PSO Board

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Roz Lee

Roz was born and raised in South Africa and later met her husband, Mike, while living in London. They eventually settled in Darien, Connecticut, where their three children. Mackenzie (13), Blair (10), and Mikey (7) were born. In 2020, the Lee family relocated to Sarasota, where Blair and Mikey now attend First Montessori. As PSO Co-President, Roz is excited to bring families together, support teachers, and strengthen the sense of community that makes the school so special.

Allison Sheridan

Allison and her family moved to Florida from Canada in 2021, and they praise God for the opportunity.  After graduating from the University of Ottawa with an honors degree in both Psychology and Sociology in 2007, Allison dove right into the wonderful world of real estate and began her career as a Realtor.  Allison and her husband Mike, together with their two boys Jack and Adam, are true ‘local tourists’, grateful every day to live in paradise. The challenges of moving to a different country have blossomed into a deeper purpose and vision of life, prioritizing faith, family, and freedom.  Allison has now re-launched her career as a realtor here in Florida and is truly honored to serve our school family this year in her PSO position as the volunteer co-president.

Samantha Hays  

“Sammie”  is a Sarasota native and graduate of the University of Virginia. She spent a decade working in real estate development and is a licensed real estate agent.  She shares three beautiful children with her high school sweetheart, Alex.  Sammie is very passionate about her family as well as nutrition and health. She looks forward to meeting each of you and helping enhance this very special school for our children.

Jessica Middleton 

Jessica is honored to serve our school family as PSO Communications Chair. A Florida native with a lifelong love for adventure, Jessica treasures opportunities to travel with her family—whether discovering hidden gems close to home or exploring new destinations abroad. She is passionate about building connections and ensuring that families feel informed and welcomed. Jessica looks forward to using her role in communications to highlight the many ways our school shines and to support the community that makes it so special

Alyssa van Schaik

Alyssa is honored to serve as an Event Chair for the PSO board at First Montessori Academy. She and her husband, Eric, are proud parents to two energetic boys, Caleb and Noah, who fill their lives with joy and adventure. After graduating summa cum laude with her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Alyssa spent several years working in the field and managing a team of Speech-Language Pathologists before choosing to stay home and focus on her growing family. More recently, she has enjoyed bringing her creativity to life while working part-time as a sales manager and floral designer for weddings. Over the years, Alyssa has also enjoyed serving at her church in a variety of roles, including event hospitality, Lead Team Coordinator, and now welcoming new guests.

Alyssa is grateful to be part of a school community that reflects her family’s values and vision. She looks forward to planning events that bring families together and strengthen the sense of community at First Montessori Academy.

Courtney West  

Courtney  serves in the Faith Formation role with a passion to lead people  to know Jesus in a personal way and to equip families to live out their  faith daily. She is a graduate of the Baptist College of Florida and  Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, where she earned a Master of Religion, graduating summa cum laude. With over 15 years of church  ministry experience, Courtney currently serves on staff at First  Sarasota Church.

Her  greatest joy is her family. Courtney has been married to her college  sweetheart, Mitchell, for nearly 10 years, and together they are raising  their four amazing children.

Jessica Koch

Jessica is the lead primary reacher and a second-generation Montessori educator who has been immersed in the Montessori philosophy since childhood. She began working in Montessori classrooms as a high school student and brings over two decades of experience to her role as Lead Primary Teacher.

She earned her American Montessori Society (AMS) Primary Certification in 2007 from the Princeton Center for Teacher Education in Princeton, New Jersey. Jessica has guided countless children through their early years and previously served as the Director of Flemington Montessori School in New Jersey. Jessica is passionate about fostering independence, curiosity, and confidence in her students. She values strong partnerships with families and is dedicated to creating a warm, respectful, and enriching classroom environment that supports each child’s individual journey. Outside of school, Jessica enjoys spending time on the boat with her family, embracing the outdoors and making lasting memories together.