Principal
Mr. Jim Nouse
Principal of Willistown Country Day School, Mr. Nouse embraces the promotion and education of the whole child. The authentic Montessori culture established by the school’s founder in 1972 continues to thrive under his supervision. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, he originally joined Willistown in 1991 to enhance its music program. Due to his influence and popularity, violin went from being an enrichment option to being a part of the school’s Elementary curriculum. As an educator, Mr. Nouse teaches more than music; he shows children how to work with others by pairing older children with younger children, rotating groups and allowing children to motivate each other. As Principal, he maintains the school’s Montessori educational foundation by instilling time management, accountability, grace, courtesy and respect into every academic learning opportunity for students of every age and ability. He realizes how important a solid early education is for setting up a successful, healthy life for children. By his gauge, success is a child who can confidently say, “I’d like to try on my own. Thank you.” Under his guidance, Willistown Country Day School continues to be a true Montessori School where all children are supported as individuals to discover a life-long love of learning, a sense of community and genuine self-confidence.
VICE PRINCIPAL
MS. JENNIFER CONWAY
Miss Jen’s cheerful nature influences her happy classroom environment. She has had several roles at Willistown Country Day School since she started in 1998. For the first six years, she headed the kindergarten through first-grade class. Following that, she assumed the position of School Director after the passing of Willistown’s founder, Mrs. Reeves, and has been the Lead Montessori Teacher of the Downstairs Classroom since 2010. She completely enjoys the work required to meet each child’s needs. Every day, she is inspired by the willingness and enthusiasm of children to engage in learning. Montessori Principles are an innate way of living and teaching for Miss Jen. As a Montessori Educator, she is child-focused, hands-on, playful, yet challenging. Instinctively, she engages a child’s curiosity and eagerness with a goal of nurturing their life-long love of learning. Essential to developing her students’ full potential is guiding them to discover that to be resourceful is to be powerful. Thus, cultivating her students’ practical life skills is a key part of her teaching process. From learning how to tie one’s own shoes, to learning how to ask for help, to managing one’s time to complete daily tasks, Miss Jen’s students acquire a commanding academic foundation supplemented with self-confidence that comes from independent accomplishments.