Eugene George is our AMI Montessori elementary teacher for the 6-9 classroom. Mr. George graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Arts degree and later traveled to Bergamo, Italy and spent a year taking his Montessori Elementary Teacher Training. Mr. George and Mr. Harrod, our 9-12 classroom teacher, took the training in Italy together! Mr. George has more than twenty years experience teaching Montessori elementary children. He taught for us for three years from 2000 to 2002 and is now returning to us after a three year hiatus. Click here to see Mr. George's 2007-2008 class photo.
Dave Harrod is our 9-12 elementary class teacher. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology in 1970 from the University of Arizona. Shortly thereafter he took his AMI Montessori Teacher Training in Los Angeles in 1971 (with Mr. Page!). He immediately traveled to Bergamo, Italy and took the AMI Montessori Elementary Teacher Training. After teaching for a number of years he went back to school and received a Master’s Degree in Library Science from USC. Dave Harrod has been teaching at MMS since September 1986. Click here to see Mr. Harrod's 2007-2008 class photo.
John Page is the Founder and Executive Director of our school. He founded the Meher Montessori School in Altadena in 1972. He taught there, as well as administrated, until 1982 when he started an affiliated school in Alhambra. Then for the next 2 years he taught in Alhambra, as well as doing its administrative work, until starting our Monterey Park School. He is returning for his 5th year teaching our primary classes. He is a graduate of UCLA and the AMI Montessori Institute of Los Angeles. Click here to see Mr. Page's 2007-2008 class photo.
Veronica Peñais our new 3-6 primary teacher, co-teaching with Mr. Page. She graduated from Universidad Normal Fronteriza in Mexico in 2000 as an Elementary teacher. She followed up her education by obtaining a Masters Degree in General Education. After teaching Elementary school for several years in Tijuana, Mexico, she decided to incorporate AMI Montessori Education as part of her professional career. She graduated from The Montessori Institute of San Diego in 2007. She got married this summer and moved to the LA area from San Diego.
Philomena Thomas is an AMI Montessori teacher in our northern downstairs primary classroom. She is a 1963 graduate of the Good Shepherd Maria Montessori AMI Training Centre in Sri Lanka. In 1968 she founded the Montessori program at De Sales Heights Academy in Parkersburg, West Virgina where she taught for 11 years. Philomena later went to South Africa and established a Montessori School in Johannesburg. She then taught for 3 years in Hawaii before joining our staff in September 1986. Click here to see Mrs. Thomas's 2007-2008 class photo.
Effie Weerakkody has been a Montessori teacher for more then 40 years. She originally trained in her native country, Sri Lanka, at the Good Shepherd Maria Montessori AMI Training Centre. She had her own school in Camarillo for 25 years and was recently teaching at a school in Brea. We are very pleased to have such a wonderful new addition to our staff. Click here to see Mrs. Weerakkody's 2007-2008 class photo.
Tatian Avila joined us this past summer. She worked as Mr. George’s summer school assistant and was in charge of the elementary summer camp. Tatian is a former Montessori student. She is currently attending Pasadena City College and is working on her Degree in Sociology. She completed her required Child Development courses at PCC. Tatian works in both the primary and elementary classes. Her interests include photography and coaching cheerleading.
Cynthia Martinez is an assistant in Mrs. Weerakkody's class and is in charge of our after school primary day care. Cynthia is a very special staff member because this is her twenty-third year of service in our school. She started with us in September 1984 when our Monterey Park facility opened. Besides having completed course work for her Child Development I certificate, she has completed a special two-week course on the Montessori Method for the paraprofessional.
Anette Mills (nicknamed "Coach") started working at the Meher Montessori School in Monterey Park in 1992 as a park-time P.E. teacher. She also worked with the primary children in extended day care in the afternoon. She completed her required child development courses at East Los Angeles College. In 2001 she transferred to the Altadena Meher Montessori School to assist in the classroom and afternoon daycare. This year we welcome her back to our Monterey Park campus as an assistant in Mrs. Weerakkody's class.
Nichole Muñoz is with us for her seventh year. She completed her required Child Development course work at East Los Angeles College. She is an assistant in Mrs. Thomas' class in the morning. In addition, Nichole works with the upper elementary children in our computer lab and maintains the computers in the lab and throughout the school. Nichole is also in charge of our School's web site. She is also currently attending The Montessori Institute of San Diego where, in the summer of 2009, she will earn her AMI Primary Teacher’s Diploma. That's right, she is Mrs. Muñoz's daughter!
Maria Rivera assists in Mr. Page's class. This is Maria's sixth year with us and has been a wonderful addition to our school. She is a graduate of Western Mindanao State University in the Philippines where she achieved two B.S. degrees. One is in chemistry and the other in elementary education. In addition she has a Certificate of Specialization in Pre-school Education. She is also currently attending The Montessori Institute of San Diego where, in the summer of 2009, she will earn her AMI Primary Teacher’s Diploma.
Ji Young Suh is Philomena Thomas's full time teaching assistant. Ji was with our school for many years as a parent. Her two children, Joon-Woo and Erica are former students. She is a graduate of Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul, Korea and received her Child Development Certificate from Patten University.
Virgina Thames is the full-time teaching assistant for our 6-9 elementary room. She received her B.A. from California State University, Los Angeles. She joined our school as an aide when the 6-9 elementary classroom first started in September 1985. She is also in charge of our morning elementary day care program. We are happy Virgina is returning for her 22nd year of service with the elementary children.
Marta Ruvalcaba works with the primary children in the extended day care in the afternoon. She began working at Meher Montessori School as a substitute in 1992. Marta has many years of experience working for El Rancho Unified School District Childrens Center for ten years and The Los Angeles Unified School District Childrens Center. She holds a Children Center Teachers Permit from the State of California and an A.A. degree.
Gail Shaeffer, is our former school director and has been with Meher Montessori School since 1984. Gail has many years of teaching experience, as well as 9 years experience administrating at MMS. Gail has a B.S. in elementary education from Boston University, a California Elementary Teaching Credential, and is a graduate of the AMI Montessori Institute of Los Angeles. This year will be Gail’s eighth year as our art director. She works with staff members as well as children to bring more art into the school. Mrs. Shaeffer also gives special art lessons in the afternoon after school to children who sign up.
Adela Muñoz is our School's Director. She started with the school as a part time substitute teacher in September 1992 and became our assistant director in July of 1993. Adela worked for Montebello Unified School District as a reading lab specialist at one of their elementary schools while attending East Los Angeles College. Adela also worked for many years for the Federal Court as a civil clerk and a juror selection coordinator. After her third daughter was born, Adela returned to school and in 1995 completed the AMI Teacher Training at the AMI Montessori Institute of Los Angeles and holds an AMI Primary Teacher’s Diploma.
Elodia (Kookie) Chavez (Evita & Eli's mom) is back again this year to help with the office work. She is in charge of all student records, county required student reports and payroll.
Linda Joe (aka Mrs. Yoshida – Taylor & Timmy’s mom) will be in the office a few of days a week. She is in charge of the school newsletter and with her graphic arts background also makes materials for the school.
Sue Hoshimiya was our office manager from 1983 until her passing away in November, 2004 after a long illness. Sue was our dear friend and a member of the Meher Montessori School staff for over 20 years. She was the business manager for both the Monterey Park School and the Altadena School.
Sue first came to Meher Montessori School when her son Dru was 3 years old. He attended our Alhambra School and Sue was a parent volunteer. She became a permanent staff member a few years later and has been one of the backbones of Meher Montessori School ever since. Most of you may have never met Sue or known of her work for Meher, but if you had the chance to meet her you would never forget her. She was kind and she would do everything she could to help you. Her smile, her laugh, her homemade treats and handmade gifts will be forever in our memories. Meher Montessori School is a better place because of Sue.
Rudy The Dog: We are sorry to report that our beloved friend and school mascot, Rudy the dog, died on Wednesday, May 22, 2002.
Altadena:
Sharon Hyde joined the Meher Montessori family in 1982, working as an assistant teacher and eventually taking the AMI training in 1989 earning her the AMI diploma. She worked for a year at the Monterey Park location and was invited to be the Director/Teacher of the Meher Montessori School in Altadena in 1992. Sharon lives in Altadena with her husband of 36 years and their dog Rocky. She has two grown children who both live in the Pasadena/Altadena area. Click here to see Mrs. Hyde's 2005-2006 class photo.
Gracie Avila returned to us this year as an assistant in our Altadena school. She also works in our after school day care.
Victoria McCray has been with the Meher Montessori School since 1986. She completed her child development classes at Pasadena City College. Victoria is the assistant teacher in Mrs. Hyde's classroom and she also does the day care in the mornings, greeting the children and parents.
Althea Wildhaber has worked for Meher Montessori Schools off and on since 2000. She has worked in the primary classrooms at both the Monterey Park and Altadena schools, as well as before and after school daycare. In addition to completing her required child development course, she has also earned an AA in Social Sciences from PCC. She is also currently attending The Montessori Institute of San Diego where, in the summer of 2009, she will earn her AMI Primary Teacher’s Diploma.
Eugene George is our AMI Montessori elementary teacher for the 6-9 classroom. Mr. George graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Arts degree and later traveled to Bergamo, Italy and spent a year taking his Montessori Elementary Teacher Training. Mr. George and Mr. Harrod, our 9-12 classroom teacher, took the training in Italy together! Mr. George has more than twenty years experience teaching Montessori elementary children. He taught for us for three years from 2000 to 2002 and is now returning to us after a three year hiatus. Click 
Dave Harrod is our 9-12 elementary class teacher. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology in 1970 from the University of Arizona. Shortly thereafter he took his AMI Montessori Teacher Training in Los Angeles in 1971 (with Mr. Page!). He immediately traveled to Bergamo, Italy and took the AMI Montessori Elementary Teacher Training. After teaching for a number of years he went back to school and received a Master’s Degree in Library Science from USC. Dave Harrod has been teaching at MMS since September 1986. Click 
John Page is the Founder and Executive Director of our school. He founded the Meher Montessori School in Altadena in 1972. He taught there, as well as administrated, until 1982 when he started an affiliated school in Alhambra. Then for the next 2 years he taught in Alhambra, as well as doing its administrative work, until starting our Monterey Park School. He is returning for his 5th year teaching our primary classes. He is a graduate of UCLA and the AMI Montessori Institute of Los Angeles. Click 
Veronica Peña is our new 3-6 primary teacher, co-teaching with Mr. Page. She graduated from Universidad Normal Fronteriza in Mexico in 2000 as an Elementary teacher. She followed up her education by obtaining a Masters Degree in General Education. After teaching Elementary school for several years in Tijuana, Mexico, she decided to incorporate AMI Montessori Education as part of her professional career. She graduated from The Montessori Institute of San Diego in 2007. She got married this summer and moved to the LA area from San Diego.
Philomena Thomas is an AMI Montessori teacher in our northern downstairs primary classroom. She is a 1963 graduate of the Good Shepherd Maria Montessori AMI Training Centre in Sri Lanka. In 1968 she founded the Montessori program at De Sales Heights Academy in Parkersburg, West Virgina where she taught for 11 years. Philomena later went to South Africa and established a Montessori School in Johannesburg. She then taught for 3 years in Hawaii before joining our staff in September 1986. Click 
Effie Weerakkody has been a Montessori teacher for more then 40 years. She originally trained in her native country, Sri Lanka, at the Good Shepherd Maria Montessori AMI Training Centre. She had her own school in Camarillo for 25 years and was recently teaching at a school in Brea. We are very pleased to have such a wonderful new addition to our staff. Click 
Tatian Avila joined us this past summer. She worked as Mr. George’s summer school assistant and was in charge of the elementary summer camp. Tatian is a former Montessori student. She is currently attending Pasadena City College and is working on her Degree in Sociology. She completed her required Child Development courses at PCC. Tatian works in both the primary and elementary classes. Her interests include photography and coaching cheerleading.
Cynthia Martinez is an assistant in Mrs. Weerakkody's class and is in charge of our after school primary day care. Cynthia is a very special staff member because this is her twenty-third year of service in our school. She started with us in September 1984 when our Monterey Park facility opened. Besides having completed course work for her Child Development I certificate, she has completed a special two-week course on the Montessori Method for the paraprofessional.
Anette Mills (nicknamed "Coach") started working at the Meher Montessori School in Monterey Park in 1992 as a park-time P.E. teacher. She also worked with the primary children in extended day care in the afternoon. She completed her required child development courses at East Los Angeles College. In 2001 she transferred to the Altadena Meher Montessori School to assist in the classroom and afternoon daycare. This year we welcome her back to our Monterey Park campus as an assistant in Mrs. Weerakkody's class.
Nichole Muñoz is with us for her seventh year. She completed her required Child Development course work at East Los Angeles College. She is an assistant in Mrs. Thomas' class in the morning. In addition, Nichole works with the upper elementary children in our computer lab and maintains the computers in the lab and throughout the school. Nichole is also in charge of our 
Maria Rivera assists in Mr. Page's class. This is Maria's sixth year with us and has been a wonderful addition to our school. She is a graduate of Western Mindanao State University in the Philippines where she achieved two B.S. degrees. One is in chemistry and the other in elementary education. In addition she has a Certificate of Specialization in Pre-school Education. She is also currently attending The Montessori Institute of San Diego where, in the summer of 2009, she will earn her AMI Primary Teacher’s Diploma.
Ji Young Suh is Philomena Thomas's full time teaching assistant. Ji was with our school for many years as a parent. Her two children, Joon-Woo and Erica are former students. She is a graduate of Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul, Korea and received her Child Development Certificate from Patten University.
Virgina Thames is the full-time teaching assistant for our 6-9 elementary room. She received her B.A. from California State University, Los Angeles. She joined our school as an aide when the 6-9 elementary classroom first started in September 1985. She is also in charge of our morning elementary day care program. We are happy Virgina is returning for her 22nd year of service with the elementary children.
Marta Ruvalcaba works with the primary children in the extended day care in the afternoon. She began working at Meher Montessori School as a substitute in 1992. Marta has many years of experience working for El Rancho Unified School District Childrens Center for ten years and The Los Angeles Unified School District Childrens Center. She holds a Children Center Teachers Permit from the State of California and an A.A. degree.
Gail Shaeffer, is our former school director and has been with Meher Montessori School since 1984. Gail has many years of teaching experience, as well as 9 years experience administrating at MMS. Gail has a B.S. in elementary education from Boston University, a California Elementary Teaching Credential, and is a graduate of the AMI Montessori Institute of Los Angeles. This year will be Gail’s eighth year as our art director. She works with staff members as well as children to bring more art into the school. Mrs. Shaeffer also gives special art lessons in the afternoon after school to children who sign up.
Adela Muñoz is our School's Director. She started with the school as a part time substitute teacher in September 1992 and became our assistant director in July of 1993. Adela worked for Montebello Unified School District as a reading lab specialist at one of their elementary schools while attending East Los Angeles College. Adela also worked for many years for the Federal Court as a civil clerk and a juror selection coordinator. After her third daughter was born, Adela returned to school and in 1995 completed the AMI Teacher Training at the AMI Montessori Institute of Los Angeles and holds an AMI Primary Teacher’s Diploma.
Elodia (Kookie) Chavez (Evita & Eli's mom) is back again this year to help with the office work. She is in charge of all student records, county required student reports and payroll.
Linda Joe (aka Mrs. Yoshida – Taylor & Timmy’s mom) will be in the office a few of days a week. She is in charge of the school newsletter and with her graphic arts background also makes materials for the school.
Sue Hoshimiya was our office manager from 1983 until her passing away in November, 2004 after a long illness. Sue was our dear friend and a member of the Meher Montessori School staff for over 20 years. She was the business manager for both the Monterey Park School and the Altadena School.
Rudy The Dog: We are sorry to report that our beloved friend and school mascot, Rudy the dog, died on Wednesday, May 22, 2002. 
Sharon Hyde joined the Meher Montessori family in 1982, working as an assistant teacher and eventually taking the AMI training in 1989 earning her the AMI diploma. She worked for a year at the Monterey Park location and was invited to be the Director/Teacher of the Meher Montessori School in Altadena in 1992. Sharon lives in Altadena with her husband of 36 years and their dog Rocky. She has two grown children who both live in the Pasadena/Altadena area. Click 
Victoria McCray has been with the Meher Montessori School since 1986. She completed her child development classes at Pasadena City College. Victoria is the assistant teacher in Mrs. Hyde's classroom and she also does the day care in the mornings, greeting the children and parents.