Aya Montessori Staff Family

Meet The A Team at Aya Montessori in Columbia, Maryland

“The real preparation for education is the study of one’s self. The training of the teacher who is to help life is something far more than the learning of ideas. It includes the training of character; it is a preparation of the spirit.” 

~Dr. Maria Montessori

Elementary Community

  • Mr. Andon

    Upper Elementary Montessori Guide-Golden House

    AMI Elementary Montessori Diploma (6-12)

    M.Ed in Montessori Education

    MA in TESOL

    BA in History w/Minor in Religious Studies

  • Ms. Ainur

    Lower Elementary Montessori Guide-Silver House

    AMI Elementary Montessori Diploma (6-12) -In Progress-

    PhD in Education

    Montessori 3-6 Diploma

    M.Sc in Educational Leadership

    BA in International Relations

  • Ms. Elyaza

    Lower Elementary Montessori Guide-Bronze House

    AMI Elementary Montessori Diploma (6-12)

    M.Sc in Business Psychology

    BA in Counseling and Health Psychology

    Glenn Doman Method Certificate

  • Ms. Samar

    Upper Elementary Assistant - Golden House

    AMI Elementary Montessori Orientation (6-12)

  • Ms. Natasha

    Lower Elementary Assistant - Silver House

    AMI Elementary Montessori Orientation (6-12)

  • Ms. Sana

    Lower Elementary Assistant - Bronze House

    AMI Elementary Montessori Orientation (6-12)

    Masters in English Language

  • Ms. Dana

    Elementary Arabic Language Instructor

    B.A in Literature

    AMI Elementary Second Language Instruction Certificate (6-12)

    Oxford’s Certificate in Teaching Young Learners.

  • Ustadha Sahar

    Elementary Quran Instructor

    B.S in Education & Psychology

    Muddakir Quran Hifth Graduate

    Montessori Diploma 0-3

  • Ustadha Zainab

    Elementary Islamic Studies Instructor

    B.A in English Literature

    Alimiyya Degree upon

    completion of Dars-e-Nizami

    (equivalent to dual Master of Arts

    in Islamic Studies & Arabic)

Primary Community

  • Ms. Hala

    Primary Montessori Guide - Green House

    B.A in Early Childhood Education

    AMI Primary Diploma (3-6)

    Lead MSDE Preschool Teacher Credentials

  • Ms. Imane

    Primary Montessori Guide - Purple House

    Master’s in Montessori Education

    B.A in French Studies

    Dual AMI Diplomas: A-to-I (0-3) and Primary (3-6)

  • Ms. Asma

    Primary Montessori Guide - Blue House

    B.S in Architecture

    AMI Primary Diploma (3-6)

    Computer-Aided Design Certificate

  • Ms. Samah

    Arabic/Quran Assistant Teacher - Green House

    B.A in Arabic Education

    Ijazah in Hafs Recitation

    AMI Primary Orientation Certificate (3-6)

    Lead MSDE Preschool Teacher Credentials

    Noorani Rule Teaching Certificate

  • Ms. Marwa

    Arabic/Quran Assistant Teacher - Purple House

    B.A in Home Economics and Nutrition

    Ijazah in Quran Memorization

    AMI Primary Orientation Certificate (3-6)

    Lead MSDE Preschool Teacher Credentials

  • Ms. Khitam

    Arabic/Quran Assistant Teacher - Blue House

    AMI Primary Orientation Certificate (3-6)

    Lead MSDE Preschool Teacher Credentials

    Lead MSDE Infants/Toddlers Teacher Credentials

  • Ms. Shaima

    Lead Assistant - Green House

    B.S in Computer Information Systems

  • Ms. Ghofran

    Lead Assistant - Purple House

    B.S in Banking

    AMI Primary Orientation (3-6)

  • Ms. Hend

    Lead Assistant - Blue House

    B.S in Law

    Lead MSDE Preschool Teacher Credentials

Young Children Community

  • Ms. Farah

    YCC Montessori Guide - Pink House

    AMS Assistance to Infancy Diploma (0-3)

    Bachelors in Arts

    Dual MSDE Credentials: Lead Infants/Toddlers & Preschool Teacher

  • Ms. Mounira

    YCC Montessori Guide - Yellow House

    AMI Assistance to Infancy Diploma (0-3)

    A.A. in Anesthesia and Intensive Care

    Lead MSDE Preschool Credentials

  • Ms. Nafesa

    Lead Assistant - Pink House

    A.A. from the Commercial Tech. Institute

    Lead MSDE Preschool Teacher Credentials

  • Ms. Samina

    Lead Assistant - Yellow House

    Master's in Veterinary Medicine

    AMI 0-3 Orientation Certificate

    Dual MSDE Credentials: Lead Infants/Toddlers & Preschool Teacher

Support Staff

  • Ms. Hend M.

    Silver House Paraeducator

    B.S in Veterinary Medicine

    Lead MSDE Preschool Teacher Credentials

  • Ms. Saira

    Young Children Community Floater

    Lead MSDE Preschool Teacher Credentials

  • Ms. Hadil

    School Floater

    B.S in Occupational Therapy

    AMI Primary Training in Progress

Admin Team

  • Ms. Jennifer Gharsa

    Administrator

    B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication

    AMI Montessori Adolescence Diploma (12-18)

    AMI Montessori Admin Certificate

  • Ms. Manal Vohra

    School Counselor

    Master’s in Applied Psychology

    B.S. in Counseling Psychology

    Registered Behavioral Therapist

    BCBA License -in progress-

  • Ms. Fatima Husain

    Communications & AQA Coordinator

    B.A. in Media and Communication Studies

  • Ms. Salam Aref

    Head of School/Co-founder

    B.S in Architecture

    M.Ed in Montessori Education

    AMI Montessori Primary Diploma (3-6)

    AMI Montessori Adolescence Diploma (12-18)

  • Ms. Iman Mekkawi

    Operations Manager

    B.S in Business Administration

    MSDE Director Credentials

    AMI Montessori Admin Certificate

    Lead MSDE Preschool Teacher Credentials

Consultants

Aya Montessori partners with a dedicated team of experienced third-party consultants who serve our community in specialized capacities. Our Montessori consultants visit our environments regularly, meet with staff, and provide ongoing training on a monthly basis. Our Speech Therapist works with small groups of students on a weekly basis, and our Occupational Therapist observes and trains staff annually based on community need.

Please note that the consultants listed below are third-party providers whom Aya Montessori has partnered with. They are not Aya Montessori employees and each leads their own independent practice or organization.

  • Zahra Majeed

    Elementary Montessori Consultant

    Master of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University

    AMI Montessori Elementary Diploma (6-12)

    Founder of Twinleaf Education Consultation

    Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA)

  • Jennifer Shield

    YCC/Primary Montessori Consultant

    Master’s in Education from Cleveland State University

    AMI Montessori Primary (3-6) & A-I (0-3) Diploma

    Director of AMI Training at Washington Montessori Institute

    AMI Primary Trainer and Examiner

  • Manaar Zuhurudeen

    Speech Therapist, M.A., CCC-SLP

    Master’s degrees in Hearing and Speech Sciences and Speech Language Pathology

    Founder of The Peach Room Speech Language Services

    Adjunct lecturer for the University of Maryland’s Hearing and Speech Sciences department

  • Barbara Luborsky

    Pediatric Occupational Therapist, OTR/L

    Co-founder of Montessori Medical Partnership for Inclusion

    Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Howard University