5th Grade

Why hello there! I am Cayla Cecil, honored to serve as the Headwaters Creek Counselor. I am a licensed social worker who has a passion for helping children navigate the challenges of life and has spent the last decade working with children of all ages, most frequently in the school system. In the world of children's counseling, I am dedicated to fostering a nurturing, playful, safe, and empowering space where young hearts can flourish.

I am a born and raised Texan who graduated with her Bachelor's from Baylor University in 2013. Shortly after, I moved to our amazing city and fell in love with the sense of community and positivity that runs deep within the heart of Austin. It was here that I started working in the school system and later got my Master's Degree in Social Work at Texas State University to pursue my calling into school social work. After several years working as a Program Manager for a nonprofit that partners with schools across the Austin area, I started working with a private practice, Tula Counseling, who brought me to Headwaters Creek in the 2023-2024 school year to start building a counseling program. Working at Headwaters has been the most rewarding experience, and I am incredibly grateful to be welcomed into the Headwaters Creek family as their first ever School Counselor. 

At heart, I am a rainbow person with a charismatic & energetic personality, who exudes positivity & joy, and sees the good in everyone. I love people with every fiber of my being and wish I could give every person on this planet a hug. I am a firm believer that music and food heals the soul, and I love to listen to music & dance around my kitchen while cooking a delicious meal for the people I love. I am so thankful to be spending my life making connections and building relationships with the young people of this world. I have a holistic approach to mental health, believing true healing encompasses one's physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, recognizing that everything in a person's life is interconnected. From individual sessions & group sessions, to helping a child who is emotionally disregulated, to collaborating with staff & providing resources to families, etc., I am committed to making a positive impact in the lives of those in our community. I'm thrilled to grow further as a counselor and community member at Headwaters, where every day brings new opportunities to enrich young lives

I am tremendously excited to be in Austin and work at Headwaters School. The staff and families here have greeted me with genuine kindness and generosity. 

I am a first generation Mexican-American born and raised in a neighborhood coined “The Heart of Chicago.” As a Montessori guide, it has been my life’s work to support children in their love of learning and finding their individual path. I believe that the adults in the environment should be there to aid the child in their development and it has been my honor to do this for the past twenty-three years. 

I am Montessori certified to teach ages 6-12 and have been an Elementary Montessori guide for 18 years, but in the Montessori environment for even longer. I also hold a state certification for Bilingual Education in Illinois and taught art in Chicago Public Schools for two years. I received my Bachelor’s from Columbia College in Chicago with a focus on Graphic Design. Prior to teaching, I did freelance design and events planning for the United Way of Metro Chicago. In the summer of 2021, I attended an intensive Intro to Secondary Education from CMStep in Ohio in preparation for my role as Middle School Director and Language Arts and Social Studies teacher in 2021-2022.

Having attended an art school, I have been able to bring in my passion for art into my work and have helped the children to create beautiful works by integrating projects into every facet of the curriculum. 

As a parent, Montessori was the obvious choice. I knew that I had found not only an educational “home” for my child, but my path as well. It has been a long and wonderful journey–I have not regretted a single moment. I have a 20 year-old daughter in her third year at the University of Iowa. She is a Psychology/Spanish major and a gymnast for the university. I’m a proud mother!

I have enjoyed the opportunity to teach in our outdoor space at Headwaters. It has been a huge change from my inner city dwellings and a unique experience. I have witnessed how students at Headwaters truly appreciate nature and having an outdoor space to teach is a refreshing extension of our Montessori classroom. I knew Headwaters was a place I wanted to be a part of and continue my journey as a guide and Montessorian. Where there are happy children, there are great adults teaching them! I am so impressed by the love students at Headwaters have for learning and am happy to be a part of their continued growth and passion for learning.

Since arriving in Austin, I have joined a boxing club, been hiking and going on runs on the greenbelt, love exploring local coffee shops, enjoy taking short weekend day trips, and creating art with my new iPad! Oh, and the food!

I am so thrilled to be joining the Phoenix community. 

 

My childhood was spent traveling and living overseas. I attended American and International schools in Asia, Brazil, Europe and Canada until I went off to college. My experiential education formed my quest for inspired learning centered around a purposeful, vibrant, and holistic community. I completed my Montessori training in Vancouver, B.C. in 1998, and since then have taught at all levels of the curriculum, including most recently as a substitute guide at the River Campus for the last few years. I found my passion and never looked back. Some of my unique experience includes: building and operating my own Montessori children’s house, Licensing Director of three schools, Montessori consulting, and homeschooling.

 

I came to Austin in 2000 so that my husband could pursue his MBA at UT and I could intern with a master elementary Montessorian. We fell in love with Austin and made our home here with three beautiful children. Some of my hobbies include: running, yoga, the outdoors, art, and literature–all of which I hope to share with your beautiful children! I look forward to reaching our potential together! 

My name is Alexandra Gantley and I’m the Learning Specialist at the Headwaters Creek Campus. I’ve been a special educator for over twenty years in all kinds of schools and settings. My experience includes working at both public and private schools, teaching students of all ages from elementary to high school.  

 

I grew up in a small town in the Merrimack Valley of New Hampshire, in a house on 11 acres of pine woods. I spent my childhood exploring the outdoors and helping out on my best friend's farm on weekends. After graduating from UMass Amherst, I started my career as a special education teacher at an alternative high school in Watertown, MA. I got my master’s in education from Boston College a few years later. When I moved to Austin in 2010, I spent two years as an inclusion teacher at a public middle school before transitioning to Rawson Saunders. I was at Rawson Saunders for four years as a Language Arts teacher, and I learned a lot about students with dyslexia, ADHD, twice-exceptional students, and many other non-traditional learners. I’ve also worked at a charter high school, as a private tutor, and as an IEP consultant for families in the Austin area.  

 

Throughout my years as an educator, it has been my absolute privilege and joy to work with students who think and learn differently than many of their peers. As the Elementary Learning Specialist, I work with teachers, families, and students to help all learners reach their full potential and find what works best for their unique needs and interests.  

 

Outside of work, I enjoy reading, gardening, movies, checking out new restaurants, and spending as much time as I can exploring Texas with my husband and 5-year-old son.

I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama where I was encouraged by my family to find strength in learning, engage in community building, and work towards positive social change. I received my BA in Anthropology and Art History as well as a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Texas. I have worked in a variety of professions including public libraries, archives and art museums, the health and wellness sector, and as a substitute teacher.

I first came to Headwaters as a parent; my three boys are now in the Elementary program. I am looking forward to being in service to our amazing teachers and staff. In my free time I like to cook, read, run, garden and enjoy the outdoors with my family.

I am a proud father of two children who have been in Montessori since they began their education outside of our home. I fell in love with the method when my wife and I realized that our parenting style was naturally aligned with it. Nine years of being a “Montessori Dad” along with being married to a Montessori Guide, I realized that I too wanted to be in the Montessori classroom. I am currently working toward my Early and Upper Elementary Certification at the Center For Guided Montessori Studies (CGMS) based at the New Gate International Montessori IB School in Sarasota, Florida. The course is a two-and-a-half year program founded by some of the most respected and forward thinking Montessori educators in the country.

When I joined Headwaters, I began supporting the specials programs on our elementary campuses. This included roles as P.E. assistant, Art Co-Guide, Garden Co-Guide, Creativity Club Guide, and a private support guide for elementary children. I have been certified as one of our Low Ropes Challenge Course Facilitators, and look forward to using this unique course as an extension of our classrooms. With our Low Ropes Challenge Course in the Bird’s Nest at the Brodie Campus, we are taking team building to a new level for our students and staff.

In the U.S. and internationally, I have studied environmental design, performing arts, healing arts, studio arts, industrial arts, and Capoeira Angola.  I am a licensed massage therapist (LMT).  I enjoy kites, boarding sports, swimming, being a disk jockey, up-cycling functional art, health, wellness, sustainable living, organic gardening, reading, and spending quality time with my family.

The Headwaters School community inspires me, and I am thankful that my family is part of it.

Meet Jasmine Patterson, Upper Elementary Guide in the Skybirds Classroom!

 

Originally from upstate New York, Jasmine Patterson’s journey into Montessori education began after her career as an anatomy and physiology professor. Jasmine found a new passion for guiding elementary students, inspired by seeing her own children thrive in the Montessori environment. She shared that she “realized [her] passion lay in guiding the curious minds of elementary students through their formative years.”

 

Jasmine holds an AMS Montessori certification from the Houston Montessori Center. With experience as both an assistant and lead guide, she’s excited to be at Headwaters School and fostering a nurturing learning environment. “It's incredibly fulfilling to play a role in shaping the lives of young learners during this critical phase of development,” Jasmine shared.

 

Outside the classroom, Jasmine says her life revolves around her family. From family adventures with her husband, three-year-old son, and five-year-old daughter traveling and exploring mountains to cheering on the sidelines of the soccer pitch, Jasmine loves to spend time together.

 

Jasmine was drawn to Headwaters Montessori for its focus on fostering independent, well-rounded learners. The strong sense of community here really resonates with me, and she appreciates the symbolism of the school’s name, representing the source of growth and development, much like the beginning of a river. It's a place where the students and employees can truly thrive.