embraced a new creative challenge in her mid-forties by learning to play the piano for the first time.
Caitlin is a seasoned MAC Guide currently in her 14th year at Lupine Community Montessori Charter School. She is a state-licensed teacher and Montessori-trained classroom guide with deep roots in the school community.
Adding to her rich history with LCMCS, Caitlin shares a special family connection to the school—her twin sister also previously worked on staff at LCMCS.
