Locations
182 Fifteenth Avenue
Tauranga 3110
Phone: (07) 562 3762

and
112 Waihi Road
Judea, Tauranga 3110
Phone: (07) 578 8434
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Meet the Scuola Montessori Team


The Professional Team
All of our teachers are experienced and very well qualified; our percentage of Montessori Diploma qualified teachers is unrivalled in Tauranga and one of the highest in New Zealand, ensuring the Montessori philosophy education programme is delivered at Scuola Montessori professionally.

Scuola Montessori has higher ratios of teacher / child than the minimum Ministry of Education requirements. This is to ensure the highest focus and attention is given to your child’s safety, immediate needs, learning observations and professionally written learning stories.


" A teacher..... (must be) ready to be there whenever she is called in order to attest to her love and confidence.
To be always there....that is the point."
- Marie Montessori (1956, p.76)

 



Lorraine Mercer
Lorraine is Scuola Montessori’s founder/centre owner and Head Directress to both centres, she holds a Diploma in Montessori Teaching
0-3years and 3-6years, an NVQ2 and NVQ3 certificate in Early Years Care and Education.

Charmaine Spencer-Smith 
Charmaine our Deputy Head Directress is both a mum and an experienced Montessori Teacher and holds a Diploma in Montessori Teaching 3-6.

 



Karen Hearn
Karen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, a Diploma in Montessori Teaching 0-3 years, is a provisionally registered teacher and a married mum of three children.

 



Paula Robinson
Paula holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching, a Diploma in Montessori Teaching 0-3 years, is provisionally registered and a married mum of two.

 

Anna Boyd
Anna holds a Graduate Diploma in Early Years Education, a Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Teaching and a Diploma in Montessori Teaching 3-6 years, she is a married mum of two children, and is fully registered.

 



Wendy Gordon
Wendy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, a Diploma in Montessori Teaching 3-6 years, is a fully registered teacher and a married mum of two children.

 

Carla Campbell
Carla a mum of two holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching and is our lunchtime assistant.

 

Danielle Hollis
Dani is a Fully Registered teacher, holds a Montessori Teaching Diploma 3-6 years has over 14 years’ experience in Teaching in Montessori Early Education, both in New Zealand, Australia and the UK. Mum to Three grown up children and Grandmother to two.

 

Renee Crosby
Renee is the Head Directress to both Scuola Montessori’s Bambini rooms and the person in charge at Waihi Road; she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, a Montessori Teaching Diploma 0-3 years and is a provisionally registered teacher.



Caroline Stannard
Caroline, a fully registered teacher, holds a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary), a Diploma in Early Childhood Education, a Diploma in Montessori Teaching 3-6 years and is mum to two teenage girls.

Angelina Cutbush
A mother to two pre-schoolers, Angelina holds a Diploma in Montessori Teaching 3-6.

Jane Lusher
Jane holds a Degree in Primary Teaching, a Post Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching a Montessori Diploma in Teaching 3-6 years.

Jane is a fully registered teacher and has had many years’ experience in teaching. Jane is a mum of five children, Grandmother to fourteen grandchildren and three step grandchildren.

 

Tracey Du Plooy
Tracey holds a Montessori Teaching Diploma 3-6 years has worked in Early Childcare for over 20 years and is mum to two children

Alexandra Cabrera
Alexandra holds a Diploma of Early Childhood Education (0-5years) which she studied for in Buenos Aires and has worked in early childcare since she qualified, she is also a married mum to one little boy.

Cassandra Chan
Cassandra holds a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education, is a fully registered teacher, is currently studying towards her Montessori Teaching Diploma 3-6 years and is a married mum to two girls.

 

Jemma Hughes
Jemma is a student Montessori Directress and holds a BSC in Biology, Chemistry and Psychology.

Nana Ivy
Our Head gardener, wonderful seamstress and Nana to all the children at "Scuola Montessori".

David Mercer
Centre owner and Manager, Administration clerk and all round maintenance man.

Our team has excellent teaching expertise, qualifications, experience, and on-going professional development support for continuous improvement. Together they make up a well-balanced, energetic and passionate team with a team philosophy that reflects a genuine commitment to bring out the best in your child's learning and development.