Administration
Lillian Smith
Ms. Lillian is the Administrator of Montessori Children’s Academy. She holds a B.S. in Business/Retailing and has completed early childhood education coursework from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is in the process of completing her AMS certification in Early Childhood Education and in Montessori Administration. Her prior experience includes seven years in the retail and management industry. Ms. Lillian actively attends professional and early childhood education seminars and conferences. Ms. Lillian is dedicated to serving the needs of school’s the families and students, and developing the MCA staff. She has two children, both in the 3 – 6 year old program, that attend MCA.
Stephanie Smith
Stephanie Smith serves as Montessori Children’s Academy’s Assistant Director and Infant/Toddler Teacher. She has obtained her early childhood education from Malcom X and Triton College. Ms. Stephanie has over eight years of experience working with infants to school aged children. In addition to attending multiple early childhood conferences and training, Ms. Stephanie holds a Montessori Assistant Paraprofessional certificate from MECA-Seton. She plans on pursuing her Infant/Toddler Montessori Certification and Early Childhood education in Spring 2010. She finds it very rewarding working with children, she loves to challenge each child’s imagination and help them develop a high level of self-confidence. Ms. Stephanie is the proud mother of her 9 year old son, Bobby.
INFANT / TODDLER STAFF
Naheed Akram
Ms. Naheed is an Assistant Teacher in the Infant Room. She has worked at M.C.A. since 1997. She received an associate’s degree in Pakistan and has attended early childhood education workshops. Ms. Naheed enjoys seeing the infants reach developmental milestones and gain independence as they become Toddlers.
Coria Coffie
Coria Coffie has been an Assistant Teacher in our 2 – 3 Years Old Green Room since June 2008. Before working at M.C.A. she worked at Fox Valley Preschool for over two years. Ms. Coria has completed some early childhood course work from the College of DuPage and looks forward to furthering her education in Montessori and Early Childhood. Ms. Coria is the mother of two daughters, one Toddler and the other elementary school aged.
Lillian Hughes
Ms. Lillian has worked at M.C.A. since fall 2003 as an Infant/Toddler Teacher. She has worked with children ranging in age from infants to 4 years old since 1996. Prior to MCA, Lillian worked at the Union Church of Hinsdale for 4 1/2 years. She has completed course work from Harold Washington College, Sawyer Business School and Fifth City Business Careers. Ms. Lillian enjoys attending early childhood conferences and workshops.
Patrice James
Patrice James has worked with young children for over seven years. She received her education in early childhood from Malcolm X College. She holds a Montessori Assistant Paraprofessional certificate from MECA-Seton. Ms. Patrice enjoys participating in professional development opportunities and plans to continue her Montessori and Early Childhood training in the future. Ms. Patrice is the mother of three; her youngest two children attend M.C.A. and her oldest son is in elementary school. Ms. Patrice has experience in Baby Sign Language and incorporates the use of sign language actively in our Infant and Toddler classrooms.
Lisa Lofendo
Ms. Lisa is our 2 – 3 Years Old Green Room Teacher. Ms Lisa has taught in the Green Room since Spring 2007. She is in the process of completing her Montessori Infant/Toddler Certification. Ms. Lisa holds an Early Childhood Level 1 C.D.A. certification and has completed several courses from the College of DuPage. Her previous experience includes providing home care for five years, teaching at a vacation bible school program, and volunteering for a local preschool program in Elmhurst. Ms. Lisa especially enjoys providing her students with hands-on activities and sharing her love for nature with them. She incorporates gardening, nature walks, and outdoor learning experiences whenever possible. Ms. Lisa enjoys teaching Montessori because the approach builds each child’s own strengths; children can learn, grow, and become independent at a very young age.
Magdalena Pyrkosz
Magdalena Pyrkosz is MCA’s Infant/Toddler Directress; she teaches in our Toddler (15 – 24 month olds) Room. Ms. Magda holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and an American Montessori Society Infant/Toddler credential. This is her fifth year as a lead teacher working with Infants and Toddlers in the Montessori environment. Ms. Magda takes great pleasure in responding to the needs of children and families. Her teaching philosophy is that each child is unique; it is her privilege to help students discover their individuality and their talents. She is dedicated to being fully present and understanding of children’s cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development.
Linda Smith
Ms. Linda is one of MCA’S Infant Teachers. She holds an associate’s degree in early childhood education. Ms. Linda has 28 years of experience working with children and has worked at M.C.A. since 1995. She loves working with infants and enjoys sharing her love for music and singing with them.
3 – 6 YEARS OLD STAFF
Sabrina Aguirre
Ms. Sabrina started working at MCA in 2005 as an Assistant Teacher with our 3 – 6 year old children. Prior to M.C.A. she assisted at another Montessori school for two years. Ms. Sabrina completed the MECA-Seton Assistant Paraprofessional Course in 2005 and continues her professional development by attending workshops. Ms. Sabrina has a school aged son who is a MCA graduate.
Fabiola Gomez-Lara
Ms. Fabi started at MCA in 2007 as a Toddler Room assistant teacher in our Summer Camp. She holds a Montessori Fundamentals Certification and has worked in our 3 – 6 Years Old Blue Room and Toddler classrooms since then. Prior to M.C.A. she provided home care for several children and was a certified nursing assistant for three years. Ms. Fabi is bi-lingual and contributes significantly to our Spanish education program.
Jessica LaMastra
Ms. Jessica is MCA’S Blue Room, 3 – 6 Yr. Olds Montessori Intern/Teacher’s Assistant. Ms. Jessica completed her Early Childhood Montessori teacher training from MECA in Clarendon Hills and plans to receive her certification in June 2010. Ms. Jessica holds a B.S. degree in Human Development & Family Studies from Penn State. From 2007 – 2009 she was the Lead Teacher for two year to three year olds in a Montessori based school in Maryland. Ms. Jessica fell in love with Montessori because of its peaceful approach. She enjoys watching a child first introduced to a particular work and with time and concentration, that same child mastering that work. “The sense of independence and self accomplishment that that child experiences are what makes working as a Montessori teacher so great. I love working in the practical life section of the classroom because that is where it all begins!” Ms. Jessica’s interests and hobbies include scrapbooking, mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding.
Mariana Qano
Ms. Mariana received her B.A. in Philosophy. She taught for 21 years at the high school level in her native land, Korca, Albania. Ms. Mariana has taught as an Assistant Teacher in MCA’a 3 – 6 Year Old program for over eight years. She enjoys working with the children to see them develop and grow. Ms. Mariana is especially interested in sharing great conversations with the children and giving them an opportunity to share what they want to talk about.
Chimei Schneider
Ms. Chimei taught in our Green Room (2 – 3 Years Old) during school years 2005 - 2008. She is currently our 3 - 6 Year Old Montessori Red Room Directresses and co-teaches our Kindergarten Enrichment Program. Ms. Chimei holds a Master’s degree in Marketing Communication from Emerson College in Boston and second Master’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from New York University. She has a New York State K-6 certification and the AMS Montessori Early Childhood Certification. Ms. Chimei taught at West Side Montessori in New York for four years before coming to M.C.A. Ms. Chimei enjoys giving Parent-Education workshops and partnering with our families to develop the connection between school and home for our students. She is also an avid reader and actively attends Montessori and Early Childhood Education workshops.
Lynor Stirler
Ms. Lynor is MCA’s Red Room, 3 – 6 Yr. Olds Montessori Intern/Teacher’s Assistant. Ms. Lynor holds two bachelor's degrees from Iowa State, one in business and one in Child and Family Services. She is currently in the process of completing her Montessori certification in Early Childhood Education from MECA-Seton. Her early childhood experience includes working in traditional child care settings and volunteering at Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines as well as Edward Hospital in Naperville. Ms. Lynor interests include water skiing and practicing yoga.
Joyce Teng
Ms. Joyce has taught as at M.C.A. since 1991. She received her bachelor’s degree in Taiwan and completed her Montessori Early Childhood certification from MMTTC (Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center). In addition to being the Blue Room Directress, Ms. Joyce co-teaches our Kindergarten Enrichment program and is our 3 – 6 Year Old Program Coordinator. Ms. Joyce’s personal interests include listening to music, playing sports (basketball, ping pong, and biking). Ms. Joyce’s is passionate about making Montessori materials and working with our students to develop positive self-esteem and independence.
Jasmin Tsao
Ms. Jasmin is our Montessori Musical Arts Coordinator/Teacher and 3 – 6 Years Old Afternoon Teacher. She teaches private piano lessons and conducts our Montessori Children’s Choir. Ms. Jasmin is an accomplished vocalist and pianist; she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music. She is actively involved in the musical community, as a vocal soloist, director of the philharmonic society of Chicago and other choirs, in addition to teaching private piano and voice lessons for the past 10 years. Her goal is to educate and provide her students the opportunity to experience and deepen their natural connection with music.
HIGH SHOOL / COLLEGE TEACHER’S ASSISTANTS:
Jennifer Priske
Lauren Byrd
Lexie Paist
Caroline DeGaetano
Jackie Hand
Kelsey Carlson
ADDITIONAL STAFF:
Part of Montessori Children’s Academy’s curriculum includes a formal in-school music and formal foreign language program.
Linida Bulifant
Ms. Linida Bulifant, is M.C.A.’s licensed and very experienced Kindermusik instructor. Each week she comes to our school and teaches a separate music lesson for each of our classes (including our Infants and Toddlers). She holds a Masters Degree in Music and is currently the second chair flutist with the Wheaton Symphony Orchestra and Principle flutist with the West Suburban Chamber Orchestra. She has taught general music, piano, and recorder at area Montessori schools for seventeen years, in addition to private flute/piano for twenty years.
Montessori Children’s Academy offers a formal Spanish immersion program for our 2 – 6 year old students. Language Stars sends an experienced instructor to our school each week to work with our students in fun, dynamic, and engaging activities. Children have a specific “window of opportunity” between birth and adolescence during which the brain is uniquely suited to absorbing language naturally. “Younger learners, naturally acquire a second language, absorbing the sounds, structures, intonation patterns and rules of a second language intuitively, as they did their mother tongue. They don’t have to go through rote memorization. In addition, they can mimic a native accent flawlessly,” notes Lynn Allavoine, Director of Education at Language Stars. In addition to the linguistic benefits of learning a second language at an early age, many cognitive benefits have been reported as well. Children who learn a language young go on to show enhanced spatial relations and problem solving skills, and stronger over-all communication skills, according to a comprehensive study from the Center of Applied Linguistics. For more information on language learning for children visit http://www.languagestars.com/.
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