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.

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.

Natalie Teng - Primary Lead 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.

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.

Lindsay Kane - Primary Lead Teacher

Lindsay is a Montessori certified teacher for 3-6 year olds through NorthEast Montessori Institue at Belmont Greene in Ashburn. She has experience working with children with special needs.

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.

Neeti Ahluwalia - Yoga Teacher

In addition to a bachelor's degree in Economics, Master's and a Ph.D. in Linguistics (specialization in language teaching and testing) from University of Delhi in India, Neeti has Integral Yoga Teacher's Training Certification from Integral Yoga Institute in Buckingham, Virginia. She has taught children of all ages, from Pre-School to students at Johns Hopkins University for past several 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.

Stephanie Hando - Primary Assistant

Stephanie is an experienced ESL and Language Arts Teacher. She has a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature from Mary Washington College, and a MAT in English Education from Boston University. She taught English as a Foreign Language in a Cameroonian High School while working in the Peace Corps.

Teresa Sowa- Primary Assistant

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.

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.

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.

Bianca Laura Fisch - 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 - Primary Assistant

Miyuki is a native of Japan, and has been living in the United States for 17 years. She has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Strayer University. She has been substitute teaching at our school for a couple of years; this is her first year as a Primary Assistant.

Shaleena Shukla - Pre-Primary Assistant

Shaleena had been working as a Toddler Assistant at another Montessori School in the area for several years before coming to MCDB. She holds a bachelor's degree in Commerce.

Aradhana Chandra - Pre-Primary Assistant

Aradhana has been working with the Pre-Primary children at our school for a couple of years. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College in India.

Hiroko Lin - Pre-Primary Assistant

Hiroko has been working as an assistant in Montessori schools in the area for a few years. She has an Associates Degree from Hillsborough Community College.

Zina Bennis - Pre-Primary Assistant

Zina has a Bachelor's degree in teaching from The Sorbonne University of Paris, France. She taught English and French in Middle and High schools in Morocco for 5 years before moving to the United States. She worked as a substitute teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools before coming to work at MCDB.

Margaret Cottingham - Extended Day Coordinator

Maggie has been responsible for the children staying with us for the full day. She is loved by children and staff alike. She has worked as a Child Care provider for the past several years.

Tanuja Saney - Extended Day 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.

Liliana Rocha - Extended Day Teacher

Liliana has been working with children staying with us for the full day. She is loved by children and staff alike. She has worked as a Child Care provider since she came to the US from Peru.

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.