Faculty & Staff IMS classrooms are taught by a dedicated team of Lead Teachers and Assistant Teachers. Our Lead Teachers are Montessori Certified, or are in their training process, either through the American Montessori Society (AMS) or Association Montessori International (AMI). Their Montessori experiences provide the secure foundation on which the school’s curriculum is based.
Nido | Maple Room
Tammy Brooks
Tammy is the Lead guide in the Maple Room. She has her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and Childcare Administration, and is currently working towards her Montessori Certification. She has worked for four years in head start and a group family daycare that used the Reggio Emilia approach for one and a half years. When not teaching, Tammy enjoys hiking NY State trails, reading, watching television, and going to country music concerts.
Lilit Abrahamyan
Lilit is an Assistant guide in the Maple Room. Lilit has her Bachelor’s degree in Economics. After working in the field of finances for about a decade she moved from Armenia to the US with her husband in 2016. She is a mother of two children and decided to be a part of school as soon as the her oldest child went to preschool. After serving as a treasurer at her daughter’s preschool she has been attracted by teacher’s activities.
Teyara Lee
Teyara is an Assistant guide in the Maple Room. She has three years of experience in Early Childhood Education, she has interned in two daycares and has worked in one. Next year she plan’s to continue her degree in Early Childhood Education.
Sabrena Pegram
Sabrena is an assistant guide in the Maple Room. She joins the Maple Room this year after a couple of years in the Walnut Room. She is a wife and a mother to her six year old daughter. During her free time she likes to go hiking, gardening, and baking.
Nido | Hickory Room
Faten Houssia
Faten is the Lead guide in the Nido Hickory Room. Faten will be working toward achieving her CDA and completing the Montessori Beginnings training for infants and toddlers. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, a Certificate in writing Professional Email and Memos. Faten has over 10 years of experience as a child care provider and tutor. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, extended family, students, and friends.
Hannah McConnell
Hannah is an Assistant guide in the Hickory Room. Hannah has worked in childcare for about 6 years. She graduated from Corning Community College in 2020 in the Math & Science program. In her free time she enjoys being outdoors, listening to music, creating art, and traveling.
Omelaid Barhna
Omelaid is a substitute guide in the Hickory Room. She has two years of experience working in child care and with infants. She is interested in continuing her education toward a Child Development Associate. She loves to read, go hiking, and cook treats for her children.
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Toddler | Oak Room
Yoko Roy
Yoko is the Lead Guide in the Oak Room. Yoko was previously the lead teacher of the toddler Hickory Room. Yoko began her journey at Ithaca Montessori School in 2004! Yoko was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. There she studied journalism at Bunka Gakuin college and was an editor of a women’s magazine for fifteen years. Yoko moved to the U.S. in 1999 and started at IMS as an Assistant Teacher in the Primary Program. After one year, she found her passion working with Toddlers and is now a lead teacher in our Toddler Program. She received her certification from the Montessori Infant/Toddler training at the Princeton Center for Montessori Teacher Education in 2008. She lives in Trumansburg with her two daughters, Naomi and Emma.
Racquel Martorell
Racquel is an Assistant Guide in the Oak Room. She is a hard, dedicated worker who loves a fast-paced, adaptive environment. She is also excited and ready to learn at all times! Fully committed to the job and focused 100% of the time.
Julia Minsky-Kern
Julia is an Assistant Guide in the Oak Room. She was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and was adopted by an American family as an infant. She strongly values education and creativity, and strives to create an environment where the two can co-exist. She majored in Documentary Studies & Production at Ithaca College, and minored in Education. She has experience teaching English online to students of various ages and nationalities, and hopes to become an ESL teacher in the future. In her free time, Julia likes to sew scrunchies, design stickers, and create music.
Katya Mulcahy
Katya is an Assistant guide in the Oak Room. Katya has worked in the Early Childhood field since the age of 13. She began babysitting and became a Summer camp counselor for both the NYS Sheriffs Association and Boy Scouts of America. Katya has completed BOCES Early Childhood program in 2015 and received her Associates of Applied Sciences for Early Childhood from TC3 in 2017. Since then she has worked in infant, toddler, and pre-school rooms as an assistant. She has taught upper Elementary special need students and was most recently an infant lead teacher. She is currently finishing her Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education. In her spare time, Katya is a photographer, writer, and musician.
Toddler | Willow Room
Heather Peluso
Heather is the lead guide in the Willow Room. Heather, a native of Buffalo NY, came to Ithaca after graduating from SUNY Cortland with a B.A. in History. Heather has been caring for children in centers, home based care and preschool for 19 years. Heather received her Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential in 2006 and is now a fully certified Montessori Infant and Toddler teacher. She lives with her husband Josh, two daughters, Sydnie and Reese, and a goofy Golden Retriever Codder.
Anna Olson
Anna is and Assistant Guide in the Willow Room. She was born in Syracuse and graduated from Syracuse University in 2019, earning a BS in Human Development & Family Science with a concentration in Queer Studies. Anna’s career in childhood education began at SU’s Bernice M. Wright Child Development Lab School. She worked there for 4 years, teaching toddlers and preschool-aged children. During college, Anna founded the SU chapter of Camp Kesem, which provides a free week-long summer camp to children whose guardians are affected by cancer. Anna moved to Ithaca in August 2020 with her partner. In her spare time, Anna likes to cook, go to the farmers market, and play with her cats, Max and Ruby.
Abbey Quick
Abbey is an assistant guide in the Willow Room. Her goal is to help maintain a fun and comfortable environment for the children throughout their day. She has been involved with guiding children since she was young, and continues to do so everyday. She is currently attending college for Human Services. In her free time, she enjoys being outside adventuring with her son, stepdaughter, and dogs.
Caroline Silva
Caroline is an Assistant Guide in the Willow Room. She has an Educational background in Early Childhood Development. Experience at The William George Agency for Children’s Service’s working with at-risk youth. Caroline holds an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice. She is an aspiring Pediatric Nurse, currently enrolled at Tompkins Cortland Community College.
Primary & Kindergarten | Elm Room
Elsa Sinurat Semp
Elsa is a Lead Guide for the Elm Room at IMS. Elsa is a professional Psychologist, trained and licensed at the University of Indonesia, Indonesia’s top university, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree (1994), majoring in Psychology, and a Master’s degree (2004) majoring in Human Resources and Development. Elsa is currently pursuing Montessori Teacher Certification with the Princeton Center for Teacher Education in Princeton, New Jersey. Elsa’s deep interest in children’s education led her to major in Early Childhood Education and earn an Associate of Applied Science degree (2017) at TC3 in Dryden, NY, after which, Elsa was employed as an Assistant Guide for Toddler and Primary at IMS for the 2017-2018 academic year. It is Elsa’s keen desire to deeply enrich herself with substantial and sustained exposure to professional development in children’s education by studying and teaching the Montessori method and philosophy so that she can make significant contributions to children’s education in this field in the future.
Suzanna Homrighaus
Suzanna is an assistant guide in the Elm Room. She has over ten years experience in Early Childhood Education. She received her Associates in Early Childhood Education in 2017. Suzanna is a mom to twin 8 year-olds. In her spare time Suzanna enjoys hiking, spending time with family, and scrapbooking.
Andrew Ink
Andrew is an assistant guide in the Elm Room. He just completed his last semester of college and has achieved a Bachelors in Mathematics with a Minor in Education from Houghton College. He worked as a camp counselor for 2 years and has worked the past two summers at IMS in the Summer Camp Program. His areas of interest are martial arts, frisbee golf, and origami.
Heather Ingalls
Heather is an assistant guide in the Elm Room. She is a mother of one, and a huge animal lover. In her free time she enjoys writing, and getting lost in a good book.
Primary & Kindergarten | Pine Room
Eamonn Moneypenny-Hall
Eamonn is excited to be the Lead Guide in the Pine Room. Eamonn is currently attending the Center for Montessori Guided Studies to obtain his Montessori Certification in Early Childhood. Prior to the pandemic Eamonn taught third grade math and literacy in Seattle, WA. This year will be Eammon’s third school year with Ithaca Montessori and his second year as Lead Guide in the Pine Room. In his personal time Eamonn enjoys training his dog and hiking.
Shahista Anwar
Shahista is an Assistant Guide in the Pine Room. Shahista has completed two years of college and is looking forwards to completing her degree in Early Childhood Education. She has worked with children ranging in age from 4-15 years old for the past 7 years. In her free time, Shahista enjoys cooking, walking, and hiking.
Leah Slattery
Leah is an Assistant guide in the Pine Room. She is currently working towards her Associates degree in Creative Writing and Literature with hopes of one day achieving her degree in Special Education. She has two years of experience working with children ages from newborn to 6 years-old in school and Summer camp settings. Leah loves the theater, cooking, and reading. She enjoys spending time with her family.
Emma Mahon
Emma is an Assistant guide in the Pine Room. Emma has personal experience working with children as well as working in an after-school program. Emma is currently enrolled at Tompkins Cortland Community College, pursuing an Associate degree in Creative Writing. She plans to continue her education to become a school librarian. Emma enjoys spending time with her husband and toddler, playing and listening to music, drawing, reading, and gardening.
Primary & Kindergarten | Walnut Room
Tara Conklin
Tara is a co-lead guide for the Walnut Room. She holds a bachelors of science in Community Health from Lock Haven University and is currently pursuing her Montessori Certification in Early Childhood. Tara has been working at IMS since 2019. Tara adores her husband Adam, and daughter Ellinor. Tara is a huge nature and animal lover.
Carrie McClain
Carrie McClain is a co-lead guide in the Walnut Room. Carrie received her Montessori training with CMTE/NY in 2016 and currently holds an Early Childhood Credential from the American Montessori Society. She also has a M.Ed in Montessori Integrative Learning as well as a BA in Fine Art. Carrie lives in Corning with her husband and two children. In her spare time, she likes to knit, bake, and read.
Kailee (Kay) Malpasso
Kay is an Assistant guide in the Walnut Room and has been with IMS for a year now. She was raised in Ithaca, graduating from Cascadilla School and is currently working towards her CDA. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, and traveling to new places.
Jyoti Amin
Jyoti is an Assistant guide in the Walnut Room. Jyoti has worked for two Montessori schools in Williamsburg, VA and Chesterfield, MO, for the past six years. She has worked with primary and elementary level classes as an Assistant Guide. She has also managed before and after school extended care programs for both schools. She is a parent of two children who are Montessori alums. Prior to joining the Montessori school, Jyoti ran my own business for 10 years. In her spare time, she love’s gardening and going for hikes
Art
Ellie Delorme-Novakowski
Ellie is our Art Guide. She has a Bachelor’s of Fine Art with a concentration in Art Education. She has taught Art in public school for 4 years. Aside from being an artist, she enjoys film analysis and spending time with her three Guinea pigs, Caramel, Gingerbread, and Oreo.
OSL
Jyoti Amin
Jyoti is our Outdoor Science Lab Guide. Jyoti has worked for two Montessori schools in Williamsburg, VA and Chesterfield, MO, for the past six years. She has worked with primary and elementary level classes as an Assistant Guide. She has also managed before and after school extended care programs for both schools. She is a parent of two children who are Montessori alums. Prior to joining the Montessori school, Jyoti ran my own business for 10 years. In her spare time, she love’s gardening and going for hikes
Administrative Team
Pamela Weatherby
Program Director and Head of School
Pam attended the Center for Montessori Teacher Education in New Rochelle, NY in 2001 to complete her Primary Montessori Certification. She has over 10 years of teaching experience at the Primary level at IMS. She has been in a Director’s role at IMS for over 8 years and the Head of School for almost 5 years. Pam’s education background is in Human Services with a specialization in Early Childhood Education. Pam is happily married to her husband Casey of 20 years. They have 3 children, Morgan, Maelin, and Hayden, whom have all attended IMS. Pam enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, camping, outdoor activities, and working in her garden..
Walaa Maharem-Horan
Operations Director
Walaa has a degree in Psychology, with a concentration in special education, from McMaster’s University. She is the founding director of Ithaca Welcomes Refugees, a non-profit here in Ithaca. She is a board member of the Ithaca Public Education Initiative, and a translator (Arabic) for the Ithaca City School district. Walaa has extensive experience as an operational manager, including budget and fundraising experience, for several small-to-medium size companies in Ithaca. Walaa is passionate about IMS and the work to help Ithaca Montessori School grow.
Donna Wheeler
Education Director
Donna grew up locally and graduated from Cayuga Community College with an Early Childhood Education Degree. She managed her own home daycare when her four children were young and then started her career at Ithaca Montessori as a Primary assistant. After receiving Montessori training Donna continued as a Primary lead teacher for 15 years. After leaving to explore teaching Infants at Bright Horizons she returned to Ithaca Montessori to lead the Nido classroom for 2 years before stepping into the Education Director role. Donna is an avid gardener and loves to spend time with her growing number of grandchildren.
Melanie Teeter
Administrative Assistant
Melanie was born and raised in Newfield NY. She comes to IMS with numerous of years experience as an Administrative Assistant. She is a proud fur-mom to her Miniature Dachshund Charlie, as well as, a very proud Aunt to many nieces and nephews. In her personal time, you can always find her at one of her siblings’ homes hanging out with all the kids. She loves the Pittsburgh Steelers and cooking!
