Head of School
"The task of the teacher becomes that of preparing a series of motives of cultural activity, spread over a specially prepared environment, and then refraining from obtrusive interference. Human teachers can only help the great work that is being done, as servants help the master." (page 3, Education for a New World).
India Adams
Head of School
Middle School MathTeacher
Upper Elementary Teacher
India has seventeen years teaching experience in Montessori classrooms. She is also a Montessori teacher trainer in Elementary I math and philosophy and Elementary II math and philosophy. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Belmont Abbey College where she graduated cum laude from the honors program. She then completed studies to become Montessori I & II (grades 1-3 and 4-6) and Montessori Secondary I (grades 7-8) certified. India completed the Endicott College masters program and received a Masters degree in Education specializing in Montessori and Integrated Learning.
Steve Benfield
Lower Elementary Teacher
Physical Education Teacher (all grades)
Steve has seventeen years of Montessori classroom teaching experience. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from University of North Carolina-Wilmington and then continued studies to become Montessori I & II certified (grades 1-3 and 4-6). In addition to teaching in the classroom, Steve has been the physical education coordinator and instructor to children enrolled at all levels of the Montessori curriculum, primary through high school. Steve and his wife Lori have two sons, Garrett (13) and Brayden (2).
Beverly Pope
Lead Teacher, Primary 1 Classroom
Beverly has been teaching children in the Primary level of the Montessori curriculum for thirteen years. She attended the North Carolina Center for Montessori Teacher Education where she received her 3-6 certification. Beverly earned her A.A.S. degree in Chemical Technology then attended UNCC for Elementary Education: Kindergarten through 6th grade. She also serves as a Christian Formation Leader for children ages 6 - 9 years old in a Montessori based program called The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Beverly's two youngest children, who are now twenty-nine and twenty-seven, attended a Montessori school both beginning at the primary level through to middle school. She now has a grandson attending PMA. He just graduated from the Toddler Program and will be entering the Primary Program in the coming school year.
Faith Barter
Assistant Teacher, Lower Elementary Classroom
Originally from New Hampshire, Faith moved to Charlotte, NC to attend college. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Management with a concentration in Hospitality Sales and Meeting Management from Johnson & Wales University Charlotte. Throughout high school she participated in several programs which allowed her the opportunity to work with primary and elementary age students. She spent several years working in the hospitality industry, but realized her true passion was working with children.
Faith joined the PMA staff in August 2009 where, for two years, she worked mornings as Ms. Beverly's assistant in the Primary 1 classroom (ages 3-6), while also working afternoons as an after school program instructor (ages 6-12). She has also assisted with the PMA Summer Camp Program (ages 1.5- 5). Faith is very excited about being a part of the Phoenix Montessori Academy staff for a fourth year. She is looking forward to a second year working as an assistant in Mr. Steve's Lower Elementary classroom (ages 6-9). She loves the Montessori philosophy and curriculum, and hopes to pursue training to receive a Montessori Certification in the near future.
Tammie Wilson
Daycare Director, Assistant Business Manager, & Toddler Lead Teacher (Half-Day Program)
Tammie received her B.A. in Business Administration from Belmont Abbey College in 1994. She then earned Infant/Toddler Credentials from the Center for Montessori Teacher Education in New York in 1998. She also obtained a Daycare Administration Credential from Central Piedmont Community College in 2008.
Her Montessori teaching experience includes: 15 years as a Toddler Lead Teacher and 6 years as a Summer Camp Coordinator in a Montessori Program serving children 18 months to 12 years of age. Tammie also worked for one year as an After School Coordinator in a traditional setting, serving children ages 4 years to 13 years of age. Before entering the field of education, Tammie was a nanny for 3 young children.
Roxanne Cooper
Lead Teacher, Toddler II Classroom
Roxanne received her Associates degree in Early Childhood Education from Central Piedmont Community College. She taught one year at Bethel Presbyterian Church Weekday Program. It was during that year that a parent introduced her to Montessori.
Roxanne attended the North Carolina Center for Montessori Education where she received her Infant/Toddler Certification. She has taught in a Montessori classroom for 15 years, serving as the lead instructor for most of that time. After taking some personal time off, Roxanne joined Phoenix in 2006 to serve as the Assistant Teacher in the Toddler classroom with Tammie Wilson. Roxanne is now the Lead Teacher in the Toddler II Classroom.
Kelly Ralston
Director of Admissions & Student Services
Kelly has been an active member of the Phoenix Montessori Academy community as a parent volunteer since 2005 and joined the staff in the summer of 2011. She has a BA degree in Arts Management from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia and several years of experience in not-for-profit work.