Isabelle Valentine
Isabelle is the director and administrator of Montessori International Preschool. She is also the founder of the preschool.
Isabelle is half-French and half-Filipino and she was born in Canada. She has studied and worked in several countries: France, Philippines, Canada, Spain, Italy, Japan and the UK. She has two children, Zachary who was born in December 2004 and Elodie who was born in June 2007. She moved to Copenhagen in May 2008 with her family for her husband's work. They are very well settled in Copenhagen and are planning to stay here for the long term.
Isabelle has worked in many industries and was an English teacher at a Japanese middle school for two years. She has also worked in finance, logistics, publishing, event planning and hotel management. Isabelle is also a certified Reflexologist, specialised in maternity reflexology. She has an MBA in International Business, a BA in English and Communications as well as a degree in Hotel Management.
Having moved around a lot as a child and having small children of her own, Isabelle understands the importance of parents wanting a structured as well as safe and nurturing environment for their little ones. She is devoted to helping children develop an open-mind and an acceptance of other cultures and customs. She believes that it is one of the building blocks to developing a flexible attitude in order to properly face the ever-changing world.
KRistine HøJ Johnson
Kristine is the Head Teacher of Montessori International Preschool. She is 36 years old and was born in Denmark. She lives in Allerød with her partner and their two children, Toby and Mia.
Kristine graduated in 2000 with a bachelors degree as a social worker from Skovtofte Seminarium in Virum, Copenhagen. Thereafter, she moved to Arizona, USA where she completed her last internship for college. She worked as a social worker for Prehab of Arizona for 5 years in behavioural health treatment homes and domestic violence shelters. Additionally, she did different types of child counseling including outreach counseling for children in need.
After having her first child, Toby in 2005, she went back to school and became an AMI Montessori Teacher, graduating from the Montessori Education Centre of Arizona. She worked as the Head Teacher at a Montessori school in Mesa, Arizona until she moved back to Copenhagen in January 2008. Since then, she has been working at Rygaards International School as a Reception teacher and a support teacher. In 2009, she had her daughter Mia and was on maternity leave for a year with her.
Kristine has been with us since the very beginnings of the preschool, when it opened its doors in August 2011.
"I am very excited to be part of Montessori International Preschool and I am looking forward to meeting your children."