Azuri holds a B.S. in Psychology. She is currently completing her Infant/Toddler Teacher Training at Westside Montessori. Ms. Azuri is proudly from Jamaica and believes children should be treasured. She is very excited to join the HPMS team.
Camila has been an educator for over eight years. She holds a B.S. Clinical Psychology and is currently pursuing an M.S. in Autism Spectrum Disorder at ISPEDUC. She is thrilled to join HPMS and learn more about the Montessori methodology.
Catherine studied Early Childhood Education. She has been a teacher for over 12 years, dedicated to Early Childhood and preschool age children. When she discovered the work of Maria Montessori in high school, Catherine was so inspired by the Montessori philosophy that she decided to become an educator. She is excited to join the HPMS community and looks forward to continuous growth as she educates our Bridge students.
Clair has been an educator for 12 years. She came to the U.S. from the Philippines 28 years ago and holds a B.S. in Nursing. In 2012, Clair had the opportunity to observe and work part-time at HPMS — and has been here ever since! Clair is trained in Infant-Toddler Montessori by the Princeton Center for Teacher Education. She is passionate and has always shown interest in the growth and development of infants and toddlers. Ms. Clair has three children of her own, ages 26, 18, and 10.
Can (J-ah-n) has been an educator for five years. Prior to joining HPMS, she was a nanny. Can has two beautiful daughters and loves working with young children. When she is not at school, she likes to paint and sew.
Evelyn has been an educator for eight years. She holds a B.A. in Spanish and Education with a minor in Psychology from Rutgers University, as well as a Spanish Literature certificate from the University of Salamanca, Spain. Evelyn fell in love with the Montessori Method when she started as an assistant teacher in the Lower Elementary Program. Three years later, she transitioned to the Early Childhood Program. This year, she is excited to join the Bridge Program. Evelyn has done the Lower Elementary Montessori Training; she earned her AMS Early Childhood Montessori Certification from WSMS-TEP; Evelyn is currently going through her Infant/Toddler Montessori Training. In her free time, she loves to cook, read, and travel.
Ivanna has been an educator for 16 years. She is a mother of two and believes there is always something new to learn. She is passionate about being a part of children’s learning and loves seeing the beautiful things they create on their own.
Justin has been an educator for 10 years, teaching ages three months to 10 years. She has completed the AMI 3-6 Assistant training, the AMI 0-3 Lead training, and the RIE 0-2 Foundations training for which she will also pursue an apprenticeship. She has completed her Montessori Positive Discipline 2-12 years old training and is currently taking a year-long course in Conscious Discipline Foundations 0-3. She will graduate from CUNY in 2026 with a B.A. in Early Childhood 0-8. When not in the classroom, she enjoys reading parties, salsa dancing, handcrafts, and doing community based volunteer work.
Mary Ann has been an educator for nine years. She is thrilled for another year in the Bridge program. Having grown up in the Philippines, and also lived in Japan, before moving to the United states, she has had the chance to experience different cultures, shaping how she connects with others. Mary Ann speaks five languages and loves finding new ways to bridge gaps between people. Outside of school, you’ll likely find her dancing, traveling, or relaxing by the beach — always seeking out new adventures and opportunities to learn.
Paula has been working with children for over five years. She received her B.S. in Law and worked in the field for five years. In 2019 she discovered my passion for child care, when she became an au pair. Paula subsequently decided to change her career path. She learned about Montessori in an international school, where I worked as a teacher’s aid and is now working toward her Montessori guide certification.
Sasha has a BA. in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and an M.A. in Clinical Counseling from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She joined HPMS in 2010 as the after school coordinator and fell in love with Montessori. She completed a Montessori Early Childhood Teacher certificate from Princeton Montessori. Sasha is excited to be back in the classroom after five years at home with her two children who are in the Bridge and Early Childhood programs. She loves the beach, living an active lifestyle, and traveling.
Silvia has been an educator for two years. She holds a B.A. in Communications from Externado University, in her home country of Colombia, and an M.A. in Corporate Communications from Autonoma University in Barcelona, Spain. She has over twelve years of experience in corporate communications, public relations, employee engagement, and work-life balance before pivoting to the field of infant and toddler education. During the pandemic, she provided foster care for abandoned infants, an experience that profoundly transformed her perspective on education and childcare. She is currently completing her Montessori Certification at West Side Montessori School. Her journey toward Montessori education began as a teacher assistant at two different American Montessori Academy-certified schools in New York City. Witnessing the transformative impact of Montessori principles on the development of young minds sparked a passion in her to advocate for this approach. Montessori education resonates with her core values of nurturing independence, fostering a love for learning, and cultivating a deep respect for each child’s unique journey.
