Faculty and Staff

Dedicated to authentic Montessori education, the administration and staff at Galilee Montessori School are highly trained, talented, and love working with children. All lead teachers are AMS Montessori certified, hold at least a Bachelor's Degree, and teach only the level for which they have received specific training. Our assistants are certified within their first year as a Montessori Assistant through the Center for Guided Montessori Studies. Our teachers work closely with one another, benefitting from the wisdom and experience of staff members who have been at our school and/or teaching the Montessori method for many years. Our staff regularly attend conferences on Montessori leadership, education, and child development.  

  • Megan Foard

    Megan Foard

    Head of School

    Megan happily joined the Galilee team in 2023 after working as a high school English teacher and school counselor in Virginia and abroad.   Megan holds a Master's Degree in Teaching and a Master's of Education in School Counseling. She fell in love with Montessori education and philosophy when her older son attended a Montessori school in Portugal. Megan loves to read & garden. Her husband and their 3 kids love to travel and spend time at the beach.

  • April MacDonald

    Administrative Assistant

    April is a Virginia Beach native who moved here from Wales in the 1980s. She joined the Galilee Montessori community as a parent in 2016 and joined our staff in 2022. Her family learned about the Montessori method through her mother-in-law who worked for a group of Montessori schools in Chicago for over 40 years. A graduate of Virginia Tech, April holds a BA in Communications and a BS in Psychology. She enjoys Pilates, concerts, volunteering with the Cub Scouts and Virginia Rush, and spending time with her husband and son.  

  • Anne Stackhouse

    Anne Stackhouse

    Curriculum Coordinator & Art Teacher

    Ms Anne grew up in Michigan and relocated the Norfolk, Va. in 1985. She joined Galilee Montessori community in 2016. She has her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and is certified in both Primary and Lower Elementary. She has been teaching Montessori for over forty years. Anne and her husband live in Norfolk and enjoy biking and their OBX beach house.


  • Dori Finger

    Lead Toddler Teacher

    Ms. Dori joined Galilee Montessori as the lead toddler teacher in 2022 and completed her toddler certification through the Virginia Center for Montessori Studies in Richmond, VA in the summer of 2023. 


    As a former Montessori student, Ms. Dori appreciates the purposeful and meaningful fun of Montessori education and its adaptability to every child’s unique learning style.


    In her spare time, Ms. Dori enjoys lifting weights, painting, and spending time with her husband and two children.

  • Cheryl Ivey

    Primary Assistant

    Children's House 3

    Ms. Cheryl was born in Maine but has lived in the Tidewater area almost her whole life.  She has been with Galilee Montessori for 7 years but has worked with younger children in various school settings for over 20 years.  Ms. Cheryl has two sons and five grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with her family, being outside, gardening, and crafting.

  • Kylie Costanzo

    Lead Teacher

    Children's House 1

    Ms. Kylie joined the Galilee Montessori community in 2016 as an assistant in the All Day Montessori program whilst attending ODU for a Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. She fell in love with the Montessori environment and theory and pursued her Montessori training at the Virginia Montessori Education Center in 2018. Ms. Kylie’s favorite things about Montessori education are the beautiful tactile materials, mixed age groups, “following the child”, and watching each child’s love of learning grow. Outside of school, she loves going to the beach, spending time with her husband and their sweet pup Poppy, and reading. 

  • Becky Costanzo

    Children's House 1 Assistant

    Ms. Becky has been a Galilee Montessori School since fall 2015, as an assistant teacher. She enjoys being with her family and most of all walks on the beach. She loves Montessori because it teaches self-paced learning with encouragement to be independent. 

  • Elizabeth Serre

    Lead Teacher

    Children's House 3

    Ms. Elizabeth returned back to Galiee in 2021 from a move overseas.  She has a BA degree from GMU and completed her Primary certification at the Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies in Maryland.  Elizabeth has been teaching Montessori for over 15 years.  She enjoys coaching and swimming in her free time.  “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.”-Maria Montessori

  • Magali Fisher

    Lead Teacher

    Elementary 


  • Monik Plonka

    Toddler Assistant, Spanish Teacher, & Aftercare

    Ms. Monik has been living in Virginia Beach since 2010 and joined the school in 2018. She has been with the Toddler program as well as the Primary and Elementary classrooms.


    She lives with one of her daughters and her dog. Ms. Monik loves hiking and exploring national parks and enjoys the beach as well.

  • Betsy Duffy

    Kindergarten  & Elementary PE Teacher


  • Tessa Phelps

    Elementary Assistant

    Ms. Tessa joined Galilee Montessori in 2022 as the aftercare assistant while studying to receive her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education.  She was born and raised in Virginia Beach but loves traveling the world at every opportunity. She fell in love with Montessori during her  first year working at Galilee because she was able to see how independent a child could really be without much guidance. When she is not teaching, she is at the beach or hanging out with her two pitbulls--Luna & Frank.