08/14/2026
As part of Bentley’s “Phoenix Faculty” series, we’re proud to spotlight members of our extraordinary and talented teaching staff. Today, we’re featuring one of Bentley’s longest-serving faculty members: 5th Grade teacher Reona Visser!
A calming presence on campus who can always reassure a Lower School student with her warm smile, Ms. Visser begins her 19th year at Bentley this fall. She says she always knew she would become a teacher:
“Teaching is practically in my DNA. My dad was a teacher and headmaster, and he was and is the center of my world. When I was young, I looked up to him as this superhero who knew everything, and my dream was simply to follow in his footsteps.”
Ms. Visser now realizes that her father’s greatest superpower wasn’t simply his vast knowledge, but also his leadership, empathy, and ability to see the potential in every student who walked into his classroom. Those same qualities continue to inspire her work today.
While she particularly enjoys math and science, Ms. Visser says she is passionate about every part of her 5th Grade curriculum. “I love fostering that sense of wonder, experimentation, and critical thinking in my students.” Her love of science—and her interest in helping students adapt, stay resilient, and thrive in a rapidly changing world—also inspired her to join Bentley’s K-12 AI Task Force, which has spent the past year working with consultant Eric Hudson to help our community thoughtfully navigate the emergence of this technology.
After nearly two decades at Bentley, Ms. Visser remains energized by the School’s philosophy of teaching students how to think, not what to think. She has seen this approach help students grow, challenge themselves, and stretch in all the best ways—and she’s excited to begin another year of doing what she loves. 💙
