Faculty AND STAFF

"The greatest sign of success for a teacher...is to be able to say, 'The children are now working as if I did not exist.' " // Maria Montessori

Our faculty are all highly-skilled educators, with a Montessori-certified teacher in every classroom. We are committed to the professional development of all of our teachers, staying in touch with the latest educational and child development research, while maintaining the core tenets of the Montessori philosophy. Additionally, all teachers and staff are re-certified in CPR and Basic First Aid on a yearly basis.

We are always interested in hearing from talented teachers! If you are interested in joining our team, see our Employment Page.

ADMINISTRATION

Oma Harris HEAD OF SCHOOL Deborah "Oma" Harris became the Head of School at Montessori Centre in 2001, after her grandson thrived in the Montessori environment. During his experience, she founded the PTA and later completed the VMTC AMS Infant Toddl… — **Oma Harris**
*HEAD OF SCHOOL*
Deborah "Oma" Harris became the Head of School at Montessori Centre in 2001, after her grandson thrived in the Montessori environment. During his experience, she founded the PTA and later completed the VMTC AMS Infant Toddler training.

Jen Cullison DIRECTOR Jen is our Director, and began her teaching career with a B.S. in education from Lipscomb University in 2001. She also has the NAMC Early Childhood Credential, as well as a TN teaching license for K-8. Jen taught for 17 years b… — **Jen Cullison**
*DIRECTOR*
Jen is our Director, and began her teaching career with a B.S. in education from Lipscomb University in 2001. She also has the NAMC Early Childhood Credential, as well as a TN teaching license for K-8. Jen taught for 17 years before being appointed Director. She has two children who both attended Montessori Centre, and loves to travel with her family.

**Joshua Larkin**
*ADMINISTRATOR*
Joshua attended Montessori Centre in the early 2000s and has joined the team to help with technology needs, building maintenance, Spanish and more. He enjoys watching movies and learning new recipes.

**Kristen Smith**
*ASSISTANT DIRECTOR*
Kristen has worked at Montessori Centre since 2008, serving as the Assistant Director. She uses her design background to create our newsletters and to help the school run smoothly each day. Kristen has a B.A. in English from Arizona State University, and enjoys traveling, learning French, and writing.

Barbara Sung Blackwell ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR Barbara has an accounting degree from MTSU and has been at Montessori Centre since 2014, working as our Director of Admissions and Accounting. She is the point person for our new families and helps with general administrative duties. Barbara also has a watercolor and hand lettering business called Paper by BB. — **Barbara Sung Blackwell**
*ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR*
Barbara has an accounting degree from MTSU and has been at Montessori Centre since 2014, working as our Director of Admissions and Accounting. She is the point person for our new families and helps with general administrative duties. Barbara also has a watercolor and hand lettering business called Paper by BB.

**Amy Wormer**
*ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT*
Amy began working as our Administrative Assistant in 2013. She maintains our student and employee files for the state and plays an integral part in our daily operations. Amy is a dedicated mother to her children and was a stay-at-home mom prior to joining our team.

Faculty

**Megan Price**
*ROBINS CO-TEACHER*
Megan joined our team in 2014 and is a co-teacher in the Primary “Robins” classroom. She earned a B.S. and M.A.T. at Belmont, and has both her TN K-3 teaching license and the AMS Primary certification. Megan has two sons who both attended Montessori Centre.

**Ashley Queen**
*ROBINS CO-TEACHER*
Ashley joined our team back in 2009 and is a co-teacher in the Primary “Robins” classroom. She earned a B.A. at Lipscomb University, and has both her TN K-6 teaching license and the NAMC Primary certification. Ashley has three children; her oldest son Wayland graduated in 2022, and her daughter Avery and son Baxter are currently enrolled at Montessori Centre.

**Emy Gildea**
*ROBINS ASSISTANT TEACHER*
Emy began teaching children as a literacy tutor while earning her B.A. at Belmont University. She then went on to earn her M.A. in experimental psychology from MTSU. Emy is delighted to be practicing the Montessori philosophy at Montessori Centre. She loves how it encourages autonomy and respect for the environment. We are proud to have her working with our toddlers.

Spencer Thompson BLUEBIRDS CO-TEACHER Spencer began working at MC in 2015 as a toddler assistant, but over the years has worked with children ages 3 months to 6 years in multiple classrooms. She received her NAMC infant/toddler certification in 2016… — **Spencer Thompson**
*SPARROWS LEAD TEACHER*
Spencer began working at MC in 2015 as a toddler assistant, but over the years has worked with children ages 3 months to 6 years in multiple classrooms. She received her NAMC infant/toddler certification in 2016 and earned her B.A. in early childhood education from Lipscomb University in May of 2020.

**Lea Hvizdos**
*SPARROWS ASSISTANT TEACHER*
Lea is new member of our teaching staff and is ready to be in the classroom during her internship year. She is working to complete the 3-6 Montessori certification this year and recently graduated from Texas A&M.

Elizabeth Bagger BLUEBIRDS CO-TEACHER Elizabeth joined our team in 2018 after relocating to Nashville from the southwest. After receiving her B.S. from the University of California, she completed her Primary AMI training in 1990, and has worked with infants, toddlers, primary and elementary-aged children. In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys crafting, sewing, woodworking and gardening. — **Elizabeth Bagger**
*BLUEBIRDS LEAD TEACHER*
Elizabeth joined our team in 2018 after relocating to Nashville from the southwest. After receiving her B.S. from the University of California, she completed her Primary AMI training in 1990, and has worked with infants, toddlers, primary and elementary-aged children. In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys crafting, sewing, woodworking and gardening.

**Jo Ann Flores**
*BLUEBIRDS ASSISTANT TEACHER*
Jo Ann is from the San Antonion, Texas area, and she moved to Nashville to be closer to family. She was introduced to the Montessori method as a parent several years ago, and she is working on her primary Montessori teacher certification. She enjoys time with her family, listening to music and playing Pickleball.

Kajin Tahir WARBLERS CO-TEACHER Kajin joined our team in 2017, and is a Toddler co-teacher t in the "Warblers" classroom. She has an A.S. degree from MTSU and completed her AMS toddler certification in May 2020. Kajin has one daughter and her love for young children brought her to Montessori Centre. — **Kajin Tahir**
*HUMMINGBIRDS LEAD TEACHER*
Kajin joined our team in 2017, and is a Toddler lead teacher in the "Hummingbird" classroom. She has an A.S. degree from MTSU and completed her NAMC toddler certification in May 2020. Kajin has one daughter and her love for young children brought her to Montessori Centre.

**Stephanie Mendez**
HUMMINGBIRDS ASSISTANT TEACHER
Stephanie is Nashville born and raised! Her son attends Montessori Centre , and was a stay-at-home mom prior to joining MC. She enjoys spending time with family and learning more about the Montessori approach.

Isabella “Bella” Daniels SUPPORT STAFF & PRIMARY AFTERCARE DIRECTOR We are so happy to have Bella on our team. This will be her 6th year at Montessori Centre. A fun fact: Bella was adopted as an infant from Guatamala! She has lived in Nashville her whole life and loves working with childen. — **Isabella “Bella” Daniels**
*WARBLERS LEAD TEACHER*
We are so happy to have Bella on our team. She has worked at Montessori Centre for 6 years, and she completed her NAMC 0-3 certificate in March 2023. A fun fact: Bella was adopted as an infant from Guatamala! She has lived in Nashville her whole life and loves working with children.