The River Room & The Waterfall Room

The River Room

Kristin – Lead Guide

Ophelia – Assistant

Rachel – Assistant

Kristin (she/her) began her work at Harmony as an Assistant to our founder, Jude in November 2000. For years she had worked with children many in different capacities, mainly as a nanny, but it wasn’t until she found Harmony and learned more about Montessori that she discovered her true calling in life. Kristin continued her work as an assistant the following year and then began her Montessori teacher training and certification through North American Montessori Center, while co-teaching for two years with Jude. She has been guiding the River Room at Harmony since 2005. Kristin’s life away from Harmony includes a passion for music and the outdoors. In her spare time she enjoys playing her guitar, singing, and exploring Oregon’s wild and scenic areas with her husband Jim and daughter Mesa.

“It is such a blessing to truly love the work you do! Everyday I feel inspired and uplifted through my interactions with the Harmony staff, parents and especially the children. Together, we are building a brighter, more enlightened and peaceful future.”     -Kristin


Ophelia (she/her) joined Harmony as an Oasis assistant in the autumn of 2019 and began working with Kristin as the River Room assistant in the summer of 2020. As a Harmony alumnus, she is honored to be able to return to the classroom as an assistant guide. In her free time, she enjoys drawing, listening to music, and spending time in nature.

 

 

 

Rachel (she/her) is an assistant in the River room.  She was born and raised in Oakland, California into a large, diverse family of civil rights activists and educators. Her upbringing emphasized resilience, kindness and social justice which she carries into the classroom. After studying sociology at UC Berkeley, she accepted a position as the movement and outdoor educator at a local Montessori School. Rachel is an accomplished volleyball player and has been coaching volleyball for the past 15 years. She has coached kids as young as 5 to elite club and college teams. Before moving to Oregon in 2020, Rachel was a snorkeling and freediving instructor in San Diego, CA. She has 2 cats and a dog and is a passionate gardener and adventurer. Rachel looks forward to becoming Montessori teacher certified over the next year and dreams of opening a Montessori Farm School with her husband one day.

 

The Waterfall Room

Joline – Lead Guide

Ana – Assistant

Alex – Assistant

Joline Bassett (she/her) joined the Harmony community in the Waterfall classroom in June 2013. She realized her love for young children while still a child herself, and began babysitting neighborhood children when she was ten years old. It was when Joline was invited to be a last-minute substitute in a friend’s Montessori school that the pieces fell together. She continued working as an assistant while completing her Primary Associate Certification at the Montessori Education Institute of the Pacific Northwest in Seattle, Washington in 2004. Joline has over ten years of experience in the Montessori classroom, as an assistant, intern, Co-Teacher, and Lead Teacher. Outside of the classroom, Joline enjoys spending time with her husband Brendon, and their two boys, Loic, and Simeon, and their dogs, Percy and Hugo. She loves discovering new crafts to dabble in, spending time at the gym, or curling up with her kindle.

Ana (she/her) is the assistant in the Waterfall Room and joined Joline in the classroom in the fall of 2020. She was born in Apatzingan Michoacan, Mexico. She received her diploma to teach pre-school in Mexico. In addition, she took early childhood education classes in the United States. Ana loves working with children of all ages and it is her passion to be a positive mentor for children.

 

 

Alex (she/her) – Bio coming soon!