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Preschool in McKinney, TX - Montessori methods and early childhood education

Posted by Centennial Montessori Academy in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX on Mar 11, 2009

The vision of Centennial Montessori Academy preschool in McKinney, TX is to actively involve parents in their children's early childhood education.

The pre school provides quality early childhood education based on the Montessori approach and the mission is to grow the pre school to be a thriving community of children, parents, faculty, and staff – in beautiful surroundings, working towards a shared vision, and held together by common-sense educational values.

Centennial Montessori Academy preschool in McKinney, TX is an American Montessori Society affiliated school working with Montessori lesson plans. We know that it takes great teachers and staff to make a great pre school. Our private school lead teachers and guides are American Montessori Society (AMS) certified teachers. Our classroom co-teachers are currently enrolled in the AMS Early Childhood training program through the Dallas Montessori Teacher Program. Our before and after school staff have experience working with children and kindergarten activities and also have a sincere desire to learn more about the Montessori method of education.

Faculty and Staff

ADMINISTRATION

Monisha Chatterjee, Director
Monisha Chatterjee holds a M.A. in English Literature from Jiwaji University, Gwalior, India (1990). She is certified by the American Montessori Society in Early Childhood Education through the Dallas Montessori Teacher Education Program. She also has a Montessori Pre –Primary Teacher Training Certificate from Brookhaven College. She has many years of experience working with ages 3-6 year old children in preschools. Her passion is to create the right Montessori environment at CMA for the children, teachers, and parents.

Peggy Hansen, Director of Admission/Office Manager
Peggy Hansen graduated from the American Institute of Business in Des Moines, Iowa (1986). She has worked in administration for twenty years, both in the legal field and in the Montessori Environment. She also brings many years of experience in working with the parents of young children to this position.

Nyra Potemra, Curriculum Director
Nyra Potemra holds a B.S. in Home Economics Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She received an American Montessori Society Early Childhood credential through the Dallas Montessori Teacher Education program. She is also a field consultant for the Dallas Montessori Teacher Education Program.

TODDLER TEACHERS

Terri Bullion
Terri Bullion received the American Montessori Society credential in Early Childhood Education through Dallas Montessori Academy Teacher Education Program. She also completed studies in AMS Infant/Toddler education. She has over 15 years of combined experience in Primary (3-6) and Toddler full day classrooms and pre schools.

Betty Thornton
Betty Thornton is an assistant in the Toddler program. She is a native of Managua, Nicaragua and is also the Spanish teacher (See detailed bio under Special Teacher.)

PRIMARY TEACHERS

Nyra Potemra
Nyra Potemra, the Curriculum Director is also a Primary Classroom teacher. She is AMS certified and has many years of teaching and childcare experience in Montessori Primary (3-6) Classroom. (See bio under Curriculum Director.)

Lottie Bock
Lottie Bock has experience as an assistant teacher in a Montessori School and is currently enrolled in American Montessori Society (AMS) Early Childhood Program through the Dallas Montessori Teacher Education.

Monisha Chatterjee
Monisha Chatterjee, the Director, is also a Primary Classroom Teacher. She is AMS certified in Early Childhood program and has years of classroom experience. (See bio under Director.)

Gloria Rodriguez
Gloria Rodriguez is currently enrolled in the American Montessori Society Early Childhood Credential through the Dallas Montessori Teacher Education Program. She will be teaching in Primary 3 -6 years. She has over two years day care experience working with this age group.

Shanthi Ravi
Shanthi Ravi earned a P.G. Diploma in Computer Science and a B.S. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering (1997). Has experience teaching Computer Science for Junior and Senior High School students and also working and volunteering with young children. Currently tutoring Math and enrolled in the American Montessori Society (AMS) Early Childhood Program through the Dallas Montessori Teacher Education Program.

SPECIAL TEACHERS

Betty Thornton
Betty Thornton, a native Spanish speaker is a graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies and is a state board certified classroom teacher with a concentration on Spanish. Over the past decade, Betty has taught Spanish at many different levels from beginner to conversational to a variety of ages from toddler to high-school and even adult. During her tenure as a high-school teacher, Betty led her students to 6 Pan American gold medals and 6 honorable mentions at the Pan American Student Forum Competition. Having been born in Managua, Nicaragua, Betty enjoys having the opportunity to share different cultural experiences with her students. Her most important role, however, is the role of "mommy" to her son Thomas.

Melissa Hartman
Melissa Hartman is a native of Dallas Texas and has a BFA/ piano from the University of Oklahoma. From college she went on to pursue a musical theatre career starting with a singing job at Hershey Park in PA. From there she performed at a Pocono family resort and then sang her way across the world on a Holland America Cruse ship. Melissa has traveled to Seoul, South Korea as a magician's assistant in a Harry Potter Musical and then made the big move to NYC where she landed a role in the Off Broadway hit, Schoolhouse Rock Live! While in NYC she became a certified American Montessori Society (AMS) certified Preschool teacher and was the lead teacher at Park West Montessori School for 3 years. After 13 years in NYC, she returned to Dallas and resumed her Montessori and child care teaching career, starting at Frisco Montessori Academy. She is currently teaching music and drama in a variety of schools with Kid builders and Young Audiences of Greater Dallas. She continues to perform in plays and musicals with a Repertory Theatre Company of Richardson, as well as shows for children.

Marilyn Leher
Marilyn Leher holds B.A. from North Texas State University and is the PE/Movement teacher. She is CPR/First Aid Certified for both Child/Adult. She is also Red Cross and YMCA certified Swim Instructor. She holds the Boy Scouts of America Life Guard Certification. She holds 1st Degree Black Belt – Taekwondo. She was in Plano Senior High School Girl's Soccer Team – All District Center Halfback (1983/84) and was also in the University of North Texas Woman's Soccer Team (Graduated 1989).