The quality of the team of teachers is fundamental to the
success of any school. The experience, knowledge and skills
of the staff
are our most valuable assets. We are very fortunate to have
on our staff the following individuals:
Deepa Simlot - Owner and Administrator
Deepa is a Montessori Certified Teacher for 3-6 year olds.
She has 3 children, all of whom are Primary Montessori graduates.
While volunteering in her children's classes she discovered
the beauty and power of Montessori philosophy and materials, and decided to make it her career. She worked in the telecommunications
industry as a computer engineer for 15 years before discovering that she would rather be around children
than computers.
Heather Toth - Office Administrator
Heather had been working as a classroom Assistant for children ages 2-6 before coming to MCDB. She has been with us since the day we opened. She has a Bachelor's Degree from Radford University.
A. Chandrika
Fernando - Primary Lead Teacher
Chandrika holds a Montessori Teaching Certificate from Good
Shepherd Training Center in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and a diploma
in Child Psychology and Child Development. She has been teaching
for over 17 years at Montessori schools in Sri Lanka and
United States.
Ricardo Padilla - Primary Lead Teacher
Ricardo holds an Early Childhood Credential (3-6 year olds) from the American Montessori Society. He received his Montessori Certification Training from the Dallas Montessori Teacher Programs in Dallas, Texas. He has guided children in Montessori schools since March of 2000, most recently at Country Day School of Arlington in Arlington, TX. After taking a year off to transition his family’s move from Texas to Virginia, he is ready to get back in the classroom. Ricardo also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Phillips University (Enid, OK).
Alejandra Chavez - Primary Lead Teacher
Alejandra is a Montessori certified teacher for 3-6 year olds from Centro De Estudios De Educacion Montessori Del Norte, A.C. in Mexico. She also has a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education from Universidad Pedagogica de Durango. She worked with special needs (deaf) children at Instituto Lagunero de Audiciony Lenguaje for a couple of years before moving to the United States.
Sherine Fawzi - Primary Lead Teacher
Sherine is a Montessori certified teacher for 3-6 year olds
through NorthEast Montessori Institute at Belmont Greene. She
is an experienced Toddler Lead teacher from another Montessori
School in the area. She has also been teaching GRACE Art for
the past few years in the Fairfax County School system. Sherine
has a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from the American University
in Cairo.
Cathi Dawson - Primary Lead Teacher
Cathi holds a bachelor's degree in English and Psychology, and took her Montessori training at the Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies at the Barrie School in Silver Spring, MD. She has one son, a Montessori primary student, and two years experience working in a Montessori environment.
Mary Grace
Buduru - Pre-Primary Lead Teacher
Mary Grace is a Montessori Certified Toddler Teacher. She also
has a Primary Teaching Certificate and a Bachelor's Degree
in Early Childhood Education. She has over 10 years experience
working with children.
Tanya Orta - Pre-Primary Lead Teacher
Tanya is a Montessori certified teacher through North Carolina
Center for Montessori Teacher Education (CMTE). She is also
working towards a degree in Early Childhood Education. In
addition to working at MCDB as a Toddler teacher for the
past year, she has also been working with children of all
ages for the past four years at the Reston YMCA.
Natalie Teng - Kindergarten Art Teacher
Natalie is a Montessori certified teacher for 3-6 year olds. She has a Bachelor's in Business from Higher Learning of Management Institute in Jakarta, Indonesia. She has been working with children at Montessori Schools in the area for the past 8 years.
Wyndy Frederick - Music Teacher
Wyndy has been working as a Music Teacher for over 10 years at various Private Schools in Loudoun County and Virginia Beach. She attended Stratford College and Pfeiffer University for a degree in Music Education. She directs a local children's choir and teaches private lessons in Piano and Guitar.
Tanuja Bhagwandas - Yoga Teacher
Tanuja has a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education, a Master's Degree in English Literature, and a Montessori Teaching Certificate from India. She is currently working towards her Yoga Alliance certification through Radiant Child Yoga Immersion Program.
Eun Joo Oh - Primary Assistant
Eun Joo is a Montessori trained teacher from Donbostco Montessori in Korea; she also holds a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Chong-shin University in Seoul, Korea. She worked as a Primary Lead teacher at a pre-school in Korea before moving to the United States.
Ingrid Jordan - Primary Assistant
Ingrid has a degree in Pharmacy from Brazil, and Pharmacy Technician certification from Fairfax County. She provided in home care to senior citizens in the area for a couple of years before coming to work at MCDB.
Teresa Sowa - Primary Assistant/SpanishTeacher
Teresa has been teaching Spanish and English as a second language to children in the area for the past several years. She is fluent in French, Spanish and Italian. She has a Bachelor's of Arts degree from University of Alabama.
Maria Vassalotti - Primary Assistant
Maria has been working as a Montessori Assistant since 1995 in other area schools. She has an Associates Degree from Rhode Island Community College in Warwick, RI.
Shaleena Shukla - Pre-Primary Assistant
Shaleena has been working as a Toddler Assistant at Montessori Schools in the area for several years before coming to MCDB. She holds a bachelor's degree in Commerce.
Bianca Laura Fisch - Pre-Primary Assistant
Laura has a Montessori based teaching degree from Catholic Institute Santa Doretea in Venice, Italy. She has been teaching adults and children in the area for the past several years.
Miyuki Yoon - Pre-Primary Assistant
Miyuki is a native of Japan, and has been living in the United States for 18 years. She has a Bachelor's in Business Administration from Strayer University. She has been a Primary Assistant at MCDB. This will be her first year as a Pre-Primary Assistant.
Liliana Rocha - Primary Assistant/Spanish Teacher
Liliana has been working as an extended day teacher and a Pre-Primary Assistant at MCDB. This will be her first year as a Primary Assistant and Spanish Teacher. She has worked as a Child Care provider since she came to the US from Peru.
Tean Fredrick - Extended Day Teacher
Tean has been working at MCDB as an Office Assistant, Primary Assistant and/or an Extended Day Teacher since summer of 2007. She is currently a full time student, working towards a degree in Early Chi
