Music and Movement at HPMS!
Fran Ouellette
Creative Movement Instructor
Fran Ouellette has brought joyful creative movement to Highland Park Montessori School for over 25 years. Beginning her career as a preschool teacher in 1971, Fran has specialized in children’s movement and dance for over five decades. Her rich background spans gymnastics, yoga, Pilates, ballet, modern dance technique, composition, and improvisation.
About Creative Movement
Creative movement is a non-competitive, whole-body practice that nurtures the child’s body, mind, and spirit:
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Physical Development: Safely builds physical strength, flexibility, coordination, balance, cardiovascular health, and rhythmic awareness.
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Spatial & Social Skills: Teaches body awareness and safe spatial navigation while fostering cooperation, leadership, and respect for individual differences.
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Mind & Imagination: Encourages creative imagination, active listening, and following multi-step directions, laying a strong foundation for lifelong self-confidence.
Playing With Music with Mark Sorvari
Music & Ukulele Instructor
Mark connected with Highland Park Montessori School through the Saint Paul Conservatory of Music, where he was teaching ukulele. For over four years, Mark has brought music to our community through our Friday Ukulele Club for 5- and 6-year-olds and our weekly afternoon Playing with Music program. Mark is also an HPMS parent—his child, Mimiko, graduated from Children’s House in 2025.
Background & Expertise
Mark is a professional musician, performer, educator, and event curator who has worked in early childhood education since 2010. He is the Director of Playing with Music, founded in 2015 to inspire, teach, and share the joy of music with young children and their families.
Pedagogical Alignment
Mark’s background includes experience with the Reggio Emilia approach, alongside formal certifications in two world-renowned early childhood music education methods: Orff-Schulwerk and Music Together.
Singing with Kathy!
Kathy Lee — Early Childhood Vocal Specialist
Once each week, children in our Toddler Community share in the pure joy of song with Kathy Lee, who has been part of the HPMS community since 2019.
Background & Experience
A vocalist on the faculty at the Saint Paul Conservatory of Music, Kathy brings nearly 30 years of experience as an early childhood music educator and trainer. She is deeply passionate about encouraging early musical literacy in young children during the developmental window when musical absorption comes most naturally.
Interactive Musical Concepts
Through engaging singing games and collaborative group vocal work, children intuitively explore foundational musical concepts:
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Rhythm & Tempo: Experiencing steady beat, fast, and slow.
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Pitch & Dynamics: Distinguishing high vs. low tones and exploring loud vs. soft dynamics (and everything in between).
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