Faculty | Substitutes

Meet our Substitutes

Yoana Bedoya

Yoana Bedoya joined Princeton Montessori School in 2021.

Yoana is originally from Colombia, South America. She has more than 10 years of experience as a teacher in Colombia, and most recently as an online educator.

In her free time, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her family.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Basic Education with an emphasis on Spanish language and Humanities from Magdalena University, Colombia. She obtained her Master's degree in Education and virtual learning environments from the Cuahuhtemoc University, Mexico. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Education Sciences from Magdalena University, Colombia.

Sophie Elbrick

Sophie Elbrick joined Princeton Montessori School in 2020.

Sophie loves working with children of all ages, as they have a refreshing take on life and the world around them. She believes that their natural curiosity, boundless questions and explorations should be encouraged to set them up for a lifetime of learning. Sophie treats all children with the same high respect as adults and engages with them at their level. She loves to share her passion for Art, Music, Drama, and Science with the students.

Outside of work, Sophie loves enjoys spending time with friends and family. She loves to hike and is also an avid photographer, artist, and singer. In her leisure time she rollerblades, writes poetry, designs ceramic jewelry with recycled glass and gardens. She is also a competitive swimmer and enjoys Bikram yoga.

Sophie holds a Bachelors Degree in Marine Biology (with subsids in Psychology & Physiology) from The University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and a Masters in Multimedia from Trinity College Dublin. In the Arts she was awarded a FETAC in Communications from Colaiste Dhulaigh, Dublin & an Art Foundation Certificate from Suffolk College in the UK.

Radhika Kandiraju

Radhika Kandiraju joined Princeton Montessori in 2022.

Radhika finds joy in working with children, supporting their interests, and nurturing their confidence and Independence. She loves to witness a child's pure joy and transformation as they explore the classroom and world around them.

In her free time Radhika has been practicing Meditation and yoga for the past 15 years. She loves spending time with family & friends, cooking healthy food, and travelling and spending time with nature.

Radhika has a Masters in Economics from India and Financial Analyst Certification from NYU. She has been a volunteer for the Art of Living foundation for the past 14 years and has organized and facilitated Kids & Adults programs.

Oleksandra Kopchak

Oleksandra Kopchak joined Princeton Montessori School in 2023.

Oleksanda brings a positive attitude to the classroom. She enjoys working with children and is fond of their energy and excitement to learn and explore the world.

In her free time she likes to garden an to sing.

Oleksandra has many years of experience working in Ukraine.

Prisca Lee

Prisca Lee joined Princeton Montessori in 2022.

Prisca taught art for 7 years and has enjoyed seeing the growth in children, appreciating their differences and bringing their individuality in the form of artwork. Each child is unique in his or her creative thinking.

In her free time she enjoys painting, cooking and baking, swimming and hiking. Prisca loves to travel with her family, She volunteers at church where she has served at a Soup Kitchen, harvested crops in a farm for homeless, taught refugees art, and joined many functions where she can spread love.

Prisca graduated from University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada) with a Masters of Accounting and Honorary Bachelor of Arts/Chartered Accountancy degrees.

Dianna Liu

Dianna Liu joined Princeton Montessori School in 2022.

Dianna loves working with youth because of their energy, inquisitiveness, curiosity, and passion for nature and the world around them. She commits to promoting positive youth development in a safe, supportive, nurturing, and engaging environment. She brings her optimism, passion, curiosity, interdisciplinary background, and bilingual talents to the community.

When not working, Dianna likes climbing, running, hiking, skiing, reading, learning new skills and spending time with her family and friends.

Dianna graduated from Boston University with a master's degree in Education, majoring in Applied Human Development under the Positive Youth Development track, and she also received a master's degree in Engineering, majoring in Environmental Science and Engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. She got her Bachelor's degree in Engineering, majoring in Environmental Engineering, from Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.

Esther Lo

Esther Lo joined Princeton Montessori School in 2022.

Esther loves working with children because of their innate creativity and curiosity about the world. She is passionate about diversity and inclusivity, and strives to make each child feel fully appreciated for their unique qualities. She brings her love for the arts, especially music and literature, to the classroom.

In her spare time, Esther enjoys learning different languages and solving crosswords and sudoku puzzles.

Esther holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Urban Geography from McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

Anayah Maldonado

Anayah Maldonado joined Princeton Montessori School in 2023.

Anayah has always wanted to be a teacher. She is a team player and fast learner and is always willing to lend a hand to others.

She is very creative and outgoing, plays 4 instruments, sings and is very artistic.

Anayah studied education at Mercer County Community College.

Permanent Substitute

Iain Muhiudeen

Iain Muhiudeen joined Princeton Montessori School in 2022.

Iain enjoys teaching children of all ages and brings a worldly perspective into the classroom from living in both California and Australia. Iain comes from a multicultural family and has traveled extensively through Asia and Oceania.

Iain is an avid tennis player and also enjoys playing most recreational sports. He also enjoys scuba diving and snorkeling and grew up sailing in the San Francisco Bay.

He graduated from Piedmont High School in Piedmont, CA. He studied Biology at Sonoma State University.

Caroline Orford

Caroline Orford joined Princeton Montessori School in 2023.

Caroline looks forward to exploring all the age groups at Princeton Montessori School and is excited to share her love of anatomy and physiology, cooking/baking, yoga and education through volunteerism.
In her free time she loves to read, cook/bake, travel with her family, walk, ski and spend time at the beach. She also loves teaching yoga and volunteering with many local organizations with her children.
Caroline holds a MS Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University, and a BS in Chemistry with Math Minor from St. Michael's College. She has completed the PCTE Montessori Philosophy Course and YogaDharma RYT 300 Teacher Training Program.

Sukti Patel

Sukti Patel joined Princeton Montessori in 2023.

Sukti enjoys watching students gain new knowledge and understanding, as well as watching them learn different lessons throughout their day at school. She is able to foster growth and enthusiasm in the classroom, and always comes in with a positive mindset.

In her free time, Sukti likes to spend time with her family and friends. She enjoys painting, going on walks with her parents, playing basketball with her brother, and watching movies with her friends.

Sukti is currently a Junior Elementary Education & Psychology major at The College of New Jersey. She underwent student-teaching this past Spring of 2023 at a local elementary school, and is excited to start teaching at the Princeton Montessori School.

Lekshmi Radhakrishnan

Lekshmi Radhakrishnan joined Princeton Montessori School in 2022.

Lekshmi has experience as a teaching assistant in an Educational Network and most recently as a volunteer at a local public elementary school.

In her free time Lekshmi enjoys painting, baking, and doing DIY projects.

She holds a bachelor's of Technology and Civic Engineering from the College of Engineering, Trivandrum, India.

ReLiang Tsang

ReLiang Tsang joined Princeton Montessori in 2023.

ReLiang enjoys sharing her love of youth literature, the visual and performing arts, and the outdoors with her students. She brings her deep appreciation for Dr. Maria Montessori’s approach to education, where children are supported in their natural development for independence. She is inspired by elementary children’s vibrant curiosity and intellectual strength and their ability to consider how things in the world and the universe work. It brings her great joy to support and observe her students’ discoveries and to learn with them along the way.

Outside of school, ReLiang loves spending time in bookstores and libraries and working with her hands – cooking, baking, sewing, and drawing. She loves to take long walks and runs, and travel with her family.

ReLiang holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art from the University of California, Santa Cruz, a Master of Arts degree in Museum Studies from San Francisco State University, and an Association Montessori Internationale Diploma for Elementary (ages 6 to 12 years old).

Suchithra Vikram

Suchithra Vikram joined Princeton Montessori School in 2006.

Suchithra worked in the Toddler Program for many years. She admires their innate drive to explore, discover new facts, gain independence and learn how to communicate.

Having lived in many cities around the world, Suchithra loves traveling, exploring new countries and learning about their cultures. She loves cooking and baking and likes to experiment, trying out new recipes from all around the world. Suchithra is an avid gardener and enjoys watching plants and flowers bloom year after year. When not gardening, she keeps busy crocheting afghans and doilies.

Suchithra received a BA in Commerce from the University of Madras, India and holds an American Montessori Society credential in Infant/Toddler through the Princeton Center Teacher Education (PCTE), NJ. She has worked as a field consultant and an Infant/Toddler instructor for PCTE.

May Zhang

May Zhang joined Princeton Montessori in 2023.

May is a part-time math and Chinese tutor, with experience interacting with and guiding children of different ages and diverse backgrounds.
In her free time she enjoys walking, hiking, listening to music.

May holds a Statistics and Masters of Science degrees from Rutgers, the state university of New Jersey

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What Parents Are Saying

Our child previously attended a reputable public elementary school. During that time, she often complained that she was bored at school. I was concerned that the school's 'one-size-fits-all' education model was gradually dimming her thirst for knowledge. I wanted the flames of her engagement and curiosity to be fanned, not extinguished. She is now back at Princeton Montessori and I am happy to report that she is no longer bored. In fact, her inner flame has never been stronger!

Our Primary student is learning remotely this year due to the pandemic. He is really is enjoying all the works that come home to him. He tells me things like 'I love my Montessori works' and 'my works are beautiful.' My husband and I see him growing and learning so much even amidst our virtual constraints. Having tailored materials for him to work with makes all the difference in the world and we're grateful for the thought and care you put into curating them.

The other day I came downstairs and my 4-year-old son was listening to 'Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart' on Alexa. He told me that Mozart's dad was named Leopold and his sister was Nannerl (it took him a second to remember her name and it sounded made up, so my husband and I googled it. Sure enough he was right). We asked what else he had been learning and he rattled off Antonio Lucio Vivaldi’s full name and referenced The Four Seasons. I think my jaw is still on the floor. It turns out that the Primary children have been learning about composers this fall and listening to their music. What incredible exposure for these young children!

Princeton Montessori is the very epitome of the principles of Maria Montessori. The School offers a nurturing, creative, academic, and well-rounded development for each child. As a parent, we cannot offer our daughter a more valuable first gift.

The faculty are, bar none, the absolute best. The teachers are very knowledge both about the Montessori philosophy and the best ways to work with children. I ask for their advice and insight for any issues we’re having at home, quite often. They’re also incredibly warm and nurturing with the children in a way I have not seen at any other school.

I’m struck by how much better the Montessori toddlers are at playing and working peacefully with their peers than toddlers in other nursery school programs. I credit the gifted PMonts teachers, and the Princeton Montessori educational approach, for how confident, happy, and collaborative toddlers in the PMonts program seem.

Our son is so proud of being a third-year Primary. He has attended this incredible school since he was one year old. He had absolutely wonderful Toddler teachers and flourished under their care. Now, he is a third-year Primary and we know he will be more than ready for Lower Elementary. Thank you to all the Teachers & Staff!

The school runs with one philosophy and so every faculty member and admin personnel share the same vision for the child. This consistency is unique in our area to Princeton Montessori. Combined with the integration of the teacher training program, we can proudly say that the spirit of Dr. Montessori’s principles permeates every aspect of our school. That’s what I value the most about our school!

Education is both a gift and a right. I feel the teachers at PMonts help our children to appreciate the value of their education. Understanding the value involves looking beyond school and appreciating how education is a tool that will allow them to explore challenging goals, to grow as individuals and most importantly, chase their dreams.

I will never cease to be amazed at the capabilities of the young child. In the Montessori environment, the very youngest students show incredible independence and competence. At Princeton Montessori School the teachers truly help the children to “help me do it myself”.

When I think about my personal philosophy on education I can check all the boxes with regards to the education my daughter is receiving at Princeton Montessori. I feel the teachers motivate the students by focusing on appreciating the value of education and the diversities of peoples around the world while stressing and leveraging the power of the uniqueness in each individual student. Ultimately, the role of an educator is to shape a new generation that will create a safer and better world for the future.

Princeton Montessori School is a school that exceeds any expectations imaginable. The school follows each and every child on an individual basis and nourishes each child’s academic, social, and emotional needs. It is a school where teachers appreciate all unique qualities each child brings.

Princeton Montessori School turned out to be the best investment ever. We made some sacrifices in our lifestyle in order to be able to afford sending both children all the way through 8th grade, but now we are proud to note that we have two capable, confident, well-mannered young adults who are a pleasure to be around and who continue to love to work hard in their studies.

EXCEPTIONAL is the carefully chosen word to describe Princeton Montessori School. Our family has been part of the PMonts community from elementary through middle school. If I could give every child a gift that gift would be for them to experience the joy of learning every single day at PMonts. The multi-age classes provide the advantage of older students leading younger students and younger students watching the wonderful examples of the older children. The children recognize the strengths of others as being positive and not competitive. Princeton Montessori is much more than academic college prep - it is life prep!

Thanks for a wonderful school year thus far and for doing such a wonderful job for our children during such a challenging year. Princeton Montessori has simply been the gold standard for pandemic education, in my mind.

We love the fact that your guidelines have been clear and appropriate, and impressing upon families how their role is critical in keeping the wider school community safe. Thanks also for sourcing materials and providing seminars on parenting during this particular time. The fact that the school has remained open all this time is a huge testament to you all.

Our daughter loves being at school. She confidently reported that she was happy with the safety measures in place, and that she felt “safe” at school. This was HUGE.

We have always been thrilled with our PMonts experience, and this fall term has sent us through the roof. We are in awe of the tireless work of the faculty and administration, who have made possible such an inspiring in-person program. I have always been broadly grateful for the PMonts education my children have been so lucky to receive; this summer and fall, I felt grateful each and every day.

Princeton Montessori has done an exemplary job in keeping their classrooms open to children and young people during this challenging year. They are simply the gold standard for safely educating our children during the national pandemic.

As a parent (and faculty member), Molly and I are beyond grateful for PMonts. Our children are SO happy here. I am more of a believer than ever before. Miles was fine at his public school but the difference is really clear - here, he is not just fine - he is totally thriving and so happy! I'm amazed.

"Princeton Montessori School students are open to diverse backgrounds, curious to learn new things, strong in their leadership and presentation skills, and confident. Thank you for providing an educational environment that encourages a child's total development. We know it is an incredible gift." -Middle School Parent