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 fifteen 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.

Brandi Kilgore
Middle School and High School Lead Teacher

Brandi has seven years teaching experience, six of which have been at Phoenix Montessori. Her son Liam began attending Phoenix at the Toddler level and is now in the Lower Elementary program. Brandi earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she graduated cum laude from the Honors Program. Brandi received her Secondary I & II certification at the Houston Montessori Center under the direction of Dr. Betsy Coe. Dr. Coe is the American Montessori Society’s recipient of the Living Legacy award for 2008.

Steve Benfield
Lower Elementary Teacher
Physical Education Teacher (all grades)

Steve hasfourteen 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.

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-seven and twenty-five, attended a Montessori school both beginning at the primary level through to middle school.

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. She moved to Charleston, SC where, for a year, she worked at Charles Towne Montessori School as a teacher's assistant in a primary class (ages 3-6) and as an after school program instructor (ages 3-12). She also worked as a teacher's assistant and after school program instructor for the infant and toddler summer camp program (ages 1.5- 3).

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 third year. She is looking forward to the opportunity to work with a new age group of students, and see what exciting new learning adventures Lower Elementary holds for her. She loves the Montessori philosophy and curriculum, and hopes to pursue training to receive a Montessori Certification in the near future.

Amber Lemmon
Lead Teacher, Primary 2 Classroom

Originally from Maryland, Amber received her B.A. in Early Childhood Leadership from Stevenson University. It was at a Montessori School in Baltimore where her passion for Montessori began. Initially Amber spent her summers working the summer camp, than she began working every Friday in the after-school program. Eventually she was able to spend more and more time substituting and working in the classrooms! Fortunately she was able to complete her college internship in a primary class where she was expected to construct lesson plans, teach various lessons and become the lead teacher for 2 weeks. After 6 years of working in a Montessori School she knew she was destined to become a Montessori Teacher!

Shortly after moving to North Carolina, Amber began working at Phoenix Montessori Academy as an assistant to the Extended Day program and After School instructor for the elementary children. Amber received her Primary Montessori certification from the North Carolina Center for Montessori Education in Holly Springs, NC.

Cielo Sides
Lead Teacher, Primary 3 Classroom

Cielo is a 3-12 Montessori Teacher Certified from O.B. Montessori in Manila, Philippines. She graduated from Far Eastern University with a degree in Psychology and earned her post-graduate Certification in Education. A committed Montessori teacher for the past 20 years in both Primary and Elementary levels. In 2002, Cielo moved to North Carolina with her two children to teach in a Montessori school. Since then she has considered Huntersville, NC as her second home. Cielo is married to Terry and they share their lives together with Jericho, 17, Patricia, 10, and Justin, 3. Her two older children attended Montessori school while Justin attends the Toddler program at Phoenix. Aside from teaching, Cielo also enjoys photography.

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.