As all parents know, time flies.  Preschoolers become 5th graders seemingly overnight.  Before we even finished the first school year at CMCS, parents began asking, "What about middle school?"  Anticipating the inevitable, parents, teachers, and board members began to research.  The foundation for 7th and 8th grade was laid while the inaugural CMCS children were still learning to read.  As with every CMCS project, a diverse and talented group of people worked for many years to shape the Middle School.  Montessori middle schools are not as common as Montessori elementary schools, particularly in the public sector.  Creating a high quality public Montessori middle school, including designing the curriculum and the physical space, and finding the right people to guide our students on the next leg of their developmental journey, has been a top priority for me since assuming leadership of our school.  Therefore, it is with great pleasure that I now introduce to you the CMCS Middle School staff.


TOM STRONG
MATH AND SOCIAL STUDIES
Mr. Tom Strong is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in Philosophy.  He has a Master of Education in Middle Childhood from the University of Toledo.  He is certified to teach math, social studies and reading.  Mr. Tom received his American Montessori Society Secondary I-II Credential in Montessori Education from the Cincinnati Montessori Secondary Teacher Education Program in 2013.  For the last six years, Mr. Tom has served as a middle school math and social studies teacher at West Side Montessori in Toledo, Ohio.  Mr. Tom will serve Coastal Montessori Charter School as our middle level Math and Social Studies Lead Teacher.  His enthusiasm for knowledge and creating meaningful experiences for his students is palpable.  Understanding the unique tendencies of middle school students, he uses these characteristics to design lessons that will interest and engage students at this unique stage of development.  Welcome to the team, Mr. Tom!

CHADWELL RENTZ
SCIENCE
Mr. Chadwell Rentz is a graduate of Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Natural Resources and a concentration in Conservation Biology.  He possesses a Masters of Arts in Teaching Middle School Science from the College of Charleston and The Citadel.  He considers himself a creative thinker with an entrepreneurial spirit.  Mr. Chadwell has spent the last two years teaching for two different magnet schools in Charleston.  Mr. Chadwell will oversee our middle level Science program as well as assist us with the creation of science experiment kits for all grades at CMCS.  His passion for conservation and creating conscious consumers is an excellent fit for a public Montessori program.  When Mr. Chadwell is not teaching, you can find him with his family, at the beach, or at a live music event.  Welcome to the team, Mr. Chadwell!

LIZ INTRIERI
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND GUIDANCE COUNSELOR
Ms. Elizabeth (Liz) Intrieri is a graduate of Millersville University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in English at the Secondary level.  She has a Master of Science degree in School Counseling from Western Maryland College and a Master of Science in Supervision/Administration from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.  A National Board Certified teacher, Ms. Liz received the esteemed honor of Teacher of the Year for Waccamaw Middle School for the 2015 - 2016 school year.  We are delighted to have Ms. Liz join our middle school team as both our English Language Arts instructor and our School Counselor.  As a veteran teacher, her understanding of the 7th and 8th grade South Carolina standards is exceptional.  She is well read and always seeking the best literature to assist students with both self-discovery and their understanding of the world through literature.  Her teaching style and joy for learning are infectious.  Welcome to the team, Ms. Liz!


Kindly,
Dr. Hunt