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About the Teachers

Michelle Cilmi, "Miss Michelle", Head of School and Primary Head Teacher, has dreamed of owning her own preschool ever since the day she first visited a Montessori classroom. Her dream has come alive in the Lehigh Valley Montessori Academy. She received a B.S. with dual certification in Elementary Ed. and Early Childhood Ed. After four years of training, she received her AMS Montessori Certification. In May 2006, she received an Early Childhood Director’s Certificate from Lehigh Carbon Community College.

Lisa Grube is the Pre-Primary Head Teacher. Lisa has an Early Childhood Education degree, Infant / Toddler Montessori training and a Montessori “Primary” certificate. She has been teaching children for over twenty years. Lisa has enjoyed teaching Montessori for the past ten years. She has taught children ages 18 months through twelve years. Lisa enjoys spending time with her wonderful family, exercising, reading and gardening.

 


About our School

We are a family-owned private academic school located just off of Rt. 100 in the Borough of Alburtis. Our program follows the Montessori philosophy, serving children between the ages of 24 months and 6 years of age. We offer Pre-primary and Primary classes.

The Pre-primary classroom offers young children a unique beginning of self-development in a warm atmosphere of understanding, respect, and support. The experienced teaching staff fulfills the social, physical, emotional, developmental and psychological needs of each child. Our Pre-primary program follows the Montessori philosophy that encourages vocabulary development, independence, and self-confidence for each child.

Our Primary Montessori classroom is geared to the size, the pace and interests of boys and girls between the ages of three and six. Our classrooms are equipped with high quality Montessori materials so that children can progress at their own rate and learn to respect themselves, others, and their environment. The Montessori materials in the Primary classroom can be divided into three main groups: The Practical Life exercises, the Sensorial materials, and the Academic materials, which await each child’s moments of interest in reading, arithmetic, and geography.

Guides are AMS-certified Head Teachers who recognize the children’s developmental need for freedom within limits. The demand for Montessori education is high and student space is limited, so please call about enrollment information today. Lehigh Valley Montessori Academy welcomes students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin.

Our Mission Statement

Lehigh Valley Montessori Academy is dedicated to providing children with a Montessori education in a loving environment. Each child will be empowered with independence, confidence and creativity in order to achieve his or her maximum potential. Through the powerful connection of child, parent and teacher, we will provide our children with a lifelong love of learning.

Additional Staff

Stacie Reichard, a.m. assistant teacher primary class, brings experience in childcare through her work as a summer counselor/supervisor, a teacher's aide, a volunteer, a coach, a home school teacher and a mother of 3. She enjoys trying new recipes (with varying results), keeping fit, growing vegetables and flowers, and photography. Stacie grew up in Alburtis and is pleased to be part of child centered education here in town.


Helping with the school administration and child monitoring is Miss Michelle's mom. She has service and experience with children from her many dedicated years as a nurse's assistant in the Parkland School district and a volunteer at a local Montessori School.

Assisting Michelle with business decision-making and planning, as well as classroom maintenance and repair, is husband Michael Cilmi.  For eight years, Michael worked as a behavioral modification professional, focusing on children with autism and behavioral disorders.  After switching careers, Michael is now a document management specialist at Edwards Business Systems in Bethlehem, PA. He spends most of his free time scuba diving and has now become a certified Dive Master.

 
 

Frequently Asked Questions


 Q. Does the Montessori program offer Music, Art or Physical Education?

A. Yes, in Montessori, the Arts are integrated into the curriculum. Children learn the names of the composers, as they listen to classical masterpieces. They learn the notes of the scale while playing the bells. Art is encouraged throughout all of the subject areas. Famous artists are studied, such as Henri Matisse, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cezanne. The children are encouraged to exercise their gross motor skills daily. There is time in the morning and afternoon for free-play outside, as well as yoga and stretching activities indoors.
 

Q. Does the Montessori Philosophy encourage creativity in the classroom?

A. Most children are, by nature, creative beings. All of the children receive lessons on the materials, they learn how to care for them and use them properly. After the children receive a lesson, they are free to be creative with that material- as long as it is not abused or damaged. In the language area, the boys and girls are encouraged to re-enact stories that they here in books. There is an easel available to give the children opportunities for creative expression.
 

Q. Is Montessori good for children with learning disabilities? What about the gifted?

A. Montessori was designed for children to work at their own pace- that is the beauty of a Montessori classroom. The classroom becomes a community with children of varying abilities learning from each other. This multi-age grouping allows children to feel comfortable with their level instead of always feeling ahead or behind in relation to the rest of the class.
 

Q. What special training does a Montessori Teacher need?

A. Most Montessori training organizations require a bachelors degree for admission. The training lasts approximately four years (8 semesters), including a year of internship in a recognized Montessori School. Our school Director was trained through the American Montessori Society (AMS). Teacher assistants require a high school education and at least thirty hours of experience working with children. These employees would also be required to take a Primary Assistant Training workshop. If you are interested in becoming a Primary Assistant Teacher, please contact the school.
 

Q. What types of socialization will my child experience?

A. When a group of children are gathered together in a calm and friendly environment, socialization is a natural occurrence. The children are encouraged to work together on certain activities or class projects. Some children are more comfortable working individually, so they may choose to work next to a friend. We only ask that their socialization does not interrupt the work of others. The children are given an opportunity to be together as a class during circle time, which helps them to practice good listening skills and turn-taking experiences. Outdoor time provides children with ample time to talk and play.
 

Q. Are there any studies showing academic benefits from a Montessori Education?

A. Research studies on the Montessori Philosophy are now becoming widely available due to the rise in Montessori Education in the United States. These studies show that Montessori children are well-prepared academically, socially and emotionally. Besides scoring well on standardized tests, Montessori children are ranked above average on such criteria as following directions, turning in work on time, listening attentively, using basic skills, showing responsibility, asking provocative questions, showing enthusiasm for learning, and adapting to new situations.


The following report was published by the North American Montessori Teachers Association (NAMTA):

Montessori students reported a significantly better quality of experience in their academic work than did traditional students. In addition, Montessori students perceived their schools as a more positive community for learning, with more opportunities for active, rather than passive, learning.

This study was sponsored by the North American Montessori Teachers Association (NAMTA, an affiliate organization of AMI) and published in The NAMTA Journal 28:3 (Summer, 2003), pages 12-52.