School Administration
Nancy Davis
Head of School
Nancy joined the Undercroft administrative staff in August, 2009. She first discovered Montessori education in 1986 when her son began attending a small Montessori school. Like many parents, she loved what she saw happening there and decided to pursue her Montessori training. She received her certification in San Diego and has taught children from early childhood through upper elementary. She served as a Montessori consultant for a public magnet program in North Carolina and, after receiving her state certification, served as principal of the same school. During that time, Nancy also earned her Master’s Degree in School Administration. A move to Illinois led to an administrative position overseeing the operations and educational programs of a network of retreat/conferences centers across the U.S.
Sydney Atchison
Business Officer
Sydney joined the Undercroft Administrative Staff in June 2017. Sydney brings to Undercroft an extensive background that includes finance & accounting, human resources, education administration, and customer service. Her experience spans both for profit and non-profit sectors. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Northeastern State University and also holds a Master’s in Business Administration. While Montessori was new to Sydney, she has found that it aligns with a lot of her personal beliefs and is enjoying being a part of the Undercroft Community.
Jamie Gartside
Admissions Coordinator
Born and raised in the Tulsa area, Jamie received her Bachelor’s degree in Human Environmental Sciences from Oklahoma State University. Upon graduation, she lived and worked in Tulsa, Dallas, and the Boston metro areas for many years in the field of commercial Interior Design before returning home to Tulsa. Jamie joined Undercroft in 2016 as a parent when her daughter Ellen began the early childhood program, and in February of 2018 became our Administrative Assistant. Jamie serves as a primary contact person for parents, guides and children, and integrates school communication through weekly community emails and management of the Undercroft website and school database. She also coordinates admissions and enrollment for potential and enrolled families by coordinating tours and providing guidance through the enrollment process.
Brigid Vance
Development Director
Brigid Vance joined Undercroft as the Development Director in 2018 after 11 years in nonprofit fundraising and communications. Her background is in all areas of funds development, including grants, special events, and capital campaigns. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies and Italian from Scripps College. An Undercroft alum (1989-1997) and mom to a current lower elementary student (and future) early childhood student, Brigid is thrilled to bring her professional background to the school she loves so dearly.
Shannon Rau
Bookkeeper
Shannon joined the Undercroft administrative staff in January 2022 with a background in accounting, bookkeeping, and customer service and a passion for education. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership: Business Studies from Rogers State University in 2019 and is currently pursuing a second Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. An Oklahoma native, she called the Atlanta metro area home for over a decade before returning to Tulsa in 2018. Shannon was introduced to the Montessori method while expecting her first child and was thrilled to discover an educational approach that aligns with the values she seeks to encourage in her own home. She is delighted to be a part of the Undercroft community.
Lesley Wilkin
Administrative Assistant / LE-SE Assistant
Bio coming soon!
Phillip Decker
Facilities Coordinator
Phil joined the Undercroft administrative staff in November of 2018. He lived in Colorado most of his life and spent most of his career in Healthcare Facilities and Construction Management there. Having family in Oklahoma and coming to visit over the years, he decided to make the move to Oklahoma. Phil has been enjoying the open spaces and mild winters of green country. Although the Montessori philosophy is quite new to Phil, he is finding it enjoyable and interesting.
Mike Noviski
Facilities Assistant
Bio coming soon!
Board of Directors
The following is the all-volunteer Board of Directors of Undercroft Montessori School. The Board meets once a month, usually the 2nd Tuesday of the month (refer to the current school year calendar for meeting dates and times.) We are a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation as classified by the Internal Revenue Service. As a parent, you are a member of this corporation and your input and opinions are a valuable part of our organization. Parents are encouraged to attend and voice their concerns and ideas. The board provides guidance and direction for the school, oversees budgeting and tuition rates, and ensures the school maintains its focus on its educational mission.
Aaron Bean
David Daugherty
Elizabeth Edwards
Scott Ferris
Tess Hanner
Evie Houston
Jamie Jones
Zuri Jones
Shai Kaiser
Jogi Makhani
Alison Meeks
Brett Palmer
Becca Povlock
Erin Rich
Aaron Rogers
Vanessa Rogers
Katie Sachse
Heidi Shadid
Dave Sherry
Robert Thomas
*Chair
*Nominating Chair / Crisis Response Team / DEI Leadership / *Cyber-Security Task Group
Finance / Nominating
*CBC Co-Chair / Nominating
Marketing
Marketing / Policy / Crisis Response Team
Marketing / Funds Development / Honey Fest
CBC / Nominating
CBC / DEI Leadership / Capital Campaign
CBC / Honey Fest / Cyber-Security Task Group / DEI Leadership
Treasurer / *Finance / Policy / Crisis Response Team
Finance / Cyber-Security Task Group
Facilities / Cyber-Security Task Group
CBC
Funds Development / CBC
*Facilities
Secretary / Facilities / CBC
*Marketing / CBC / Honey Fest
*Cyber-Security Task Group / Finance / Policy
Marketing / DEI Leadership
President / *Funds Development / Crisis Response Team / Capital Campaign / Policy / Marketing / Facilities