Head of School & Leadership

Hello Everyone! I am the newest member of the leadership team here at Near North, as my role, Associate Head of School, is brand new. I have a husband and 2 beautiful children, one of whom joined the community this year.

While I am new to the school, I am a lifelong Montessorian, with twenty years of experience in the field. I have been a Primary teacher, a Program Coordinator, Coach and administrator at various Montessori schools (private and public) as well as trained and consulted at Montessori schools around the country. I have had the privilege of learning from and working with some of the most well known Montessorians of our day and I strive to always work with the experience of the child at the center of everything I do. 

I am here to help support the great work that is being done in service of children, by way of setting up systems for community collaboration through the coaching model. How wonderful it is to be able to capitalize on the wealth of knowledge and experience we have as a community. Children thrive when adults work together.

The coaching model asks us each to step into roles of coaches, sharing our expertise and providing support around the things we know best, while at the same time leaning into others and learning and growing from what they offer. Those of us who will be directly coaching will observe often, have discussions to support everyone’s practice, and work together through professional development, supporting children with both shared and individual goal setting. As families, your experience with the directors you have known will mirror the relationships you will hold with the coach at your child’s level. This may include but is not limited to:

• Asking general questions about the level 
• Collaborating around supporting your child beyond the classroom 
• Working together to foster and implement Montessori practices

This work leads to stronger Montessori experiences for all children. It means we will work more closely as a community to meet the needs of each child and align our practices from infancy through adolescence, including all the co-curricular and supporting areas of our school. The goal here is really to ensure experiences that will benefit your child from the day they enter Near North to the moment they graduate.

I love Montessori because I believe it allows us to create a space where children can truly thrive. It requires us to step away from societal norms and truly lean into what is best for children. They have a great journey ahead, and we work to lay foundations for their success, which will benefit all of humanity.