Our Staff
Teachers work one-on-one with the students, demonstrating how to use these materials when the child is developmentally ready to use them. Our teachers closely and carefully noting when the time is right for the child to be introduced to the next level of difficulty. We provide individualized lesson plans for each child.
Please meet the wonderful teachers in our GMA family who put their heart and soul into the school and are deeply connected with every child in every classroom.
Miss Ruoyun has a degree in Education and Child Education with over 20 years of teaching experience. Miss Ruoyun found great value in the Montessori education system when she was pregnant with her daughter in 2007 and became a Montessori education follower. She practiced her passion in Montessori education in her daily teaching and raising her two wonderful children. She established Trillium Montessori School in Bellevue in 2013 with the purpose of creating a bilingual Montessori program. Later, the school relocated to larger premises in Issaquah with an expanded leadership team and reopened as Gilman Montessori Academy. Miss Ruoyun is currently Gilman Montessori School's office admin and lead teacher. She loves outdoor activities, reading, cooking, and enjoying time with her supportive and loving family.
Miss Deepti has a degree in Engineering. After working as an engineer for many years, she found that her true passion lies in early childhood education, and became a Montessori teacher. Miss Deepti has been teaching for over 15 years in preschools around the area before coming to GMA and is the lead teacher of our classroom. She has two daughters, both of whom spent their early childhood in Montessori schools. Miss Deepti is very active in her free time - she likes walking dogs, dancing, sports, and hanging out with friends. Her favorite things to do include travel, experiencing different cultures, and tasting new cuisines. She loves every child in our classroom and enjoys teaching them new and different things every day.
Miss Mary was born and raised in China. She moved to the US over 10 years ago and has been working in preschools ever since. Miss Mary has over 10 years of teaching experience and has been with GMA for over 4 of those years. Miss Mary leads our Mandarin curriculum in all three classes, as well as our afterschool Mandarin Class. Miss Mary’s favorite things to are read books, organize her house, plant flowers, and take long walks.
Miss Stephanie is a PNW native. She newly found her passion in Montessori and in progress to getting her teacher certificate. Miss Stephanie has 3 awesome kiddos. She believe hugs can heal and the best conversation is done with a 2 to 5 year old! She also loves being outdoors camping, hiking, learning and doing anything hands-on! And she said she loves being a part of the GMA team!
Miss Sana has a dual Bachelors's degree in Education and Computer Science. As a Montessori certified Infant/Toddler teacher, Miss Sana utilize the 'Montessori Method of teaching' to make children feel comfortable with the classroom environment and accomplish daily learning routines. Miss Sana also likes cooking and doing arts & crafts. She enjoys working in the amazing world of toddlers and it's always a pleasure to see them learn and grow!
Miss Marily is our Spanish teacher and assistant teacher, who was originally from Colombia. She has a degree in social communication and a technologist in teaching. She has been teaching children more than 7 years and still keeps her great passions of teacher children. She has signed up for a Montessori teacher training program and preparing herself for a lead role in the future. Her native language is Spanish. She said she is more than happy to be part of GMA, and wants to learn and give the best of me to my students.
Miss Sarah is our co-lead teacher in the primary classroom. She graduated from University of Michigan with a Bachelor’s in psychology. She worked with high capability children before she joined GMA. Miss Sarah is very passionate about early childhood education and she has been working with preschoolers since she graduated. In her free time, she would like to walk her dog and hang out with friends.
Miss Maddie was born and raised in the Issaquah area. She has a degree in Psychology and originally worked in that field. She has been working with children for 6 years. She was a nursery director and then a preschool teacher before coming to GMA. When not at school, Miss Maddie enjoys being outdoors and embracing all that the PNW has to offer. She also loves being with family and friends as much as she can.
Miss Shital has a degree in engineering. She is a mother of two lovely sons. After working for 6 years in the IT industry, she found that life is more beautiful around children. She has newly discovered her passion for Montessori and is keenly interested in rapid growth, so she started pursuing her teacher certification. It is important to find fulfillment and happiness in our work. Her belief in the power of meditation and positive attitude is commendable. Teaching children to approach life with confidence and an easy -going mindset can have a significant impact on their development and overall well-being. During her leisure hours, she likes to do Zumba, engage in outdoor activities, and hang out with friends.
She is ecstatic to be a part of the GMA family! Cheers..:)
Miss Gina has been an early childhood educator for almost 20 years and still has her great passion, creativity and nurturing spirit to the learning environment. She completed her AMS Montessori certificate training and became a Montessori teacher in 2017. Miss Gina has a very warm and engaging classroom for our children to grow and discover. She loves working with her team and parents to embark on a journey of exploration, development and fostering a love for leaning in our children's early years.
.jpg)
Miss Jing has a background in teaching Chinese as second language at college in China. she found her passion in early childhood education a few years ago and decided to go for a master degree in education in Washington State University. She is enthusiastic about applying the knowledge that she has learned at school and her experience into her current job to cultivate a nurturing environment for our young learners. Working with children has give her so much joy and peace, so she really looks forward growing with them everyday!
