People - Tartu International School

Maria Paaver

Principal

Dear TIS family!

I have been part of Tartu International School’s community for ten years, as a teacher, as a director of development and as a parent, and since July 2022 I am the principal of this wonderful school.

I have studied Estonian language and literature, and have a Master’s degree in education from the University of Tartu. I believe in child centered education, happy and supportive learning environment, hands-on and inquiry-based learning, eco-friendly mindset, promoting creativity and reading.

I’m very excited to work together with such a dedicated teaching team and look forward to having inspiring conversations with our students and parents.

Kirsi Kriit

Head of Studies, PYP Coordinator

I was born and raised in Tartu, and am currently studying at Tartu University to get my MA in education specializing in handicraft and art. I knew from a young age that I was going to be a teacher and have worked with kids of various ages all my working life. I love being a teacher and the challenges that come with it. I enjoy helping them understand the world, learn new skills and find ways to be kind, passionate and creative. My native tongue is Estonian, and I speak English and a little bit of German. In my free time, I enjoy many nature-based activities – usually hiking and cycling. Mostly, I listen to music, read, and spend time with people I care about.

Liis Pariis

Kindergarten Teacher

I was born in Tartu grew up in a little village near Viljandi. After graduation from high school, I decided to take one year off. Life led me to Italy where I worked as a babysitter. After coming back to Estonia, I started studying educational sciences at Tartu University. After graduation, I moved to Finland where I also worked as a teacher at an English-immersion kindergarten. As an Estonian my heart will always belong to Estonia, so after six years I came back. I have been working at TIS since September 2017. It has been a great journey full of new experiences and knowledge, wonderful children and good friendships. I love my work! I spend most of my free time with my family. We love to take nature trips, go to the cinema and theatre, and experience new things.

Riin Sats

Kindergarten Teacher

I was born and raised in Tartu. After graduating from the Estonian University of Life Sciences with a master’s degree in horticulture, I moved to the Netherlands, where I stayed for 8 years working in the field of pharmaceutical industry. From my early teens I have worked as a babysitter for international families, during the summers as a daycare teacher and in my student years as a teacher in the Children Center of Annelinn. I have always enjoyed the interaction with children, seeing how they learn and discover.

In my free time I love to spend time with my children and my large family, reading and going for walks.

Aleksandra Griffel

Kindergarten Teacher

I was born and raised in Tallinn, after finishing high school I moved to Viljandi to study youth work in University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy. After graduation I moved to Austria to work as a volunteer for a year. I ended up living in Austria for 4 years. The last 3 years I spent in Australia working and traveling around. Traveling has broadened my views of the world, made me a more open person and taught me the importance of always being yourself. In those 7 years I spent away from Estonia I got to know myself better and realized the things that really make me happy in life. I have dreamed about being a kindergarten teacher for years and finally my dream has come true! I have started studying to become an early years teacher in University of Tartu and found my way to Tartu International Kindergarten. I couldn’t be happier! Working with children is something that inspires me and while we teach kids all about life, they teach us what life is all about!

Kaisa Alehodžin

Kindergarten Teacher

I grew up in Rakvere, lived in Tallinn during high school and one year in the Netherlands. I changed the direction from my previous studies to early childhood education after my son was born – I co-founded a small outdoor-orientated daycare and by now that path has brought me to
the Master´s degree in early childhood education and care. I have worked with children aged 2 –7 for the past seven years now and this is my second year at TIS.
Working with children allows me to sing, dance, play and sledge down the hill during the working hours. When it comes to learning and teaching, I value rich and various learning environment, creativity and freedom, humor, playful learning and at the same time also routines
and boundaries. I have many dear memories of my own kindergarten years that I spent in a small Waldorf kindergarten: playing outdoors with my friends, the smell of wooden toys and beeswax that was used for modelling, baking Tuesdays, hiking Wednesdays, sticking barley under the table during lunch as we were supposed to eat the whole plate… I try to keep in mind that every day is a small piece of my students´ childhood.
In my spare time I enjoy reading, hiking and being in nature with my family and dog.

Dagmar Linnasmägi

Kindergarten Teacher

I was born in Tartu but grew up in Tõrvandi, a small place near Tartu. So I had a great opportunity to grow up in the middle of nature. For 4 years I lived in Tallinn when I went to university to study law. After finishing university I came back to Tartu and have lived here ever since. My career has been colorful – after working as a secretary in Notary office for eight years, two law offices, and also as a project manager in translation office for eight years, I felt that I needed a change from office work and decided to start a course as preschool teacher in University of Tartu. At the same time I started working as a teacher in Haaslava kindergarten. My decision to switch careers is the best decision I’ve made. I love children’s honesty and simplicity. I started work as a teacher’s assistant in Tartu International Kindergarten in December 2021.

Alexandra-Marie Mihhailova

Kindergarten Assistant Teacher

Hi, my name is Alexandra. I’m local here in Tartu. I went to university in Viljandi where I studied leisure time management for kids and youth. After that, I lived and worked abroad for a while in 3 different countries. First I went to Italy, then France and then Slovakia. I have tried various jobs (youth worker, waitress, chef, project coordinator). Jack of many trades. In my free time, I play board games and occasionally travel somewhere.

Maris Laidre

Kindergarten Assistant Teacher

I grew up in Tõrva, which is a small town in South Estonia. After finishing high school, I studied Dance Art at Viljandi Cultural Academy. It was an amazing experience in every way, but more of a “Life School”, so I didn’t pursue it any further. Then I moved to Tallinn and got a job in a kindergarten as a teacher’s assistant. I really enjoyed it and got the opportunity to educate myself more and become a teacher. So I ended up studying at Tallinn University Further Education Center.
After working a year as a kindergarten teacher, I went to Australia. When I came back I tried out other jobs and then had my daughter 🙂 And when it was time to come back to the “jobland”, I ended up here at TIS! I love the community here, how child-centred it is and how much time we spend outside, amongst other things.
If I can have some time to myself, I like to spend it outside in nature, taking long walks. Also I draw, and when I have the chance I read and write.

Hanna-Liisa Roone

Kindergarten Assistant Teacher

I grew up in a small village in eastern Estonia. After graduating high school I lived in Tallinn, but I decided to move to Tartu to study tourism management at Tartu Vocational Education Centre; thanks to that, I lived for six months in New Jersey, USA. When I came back I started to train as an early-years teacher at Tartu University. My mother tongue is Estonian. I have worked at TIS since 2020 and I am really happy to be here! My students have little hands and big hearts. I’m proud to be a kindergarten teacher.

Krista Pensa

Kindergarten Substitution Teacher

Anne Mirjam Kraav

Kindergarten Substitution Teacher

Vesta Voltein

Music Teacher

I was born and raised in Tartu. In 1992 I moved to Tallinn to study at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and I lived there for 8 years. Since 2000 I am back in Tartu. My mother tongue is Estonian and I speak English and Russian as well. I love Music. Children too. Let’s sing and play! The choir or the band- music is fun!

Liis Tähiste

Sports Teacher

Mikko Saarivuori

Sports Teacher, Robotics Teacher

I grew up in a small city called Rauma that is located on the west coast of Finland. I have also lived a few years in Turku and moved to Tartu in 2016. I have studied sports and coaching. I have worked with children in schools, kindergartens, sports clubs and as a personal assistant for people with special needs. I also coach floorball in Tartu. My native tongue is Finnish, and I speak English and some Estonian. In my free time I like to play floorball, ice hockey, airsoft and go fishing.

Kersti Türk

Counsellor

My home town is Tartu, but I feel like a very global person who loves travelling and meeting people from different cultures and places. I have experience in nearly every position in the field of education. My favourite discoveries have been related to people and their individual growth, brain research, lifelong-learning opportunities, environments that support learning and mental health. I believe in relationships. I believe that to love someone means to listen. I believe that good relationships are the bases for everyone’s learning and well-being. At Tartu International School, I work as a school counsellor and social pedagogue – helping both our students and staff to find ways to take care of their well-being, as well as building social skills, learning motivational techniques, methods of stress management, and self-compassion.

Kati Helmeste-Riet

Special Education Pedagogue

Ene Maremäe

Lunch Lady

Tartu is my hometown; I was born here and have lived here all my life. I graduated from the University of Tartu with a degree in commerce from the Faculty of Economics. I have worked in commerce for over 20 years, and for the past 20 years, I have been involved in catering. This year (2024), I am starting my third academic year at this school. I enjoy working here; the team is great. In my free time, I like to spend time in nature, go to the forest, and tinker in the garden.

Mariia Feniak

Housekeeper