WHO’S WHO

Ellen Fox - Head of School

• Montessori Academy Founder 1965
• Attended Bank Street College, NY
• Interests; growing the school, gardening, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, traveling, skiing (not necessarily in that order)

Doris Roman - Administrative Assistant

• Graduated 1989/Friedrich List Schule Solingen (Germany)
• Montessori Parent since 2003
• AMI certification – MTNC, Hartford, CT – 2008
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2006

Lynette Christy - Bookkeeper

• Mother of 2 grown daughters
• Enjoys gardening and cooking
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2012

Beverly Russell - Director of Development

• Montessori Parent
• Graduate of Delran High School, Delran, NJ
• Resides in Delanco, NJ with her husband, Joe, and children, Emilee and Lucas
• Interests include: gardening, bicycling and playing outside with her family
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2010

Ratna Sardar - Toddler Classroom Teacher

• B.A. -University of Calcutta
• Montessori Certification – Calcutta Montessori Training Centre, India
• Born in Calcutta, India
• Taught Montessori in India and the U.K.
• Lived in Germany and the U.K.
• Enjoys Indian cooking and traveling.
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 1995

Carmen Santiago - Toddler Classroom Assistant

• Born in Puerto Rico
• Has 2 children and grandchildren
• Very involved with her church
• Enjoys working with children and cooking
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2002

Assunta Wiratunga - Primary Classroom A Teacher

• Montessori Certification – College of the Good Shepherd Sri Lanka AMI
• Originally from Sri Lanka.
• Worked two years in Sri Lanka as a Montessori Directress, taught in the Maldive Islands, Montessori Directress in Minnesota.
• The admiration, respect and love for children prompted her to study and follow Dr. Maria Montessori’s teaching methods.
• Ms. Wiratunga enjoys teaching Montessori children and takes great pride in the accomplishments of her past pupils in various fields of life.
• Interests include music and art, also studied piano for several years.
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 1980

Beatriz Yunga - Primary Classroom A Assistant

• Montessori Parent
• Born in Equador
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2013

Talat Malik - Primary All Day Montessori (ADM) Co-Teacher

• Montessori Certification- University of Karachi, Pakistan AMI
• B.A. in Education- University of Karachi
• Taught kindergarten before receiving Montessori training
• Enjoys teaching and bringing new ideas from which her class would benefit
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 1996

Brin Burnham - Primary All Day Montessori (ADM) Co-Teacher

• Received her AMI Training in New Braunfels, Texas
• Has taught in Texas, Florida, California, Saudi Arabia & England
• Enjoys being outdoors, bicycling and gardening with her husband and daughter
• Has lived all over the world, and is happy to be back in the Delaware Valley, where she and her husband both grew up
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2011

Yvonne Robles-Lopez - Primary All Day Montessori (ADM) Assistant

• Born in Lima, Perú
• Has lived in Perú, Spain, Brazil and the United States of America
• After completing high school in Lima, Perú, studied in Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Administration at Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Lima, Per­ú; Education in San Antonio College, San Antonio, Texas
• Mother of two beautiful teenagers–son Alessandro and daughter Daniela; and a precious pet named Molly
• Loves to learn new languages; can speak Portuguese, and Spanish, which she teaches to the MANJ students
• Enjoys cooking and reading in her spare time
• Passionate about working with children
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2012

Ismat Malik - Extended Care Program (ECP)

• Born in Pakistan
• Enjoys working with children
• Hobbies include, cooking, reading and travelling
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 1990

Merike Safka - Primary Classroom C Teacher

• AMI Certification – Rochester Institute of Montessori Training, NY
• Originally from Estonia
• Studied at Tarta University
• Montessori Parent
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2000

Veronica Morales - Primary Classroom C Assistant

• Montessori Parent
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2005

Metaxia Miller - Elementary Teacher

• Born and raised in Thessaloniki, Greece
• Received her Primary AMI Training in Washington, DC after observing our own Ms. Talat
• Received her Elementary AMI Training in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Masters in Education from Loyola
• Love of art and painting; has painted countless murals in restaurants, schools and residential homes
• Montessori Parent
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2011

Matt Simberg - Elementary Teacher

• B.S. Major Psychology / Minor Philosophy – University of Scranton, PA
• Montessori Certification-Washington Montessori Institute, MD AMI
• Masters in Education – Loyola College, MD
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2006

Julia Richards - Middle School Teacher

• Received her AMI Adolescent Training  in Cleveland, Ohio
• Received her AMI Elementary Training in Bergamo, Italy
• Received her English Degree from Brown with Honors
• Enjoys running, reading and literature, cooking and music, especially singing
• Resides in Philadelphia
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2011

Will Fleming - Middle School Consultant

• BS in Education, Social Studies from Millersville University
• Received his AMI Adolescent training in Cleveland, Ohio
• Enjoys golf, guitar, travel and reading
• Montessori parent; Wife, Keb, and son, Wilde
• Developed New Zealand’s only Montessori Adolescent program
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2013

Ann Kimball - Catapult Learning Teacher

• BS in Education and English, College of New Jersey
• Certified K-8 in all subjects
• Certified High School English
• Enjoys reading, gardening and foreign films
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2012

Barry Moore - Physical Education, Chorus, and Drama Teacher

• A stage actor appearing in productions at the Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theater, the TLA and the Bristol Riverside Theatre among others.
• Taught classes in Theater, Improvisation, Pantomime, Movement, and Playwriting at the Perkins Center for the Arts, and worked with the Philadelphia Young Playwrights and the St. Joseph’s School Children’s Choir.
• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2005

Guy Faux - Piano Teacher (Cherry Hill Academy of Piano & Guitar)

• Has been studying piano for close to 40 years.
• Has performed in night-clubs, weddings, and private parties.
• First 13 years involved classical music exclusively.
• Later he immersed himself in everything including rock, blues, jazz and gospel.
• His goal is to help students enjoy playing piano.

Kim Stevenson - Yoga Class Instructor

• Montessori Parent
• Owner, The Studio for Yoga, Moorestown, New Jersey
• Certified Yoga Instructor
• Registered Dietetic Technician

Jim Keith - Building Project Manager

• Alumnus of Montessori Academy
• Member of the original class of 15 students (1965)
• Montessori parent

Juan Gudino - Building and Grounds Staff

• Joined Montessori Academy Staff in 2006