ALEXANDER MONTESSORI - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Campus Secretary / Human Resources
Job Titles:
- Director of Marketing & Communications
Mrs. McGhee founded Alexander Montessori School in 1963, along with her husband, Jim McGhee, Sr. She was honored in 1999 as a "Living Legacy," a singular national honor of the American Montessori Society. It is bestowed by the AMS Scholarship Committee on an individual whose exemplary achievements have had significant impact within the AMS community. She has taught at preschool, elementary, secondary, and college levels. She is the Founder and the Co-Director of the Montessori Teacher Training Institute (MTTI), whose graduates earn the respected AMS Early Childhood Education Certificate. She was consultant to Miami-Dade County Public Schools for the Montessori Magnet Schools Program. She is Florida-certified in Gifted Education and holds Montessori credentials with the American Montessori Society in Early Childhood and Elementary Education.
Her education includes music, foreign languages, and human relations. She serves as a consultant for the American Montessori Society (AMS), and has been the Chair of the AMS Teacher Education Council Policy Committee. Former offices have included the Secretary of the Florida Kindergarten Council (FKC), and the Problem Solving Committee of the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE). Mrs. McGhee has been inducted into "Oxford's Who's Who" and in March of 1996, was given the Distinguished Educator Award by the Association of Independent Schools of Florida (AISF), in recognition of her accomplishments in the field of education.
Mr. Rothfield has a BA, Psychology and Drama, Tufts University, Somerville, MA. He is an alum of Alexander (Class of 1990) and manages the School and Camp Administrative Office.
Mr. Rothfield currently serves on the School Accreditation Commission for the American Montessori Society (AMS). He was awarded the Alan O'Such Memorial Outstanding Service Award by the Association of Independent Schools of Florida (AISF) in 2012, as well as the Paul C. Ransom Founders Cup (Ransom Everglades Class of 1996). He has served as President and Vice President of the Florida Independent School Business Officers (FISBO). He both chairs and serves on Accreditation Teams for several organizations, including AMS, the Florida Council for Independent Schools (FCIS), and AISF. He was formerly a Registration Manager for Landmark Worldwide, a training and development organization.
Mr. Rothfield has two children, one of whom attends Alexander Montessori School, and the other, an Alexander alumna, attends Ransom Everglades School.
Dr. McGhee has a BS, Urban Studies, Trinity College, Hartford, CT; MS Ed. (Primary and Elementary Education), Ph. D. (Educational Leadership), University of Miami, FL; Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Preschool Montessori Teacher's Certificate, Perugia, Italy; Montessori Elementary Teacher's Certificate for ages 6 to 12 from AMS, Dallas, TX; Florida State Teacher's Certificate in Primary and Elementary Education.
Dr. McGhee taught at Alexander for three years in Preschool and six years in Middle School Prep as a Mathematics Instructor. She has been a trainer and consultant with the Mortensen Math Program. She is also the Co-Director of the Montessori Teacher Training Institute (MTTI). She has been an Administrator since 1992. The McGhee's have two children, Andrew and Betty Alice, both of whom attended Alexander Montessori School and Ransom Everglades School.
Job Titles:
- Campus Secretary / PALMETTO BAY
Mr. McGhee has a BA, Intercultural Studies, Trinity College, Hartford, CT; Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Preschool Montessori Teacher's Certificate, Perugia, Italy. Mr. McGhee II has an AMS Montessori Certificate for Elementary Education for children ages 6 to 12. He taught at Alexander for three years in Preschool and two years in Lower School Elementary, and was the Summer Camp Director for ten years. He is an alumnus of Ransom Everglades School (Class of 1978).
Mr. McGhee II has been an Administrator since 1993. He has experience in sales, training, and consulting with the Mortensen Math Program. He is an American Montessori Society consultant, serves as Secretary on the Board of the National Independent Private School Association (NIPSA), serves on the Boards of Directors of the Association of Independent Schools of Florida (AISF) and the Independent Schools of South Florida (ISSF), and has served on the Board of the Florida Kindergarten Council (FKC).
Mr. McGhee II is also the creator of the Skip Count Kid Musical Math Tapes.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Campus Secretary / School Secretary / Registrar
Job Titles:
- Campus Secretary / School Secretary / Registrar
BA in Communications with a minor in Business, University of Miami, Miami, FL. Mr. Aupont is trilingual, speaking English, French, and Creole. He is a pianist and is a lover of all sports (basketball being his favorite).
BA, History, Minor in Education, Florida International University, Miami, FL. AA, Accounting, University of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD. Mr. Depew coached soccer and basketball for the YMCA, was a General Manager in the hospitality industry, and is an avid marathon runner.
BA, Music, Oakland University, Rochester, MI. Mr. Falk has been a Music School Teacher, a Middle School Band Director, and a Music Director at a variety of independent schools. He is also a professional musician and a church accompanist.
Mrs. Christina Gonzalez BS, Early Childhood Development with ESOL Endorsement, Florida International University, Miami, FL. AMS Montessori 6-9 Certificate, Summit Montessori Teacher Training Institute. Mrs. Gonzalez completed her Internship in Alexander's Lower School Elementary Program prior to joining the Faculty. She speaks English and Spanish, and is a Red Cross Certified Lifeguard.
MS in Education, University of La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain. MS in Sexual and Gender Education, University of La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain. MS in Waldorf Education, University of La Salle, Madrid, Spain. BS in Pedagogy, University of La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain. AMS Montessori 6-9 Certification, Maitland Montessori Teacher Training. Mrs. Peña has taught in Montessori and Waldorf schools and has led the Red Cross Education Program in Madrid as well as for other non-profit organizations. Mrs. Peña is a native Spanish speaker, originally from Spain.
Mrs. Gladys Tirse BS in Communications, Trinity International University (cum laude), Davie, FL. Mrs. Tirse holds a Florida Certificate in Elementary Education. Prior to joining the Alexander Faculty, she taught Language Arts and Writing in the Miami-Dade County public school system.
Mrs. Ismary Hassun has been at Alexander Montessori for over 20 years. Mrs. Hassun's career started as an Elementary Montessori Teacher in Miami-Dade County public schools where she taught for eight years before joining Alexander. She was a Lower School teacher for 19 years before becoming an Administrator in 2020. She holds an MS in Elementary Education from Barry University and a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from St. Thomas University. She holds an AMS Montessori 6-12 Certificate from Barry University.
Mrs. Hassun has two children and is the proud grandmother of a future Alexander Montessori School student.
, Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL. AMS Montessori 3-6 Certificate from MTTI. Mrs. Habich speaks English and Spanish.
Mrs. Maria Acosta MS, Curriculum and Instruction, Specialization in Curriculum Development, Florida International University, Miami, FL. BS, Biology, Florida International University, Miami, FL. Mrs. Acosta worked as a facilitator and explainer at the Miami Science Museum. Prior to Alexander, she had 10 years of teaching experience.
BA, Psychology, Minors in Dance and Theatre, University of Tampa, Tampa, FL. Mrs. Camilletti is the owner of Stretch Dance Studio in Chicago, founded in 2009. She has taught at various schools in the city of Chicago as a Preschool Teacher and Dance Program Director. As a professional dancer, Mrs. Camilletti has also performed in Walt Disney World. She is the Elementary Dance Teacher.
BS in Education, Universidad Sagrado Corazon, Lima, Peru. Mrs. Pittaluga taught from Preschool through Elementary in Peru and in Miami. She has studied Computers in Peru and at Florida International University, holds Teacher's Certificates from Peru and the State of Florida, and has taught Visual Arts.
Job Titles:
- Early Childhood Education ( Summa Cum Laude ), Florida International University, Miami, FL. She Holds a Reading Endorsement from Beacon Educator and Speaks Both English and Spanish
Job Titles:
- Administrator
- Education, BS, Psychology
Ms. Becton has an MS, Elementary Education, BS, Psychology, University of Miami, and is an Alexander alumna (Class of 1972). Ms. Becton worked as a psychometrist in private practice for six years and joined our Staff in 1993. She also directs the Reading Lab. She served as President of the South Miami Junior Chamber of Commerce and is an alumna of Ransom Everglades School (Class of 1980).
Ms. Becton has two children, both of whom attended Alexander Montessori School.
USPTA Pro; Ms. Veillette has created and directed programs in Michigan and Florida.
, Univeristy of Manitoba. Montessori 3-6 Diploma from AMI Centre, London. AMS Montessori Infant-Toddler Certificate, CMTE, NY. Ms. Earl-Parler has taught in the Virgin Islands and at Alexander Montessori School since the Toddler Program's inception in 1989.
Ms. Tugce Defne Aytac MSc, Manchester University Business School, United Kingdom. BS in Economics, Hacettepe University, Turkiye (Turkey). AMS 6-12 training, West Side Montessori Teacher Education Program, New York, NY. Ms. Aytac has taught Preschool in Turkiye and Elementary School in New Jersey. Previous to starting her career in education, Ms. Aytac worked in banking for 16 years. She is a native Turkish speaker.