Children’s House Faculty

Kit earned a B.S. in Child Development from Virginia Tech. She also has an extensive history with Montessori education. She co-founded the Boxwood Montessori School in Virginia with her mother in the 1970′s and served as the Director of Boxwood’s summer day camp from 1981 to 2004. Kit joined The New School in 2005 and has been a lead teacher in the Children’s House One Class since she started.

In the past, Kit has served as a personal chef and a business owner. She has also taught art in the Wake County school system. Kit’s interests include cooking, piano, and art.

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Email: kit@montessoricenter.org

Favorite Montessori Quote

We teachers can only help the work going on, as servants wait upon a master.
— Dr. Maria Montessori

Danielle was raised in Virginia and graduated from Virginia Tech in 2011 with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies. Her main focuses were English, History, and Education.

Danielle’s experience includes both private and public schools from early childhood to the fourth grade level. Danielle earned her AMS certification in the summer of 2012. Danielle plans to pursue higher degrees in early childhood and further her experience and training in Montessori education.

Her interests include: world, classic, and contemporary literature, cinema, and spending time in nature.

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Email: danielle@montessoricenter.org

Favorite Montessori Quote

Averting war is the work of politicians; establishing peace is the work of education. If help and salvation are to come, they can only come from the children, for the children are the makers of men.
— Dr. Maria Montessori

Norly was born and raised in the Philippines. Her native language is Tagalog, and she also speaks some Spanish. Norly’s first teaching experience was in the public school system and she has since worked in several other schools and childcare centers. She has an Early Education Childhood Certificate, Early Childhood Diploma, and an Associates Degree in Applied Science in Early Education from Wake Technical Community College.

Norly started with The New School in 2006 as an assistant teacher in one of our Children’s House classrooms. After becoming a Certified Montessori teacher, Norly assumed the position of lead teacher in one of our Children’s House classes and has successfully continued in that position.

“I have a 14-year-old son and have been married for 19 years. My hobbies include shopping, cooking, and gardening. Above all, the most important reason I chose teaching as a career is that I absolutely love working with children. I am a very energetic person and thoroughly enjoy my career choice.” — Norly

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Email: norly@montessoricenter.org

Favorite Montessori Quote

The teacher must have a kind of faith that the child will reveal himself through work. She must free herself from all preconceived ideas concerning the levels at which the children may be.”
— Dr. Maria Montessori

Jane was born in the Philippines and moved to the United States in 1988. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in commerce, majoring in management, from the University of Mindanao. Jane’s native language is Cebuano, however she is fluent in Tagalog and English. She also speaks some Spanish and German.

Jane completed her Early Childhood Associate Certificate Credential in 2007. Jane has also completed numerous certifications including Early Educator Certificate (Level 2) and her Montessori Teaching Diploma. Jane joined The New School in 2007 as an assistant teacher and was promoted to a co-teacher after receiving her Montessori certification.

She lives in Holly Springs with her husband and two children.

“I’m a patient person, with a friendly personality. I enjoy working with young children. I especially enjoy introducing them to a multicultural curriculum and also to the benefits of being multilingual.” — Jane

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Email: jane@montessoricenter.org

Favorite Montessori Quote

We teachers can only help the work going on, as servants wait upon a master.
— Dr. Maria Montessori

Karishma was born and raised in India and moved to the United States in 2002. She is fluent in English and Hindi.

Karishma’s background is in the arts, which she studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kolkatta, India. She also has formal training in computer aided engineering design. She began her career as an interior designer and after moving to the United States, taught arts and crafts to children in private and public schools.

In 2011, Karishma joined the New School Montessori Center as in intern. She is currently pursuing AMS certification through the Center For Montessori Teacher Education. Her interests include sculpture, painting, music, travel and reading.

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Email: karishma@montessoricenter.org

Betty grew up in Kansas and lived there for 27 years. She went to Kansas State University, graduating in 1981 with a B.S. in Family and Child Development. Betty became interested in Montessori when she moved to Louisiana and worked at Wildflower Montessori, under Barbara Crockett. She earned her AMS Certificate in 1990 from the New Orleans Teacher Education Center.

Betty has taught in a church preschool, university lab school, and in Montessori schools. She joined The New School in 2009. This will be her 27th year of teaching. She loves children and especially enjoys singing with them every day. Betty has also taught Kindermusik in the past and has given talks about Montessori math.

Betty has three children of her own and three grandchildren. She has lived here for eight years and loves North Carolina. Her hobbies include gardening, crocheting, and finding new music for her class.

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Email: betty@montessoricenter.org

Favorite Montessori Quote

The greatness of the human personality begins at the hour of birth. From this almost mystic affirmation there comes what may seem a strange conclusion: that education must start from birth.
— Dr. Maria Montessori

Jamila has 17 years experience teaching in Morocco, Kuwait, and New York. She has an Associates Degree in Economics and a Teaching Certificate from Queens College, New York.

Jamila started her career as a bilingual teacher in her home country of Morocco. When she moved to the United States in 1989, Jamila worked as a substitute teacher with AHRC in New York. Jamila then joined the New York Board of Education working with children with special needs. She later moved back to Morocco where she taught at the American Academy in Casablanca for two years. Jamila also lived in Kuwait where she honed her teaching skills in English, French and Arabic. Jamila’s language ability and her exposure to many cultures helps her broaden the cultural awareness of our children and to communicate with parents, relating to their needs and those of their children.

Jamila joined The New School faculty in 2009 as a classroom assistant. She received her Montessori certification in 2011, and was then promoted to the position co-teacher in one of our Children’s House classrooms.

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Email: jamila@montessoricenter.org

Lisa earned her BA in Advanced Technical Theatre from SUNY New Paltz. She also holds a Nonprofit Management Certificate.

After twelve years of professional work as a costume designer and theatre technician in New York City, Lisa and her husband moved to North Carolina to raise their lovely twins, Milo and Lola.

Lisa joined The New School in the spring of 2012 as an administrative assistant. After subbing in the class many times, Lisa decided to pursue her Montessori training on the Children’s House level. Her anticipated graduated will be in the summer of 2013. She is currently interning in our Children’s House program and is an asset to our classrooms and school.

Lisa enjoys camping, bread-making, sourdough experimentation, and designing and building costumes for her twins.

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Email: lisa@montessoricenter.org

Favorite Montessori Quote

A leader, therefore, is not somebody with a sense of great authority, but somebody with a sense of great responsibility.
— Dr. Maria Montessori

Lina was born in Kenya and moved to the U.K. for further education in Accounting and Taxation. She then moved to North Carolina in 1998.

Lina has two boys who joined The New School at ages 2 and 4. They stayed in the Montessori environment until they transitioned to other schools at middle and high school.

Lina decided to pursue her Montessori training after she saw how Maria Montessori’s method of teaching benefitted her own children by using “hands-on” Montessori materials. Lina truly believes that giving her own children the foundation of a Montessori education has paved a path for them to be successful and independent. Lina completed her Montessori training for 3-6 AMS Credential at the Center for Montessori Teacher Education in July 2000 and has taught for 13 years, out of which 9 years have been with The New School.

Lina loves to work with the children, watching them develop, and seeing how each child although different from one another, is successful in their own individual ways.

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Email: lina@montessoricenter.org

Favorite Montessori Quote

The child has other powers than ours, and the creation he achieves is no small one; it is everything.
— Dr. Maria Montessori

Originally from Long Island, New York, Maureen obtained certificates in Early Childhood Education from Stanley Community College and Nassau Community College.

Maureen’s teaching experience includes three years as Lead Teacher at the Seeds of Faith Preschool and as a Classroom Assistant at Southern Wake Montessori School. She joined The New School in 2010 as a classroom assistant and has continued to be an integral part of our strong teaching team.

Maureen is married, has two boys and enjoys Korean martial arts, growing her own vegetables and raising chickens.

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Email: maureen@montessoricenter.org