Meet Our Montessori School Faculty & Staff

The Spirit Behind Our Teaching

“The real preparation for education is the study of one’s self. The training of the teacher is something far more than a learning of ideas. It includes the training of character; it is a preparation of the spirit.” — Maria Montessori, International Montessori Congress, San Remo 1949

That conviction guides everything we do. Our teachers are not simply instructors; they are careful observers and trusted companions on each child’s path of growth. Through respect, love, warmth, and patience, we create a place where every child feels safe enough to bloom—academically, emotionally, and personally.

Meet Our Faculty & Staff

Executive Director — B.A. in Elementary Education & Psychology, Rider University; Certification in Special Education; MASP.ED w Learning Disabilities; Teacher/Consultant Sophia is co-director of Hamilton Montessori School. She taught at the primary, elementary, and middle school levels in both mainstream and special education classrooms before stepping into leadership. Trained in the Montessori method, she describes it as “an education of the senses” and “an education for life.” She brings together a faculty and staff committed to faithfully preserving Dr. Montessori’s remarkable vision and methods. Every teacher on the team holds a B.A. or B.S. degree and is required to have Montessori training in the principles and methods of education—a standard of excellence the school holds imperative for each teacher’s personal growth and development.

Toula Karnavas

Director of Enrichment Programs & Co-Director — Bachelor of Science Toula’s main objective is to meet the needs of every child in our care. She was inspired from the start by Montessori’s belief in “education as an aid to life,” and she remains committed to the faithful preservation of Dr. Montessori’s methods. Her goal is to ensure each child receives the highest quality education and to plant the habits, skills, and ideas that lead to a lifelong love of creative thinking and learning. She believes teachers provide the respect, love, warmth, and patience that let children grow vibrantly in beauty and virtue. “I wish all of the children love, health, and happiness,” she says, “and I wish you and your loved ones many happy years of love, growth, and prosperity.”

Preschool children learning together in a classroom

Andrea Pylaras

Director of Early Intervention — MS, Occupational Therapy Andrea serves as the school’s Director of Early Intervention, drawing on her master’s degree in occupational therapy to support the developmental needs of young children in a Montessori setting.

A Culture of Continuous Growth

Professional development is stenciled throughout the life of the school. The commitment appears in continually developing vibrant programs that invite each child’s curiosity, in introducing new technology and innovation to support early learning, and in a continuity-of-learning belief that extends education beyond the classroom into the home and family. Parents, teachers, and staff work together in the active pursuit of empowering children for a better tomorrow. This proven approach guides children toward independence, a love of learning, and future success. “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 Congratulations to the graduating class for all their hard work and accomplishments.