Business Manager
Jeannette Ortega received a B.S. in Business and Accounting from the University of Phoenix. She has worked for small businesses as well as larger corporations for nearly 20 years, and has both accounting and operational experience. Ms. Ortega moved to the mountains of Virginia with her daughters in 2018. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, country living, dancing, and visiting the lake with her family.
Third Grade
Nicole Dreyfus graduated from Bard College with a B.A. in Literature and Creative Writing, and earned her Master’s of Science in Education from Bank Street College of Education in New York City. She holds a teaching license for grades PreK-6 in the state of Virginia, and is also a certified and licensed teacher of Meditation, Hatha, Kundalini and Raja Yoga. Ms. Dreyfus loves learning new things, chess, crossword puzzles, reading about everything, yoga, jogging, skiing, camping, snorkeling, creative writing, history, poetry, chemistry, art history, painting, travel, zoology, psychology, anthropology, volunteering, philosophy, theology, Halloween, mycology and pugs.
Fourth and Fifth Grade Math
Heather Miller received a B.A. from Dartmouth College in history and an M.A. in Curriculum and Teaching from Columbia University Teachers College. She has taught several different age groups but has a particular passion for math and for students in the upper elementary grades. Heather has taught at private schools in Connecticut, Ontario, Manhattan, Charlotte and, most recently, Barcelona. She has served as both a homeroom teacher and as a learning support specialist. When not teaching, Heather spends time with her children, who are young adults, and she enjoys hiking, reading, yoga and relaxing with her two cats.
Middle School Math
Hope Sikora received a B.A. in Mathematics and a MAT in Secondary Education from the University of Virginia. Ms. Sikora loves math because it encourages problem solving and helps us understand the world. In her free time, Ms. Sikora enjoys cooking, exercising, and cheering on the Hoos!
Spanish
Emmie Wright holds a B.A. in Spanish with a minor in Anthropology from Washington and Lee University. She earned her M.A in Spanish from the Middlebury Language School, finishing her last summer in Guadalajara, Mexico. She has spent a number of years teaching both middle and upper school Spanish in Charleston, SC, New York City, and Charlottesville. She took time off from teaching to stay home with her two children, both of whom attend Peabody. In her free time, she loves to travel with her family (especially to Menorca, a small island off the coast of Spain), garden, read, and run.
Online Learning Coordinator
Sarah FitzHenry holds a Masters in Library Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh, as well as a B.A. in English and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, both from Bowling Green State University. Ms. FitzHenry brings experience from both public and independent schools, having taught a diverse range of subjects from elementary literacy to computer science. Additionally, she is an experienced educator coach and presenter, and is passionate about helping teachers and families shape the next generation of leaders and citizens. Ms. FitzHenry lives in Charlottesville with her family, and is pretty much always reading a book or asking someone a question.
School Nurse
Tara Montgomery holds a BSN from the University of Virginia. Her experience includes nursing in the inpatient setting (Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital), outpatient clinic (UVA Cancer Center), and most recently, Telehealth nursing. Ms. Montgomery’s goal as Peabody’s school nurse is to provide a safe environment for students to learn and play as well as to promote health and wellness in exciting and proactive ways.