Princeton Montessori School
487 Cherry Valley Road | Princeton, New Jersey 08540
609-924-4594 | Email Us
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Faculty | Administration
Meet the School Administration
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Andrea believes that the Montessori approach to education allows all children to reach their fullest potential, without limits. Each child is unique, and needs a secure, carefully-prepared and purposefully-designed environment in which to grow emotionally, academically, and socially. Education should be a joyful experience for the child. Learning is not about rote memorization or the ability to perform well on a test. Instead, education should focus on the excitement of a new discovery, the thrill of improving one’s self, and the idea of finding success and contentment in whatever one chooses to do. Her goal in education is to have the opportunity to shape an environment where teachers are respected for the critically important work they do to allow the innate love of learning to unfold in each child.
Andrea holds a MA in Education, specializing in Montessori Studies, from St. Catherine’s University, MN, and a BA in Graphic Design from The College of New Jersey, NJ. She also holds an American Montessori Society (AMS) Administrator credential through Princeton Center for Teacher Education (PCTE), NJ; has participated in the AMS Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist (ABAR) Professional Development Course; and completed the International Baccaleuarate (IB) Head of school - Middle Years Programme (Cat.1) training.
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Tracey holds an MS in Mental Health Counseling from Monmouth University, NJ and a BA in Psychology from Franklin & Marshall College, PA. She has competed the Montessori philosophy course through PCTE and is currently pursuing a certification in Admissions and Enrollment Management through AISAP.
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In her free time, Vicky enjoys fitness classes, loves baking and trying new recipes as well as attending her children's sporting events and activities. She loves to plan road trips to national parks with her husband and five young children.
Vicky graduated from SUNY Stony Brook University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2012. Her academic background also includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry obtained in 2009.
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Outside of the classroom, Jennifer enjoys reading, hiking, running, and visiting the beach. She loves to see and experience the world around her, and she aspires to travel the globe.
Jennifer is a doctoral candidate for an Ed.D. in Teacher Leadership through Rutgers University. She earned a Masters in the Art of Teaching & a BS in Early Childhood Education & Psychology from The College of New Jersey. She is certified by the state of New Jersey to teach Early Childhood (P-3), Elementary Education (K-5), and Students with Disabilities. Jennifer also holds an American Montessori Society credential in Elementary I through the Princeton Center for Teacher Education (PCTE), NJ.
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Betty and her husband are proud parents to two lovely daughters. She enjoys walks, cookouts, and spending time with her family and friends. In her downtime, Betty enjoys reading, taking in nature, and doing craft projects.
She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Public Accounting from Baruch College, CUNY, and stays up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in accounting and business administration.
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In her free time, she likes to paint, exercise, go hiking, and spend time with her family.
She has an Associate's Degree in Accounting/Business Administration from Montgomery Community College.
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Sonya loves to make things with her hands. Over the years this has taken the form of drawing, painting, and ceramics, but her current love is fabric arts/quilting. She is also a musician who has released 7 albums in total. She loves spending time with her friends and family, and swimming in natural bodies of water.
Sonya holds a BA from Vassar College, major: Studio Art.
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Lori enjoys reading, the outdoors, and spending time with her family. She and her husband have two children who attend universities in New England and two furry friends who keep them company at home! Lori spends a considerable amount of time continuing her own learning whether it be through reading, course work, or just embracing life’s daily lessons. Learning is for life!
Before beginning her Montessori journey, Lori spent a significant number of years in a corporate environment focusing on process improvement initiatives, implementation of best practices, and employee development. In addition to her Montessori credentials, she holds degrees in Accounting and Human Resources.
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Outside of her professional responsibilities, Banu has a passion for cooking and baking, especially traditional recipes from her native Turkey. She also enjoys exploring new places through her travels and treasures quality time spent with friends and family. Notably, her connection to the Princeton Montessori School is deeply personal, as her son is an alumnus who benefited from the Toddler-Middle School programs.
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In her free time Kelly loves to travel, cook, attend concerts, take nature hikes, meditate, and spending time at the beach. She particularly enjoys spending time with family and friends and creating fun and educational projects for her young grandson.
Kelly holds an American Montessori Society credential in Infant/Toddler through the Princeton Center for Teacher Education (PCTE), and an Associate Degree of Applied Science (AAS) from Mercer County Community College.
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Kelly loves being a mom and spending time with her husband, son, and two dogs. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and a good movie or documentary.
Kelly holds a BA in Art History from Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
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Suzanne enjoys photography, music, and dancing. She is also a yoga teacher, certified in kids and in dance yoga and has developed a program called Wiggle Yoga
Suzanne attended the Greater Hartford Community College. Hartford, Ct. and received her Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education.
She also holds a Certificate in Women's Studies from Smith College.
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In her leisure time, Derry likes to explore the natural world, bird-watch, read, and go to the theater and movies. She loves singing, especially when her daughters join her in impromptu duets and trios.
Derry’s professional work includes performing with a New York-based theater company, teaching voice and improvisation, and working in cabaret and voice-overs. She received a BA in Literature and Performing Arts from Sarah Lawrence College, NY, and has an MS in Ecology from Rutgers University. Derry earned Orff-Schulwerk certification for Levels I, II, and III at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
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Dorothy holds two Master’s degrees in Montessori Education from Barry University in Miami, Florida, at the Early Childhood and Elementary levels, and a BS in Nutrition from the University of Rhode Island. She holds two AMS Early Childhood credentials from the Seton Institute (1990) and from Barry University (2007) and an AMS Elementary I-II Credential from Barry University (2005). She has audited the Secondary Teacher Training Program and the Administrators Course from Houston Montessori Center and is a frequent presenter at the AMS and other Montessori conferences. She has recently served on the AMS Board of Directors and on various MACTE verification teams in the US and abroad.
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Tori is a passionate reader and a creative thinker, always eager to explore new ideas. She cherishes spending quality time with her family, especially during their trips to the Jersey Shore and the Outer Banks. Tori also has a love for learning new skills, particularly in the realms of embroidery, crochet, and bargello. Whether she's immersed in a book, brainstorming innovative projects, or mastering a new craft, Tori brings enthusiasm and creativity to everything she does.
Tori holds a Bachelor of Arts in Middle Childhood Education (ELA/SS) from the University of Dayton, Dayton Ohio, and a Masters of Edcuation with a concentration in Montessori from Xavier University in Cincinnati Ohio.
She holds an AMS Secondary I-II Credential from CMSTEP.
Tori received a Mindfulness Schools Certificate from Mindfulness Schools and a Diversity & Equity Training Credential (Xavier University)
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Each of Mary’s three children attended Princeton Montessori School, starting in the Infant Center. When not in the office, Mary enjoys baking, drawing, painting, and spending time with her large extended family.
Mary received a BA in Communications Design from Kutztown University, PA.
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In his free time he loves to read, hike, play with his dog, practice yoga and create websites.
Javier holds a BA in Information Technology and Informatics from Rutgers University. He holds a minor in Sociology, and a minor in Digital Communication, Information, and Media (DCIM). He is certified in Cyber Security and plans on getting more certifications to incorporate what he learns into the school.
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Outside of work, Katie loves to travel, read, exercise, and spend time with family and friends, including her husband and two children.
Katie graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Southern California with a B.A. in Public Relations and a minor in Cinema-Television.
Facilities
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When not working, Ralph enjoys spending time in the mountains with his wife, daughter, two sons and five grandchildren.
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In his free time, Lawrence likes to exercise, coach basketball, and spend time with his family.