Meet Our Staff

Authoritative: The teacher is firm at the edges and empathetic at the center, the kind of adult who responds empathetically to children’s feelings, while setting clear and consistent limits.
Observer: The Montessori teacher is a trained observer of children’s learning and behavior. These careful observations are recorded and used to infer where each student is in terms of his or her development, and leads the teacher to know when to intervene in the child’s learning with a new lesson, a fresh challenge, or a reinforcement of basic ground rules.
An Educational Resource: Montessori teachers facilitate the learning process by serving as a resource to whom the children can turn as they pull together information, impressions, and experiences.
Role Model: Like all great teachers, the Montessori educator deliberately models the behaviors and attitudes that she/he is working to instill in her/his students. Because of Montessori’s emphasis on character development, the Montessori teacher normally is exceptionally calm, kind, warm, and polite to each child.

Respectfully Engage with the Learner: The Montessori teacher recognizes that her role is not so much to teach as to inspire, mentor, and facilitate the learning process. The real work of learning belongs to the individual child. Because of this, the Montessori educator remains conscious of her/his role in helping each child to fulfill his potential as a human being and of creating an environment for learning within which children will feel safe, cherished, and empowered.
Facilitate The “Match” Between the Learner and Knowledge: Montessori teachers are trained to identify the best response to the changing interests and needs of each child as a unique individual. Because they truly accept that children learn in many different ways and at their own pace, Montessori educators understand that they must “follow the child,” adjusting their strategies and timetable to fit the development of each of their pupils.
Environmental Engineer: Montessori teachers organize appropriate social settings and academic programs for children at their own level of development. They do this to a large degree through the design of the classroom, selection and organization of learning activities, and structure of the day.

Our Team

Riza Espiridion-Doiron: Riza has been an owner and administrator of Moncton Montessori School since 1997. The school began in Moncton in 1967 with her mother, Medy Espiridion, taking over in 1972. After studying Sociology and French at Acadia University, Riza worked for one year as her mother’s assistant before completing her Montessori training at the Foundation for Montessori Education (AMI) in Toronto. Today, Riza continues to build on the Montessori legacy that her mother established and fostered in Greater Moncton for over 25 years.

Tasha Lutes-Meunier: Tasha has been employed at Moncton Montessori School since 2000. After completing her studies in Sociology at Mount Allison University, she worked as a Teacher’s Assistant for a short period at our school. She then went on to complete her Montessori training with NAMC and became a qualified Montessori teacher in 2002. Tasha has effectively lead Casa/Kindergarten classrooms at Moncton Montessori School since that time. Tasha is back with us this year, following a year of maternity leave after giving birth to her son, Cullen.

Sarah Sutherland: Sarah has worked at Moncton Montessori School since 2001 having completed her diploma in Early Childhood Education, a Teacher’s Assistant course and her certification as a Montessori Teacher. She continues to take courses on a part-time basis in order to complete her Bachelor of Child and Youth Studies at Mount St. Vincent University. Sarah is active in her community and dedicates much time to not-for-profit organizations in GreaterMoncton. She is married to Matt, and is the proud mother of two young children, Naaman and Madison.

Amanda Raybould: Amanda’s introduction to the Montessori method of teaching was through the attendance of her four nephews at our school. The teaching methodology and the learnings that her nephews took away from the school had a lasting impact on her. After completing her studies in Theology at Briercrest College in Saskatchewan, Amanda returned to Moncton and began teaching at Moncton Montessori School in March 2004. She completed her Montessori training through the North American Montessori Center (NAMC) and received her pre-school and Kindergarten diploma in 2007.

Heïdi Savoie: Heïdi has been a teacher at Moncton Montessori School since 2009 and since her arrival has played an integral role in the delivery of the school’s summer camp programs and extracurricular activities, including the school’s participation in the Santa Claus Parade. Heïdi holds a BEd from Université de Moncton where she specialized in primary education. She will complete her Montessori training in October 2010. Heïdi oversees the delivery of our French as a Second Language (FSL) program.

Angelina Davey: Soprano Angelina Davey is completing her Bachelor of Music degree at Mount Allison University. She is a versatile singer and musician. Her past vocal experiences include 12 years with the Hillsborough Girl’s Choir and Madrigal Ensemble, with whom she was privileged to perform throughout the world. She has sung with Opera New Brunswick, Halifax Summer Opera Workshop, and Mount Allison’s Opera Workshop. She has studied and performed at festivals in Vancouver, New York, Halifax, and Barcelona.Angelina was a recipient of the 2010 Universitas Summer Undergraduate Award for research, a recent recipient of the Mount Allison Conservatory Prize for improvement in singing and the Don Wright Scholarship in Music Education, among others.Angelina’s passion for music has taken her to Belgium, where she spent a year running an after school program including the writing and performing of a children’s musical. She has volunteered in an orphanage in Egypt, where she taught music and English to children.

Sylvie Wornes: Slyvie, a teaching assistant at Moncton Montessori School, was born and raised in Shippagan NB. She graduated from École Marie Esther in 1984. During her varied career, Sylvie has managed a small business, as well as worked for a major financial institution for 14 years. She is the mother of three wonderful children. Sylvie brings much life experience and a true Acadian background to the school. Sylvie serves as a great resource to Francophone students of the school who solely speak French, but come to the school with the express desire to learn English.

Victoria Stroud: Victoria has had a life-long interest in working with children. In 2001, she completed a Child and Youth Care course through which she acquired the skills to work with children with special needs. After sveral years of working in a variety of fields, Victoria made the bold decision to return to school.; In 2009, Victoria completed a Bachelor of Arts at Mount Allison University followed in 2010 with a Bachelor of Education from Crandall University. As part of her education degree, Victoria had the opportunity to travel to Melbourne, Australia and teach in the Australian school system. Victoria is eager to implement the best practices she learned in Australia at Moncton Montessori School!