Sample_Our_Leadership_Team

Maplehurst Campus

Atiya Husain – Principal-Maplehurst Campus
 Elementary Principal-Thornhill & Willowdale Campus

416-222-9207 

Roshi Ansari – VP/ Head of Casa across CMS

416-222-9207

 

Bio

Hailing from St. Catharines, Ontario, Atiya majored in Political Science at Brock University. She first started her employment journey in the corporate sector, at Bell Canada, where she learnt many skills that were transferable to the educational field.

She obtained her Graduate degree in Education from Wollongong University, Australia. She has been in education for 24 years, starting as a homeroom teacher in the TDSB, teaching Grades 4-8, in Regent Park.

She is OCT certified, for primary, junior, and intermediate divisions. She obtained her Specialist Certifications in Drama, Special Education, and Principal Qualifications. She has spent many years working abroad in Australia, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

For the past 10 years she has been in administration either as a Vice Principal, Principal, and most recently Head of School at a newly opened private school in Burlington, Ontario.

Atiya has been dedicated to her profession, and has worked with a variety of students’ ranging in age and ability. She is energetic and eager to bring her vast skills as an educational leader to Central Montessori School, and looks forward to working with parents as partners in education to ensure every child’s success.

Her strengths are building strong relationships with parents, students, and community partners. She is always open to feedback from staff, students, and parents and willing to implement what is possible to improve the school and learning environment for students.

Atiya’s upbeat and positive attitude is very much welcomed at CMS and with her willingness to assist in every aspect of the school, you will surely see her involved in many activities.

Bio

The tour de force and pillar of the CMS Maplehurst campus is the Vice Principal and overall Head of all CMS Casa programs – Ms Roshi Ansari. Incredibly humble and self –effacing there is nothing that stops the creative genius that has seen the school grow into a French Immersion campus alongside many of the Charity initiatives that have put CMS on the map. Born and raised in a family with generations of diplomats from her father’s side and teachers from her mother’s side, Roshi traveled and lived in many countries as a child and young adult, finally settling in Toronto in 1995. A teacher at heart, she began teaching piano after receiving the affiliate teacher certificate from the Conservatoire de Paris. After graduating from the University of Tehran with a Bachelor of French Language and Literature and a Masters of French Translation, she was employed as a part-time university teaching assistant for 4 years. In the early days of living in Canada she began her partnership with the Royal Conservatory of Music as an affiliate piano teacher and landed a part time job at Central Montessori School as a Casa French and Music teacher. Working at CMS and getting to know the Montessori philosophy was a revelation for her. Under direct supervision of the Head of school, a Montessori teacher herself, she started her CMS Journey, that still continues today. She completed her Montessori Foundation Course in 1997 and started teaching in a Casa class at CMS Florence Campus. Roshi has held many roles at CMS from Music and French teacher, Casa teaching assistant, Casa Montessori Teacher, Casa Head Teacher, Head of education for the Casa department for 10 years and finally the Vice Principal of her beloved Maplehurst Campus. Over the past 26 years, she has guided and mentored many teachers at CMS and has initiated several programs, but she has never forgotten her passion for teaching and has maintained a close relationship with students and their families. CMS is her second home and will forever hold a place in her heart.

Pam Bridglasingh – Head of Elementary MC

416-222-9207
 

Bio

Originally hailing from the West Indies Ms. Pam is an experienced Montessorian with over 35 years in Montessori schools worldwide. She credits some of her formative and impressionable years to growing up in the UK but has counted Canada as her home for many years living between Ottawa and now most recently Toronto. Having completed her Casa training through AMI in the UK and her elementary training through AMS in the USA Ms Pam advocates the Montessori method as an inspiring way for all children to learn and discover the world around them. No stranger to CMS she returns this academic year to lead the elementary section of the Maplehurst campus supporting Ms Grisdale in her role as overall Principal of elementary. Ms Pam also specializes in Educational Management and special education having received postgraduate certificates in both. She is also proud to be a Reiki and Meditation practitioner something she espouses to being the elixir of her positive attitude to life!

Pravita Lakhani –Supervisor

416-222-9207

Bio

Pravita joined the CMS family in 1997 starting as a teacher and moving on to become a supervisor a decade later. Successfully running the Sheppard Campus she has brought many of the families who began with her across the road to the Maplehurst campus this year. Originally raised in Tanzania and armed with a Commerce degree from University in India she pursued her love of children by training in the Montessori program. Studying and certifying as an AMI Montessori educator in India she has brought her humility and kind nature to the classroom guiding children to explore their passions in the natural way Dr Montessori has so advocated. Pravita strives to impart the crucial elements of a Montessori education: good values and a peaceful world for children to grow up in all that she does. With a wonderful sense of humor and a twinkle her eye, she is often found quietly observing the workings of a Montessori classroom before offering some advice on how to further nurture a child. She truly embodies what a Montessori teacher and administrator is with her humility and Dr Montessori’s obersvations: The child has a mind able to absorb knowledge. He has the power to teach himself.

Nabila Affonso Sieglett – Infant/ Toddler Supervisor

416-221-3289

Bio

Ms. Nabila is a dedicated educator with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Venezuela. With three years of experience as a Grade 2 Teacher, she ventured to Canada to further her studies in Early Childhood Education. Since 2016, she has been a Registered Early Childhood Educator, passionately engaging with children of all ages at CMS-toddlers, Jr. Casa, Sr. Casa, and Elementary levels. In her most recent roles over the past two years, she served as a school administrator and now proudly holds the position of Supervisor at the Maplehurst Early Years Centre, a place where she dedicates herself to creating a safe and nurturing environment for the young minds under her care.
Willowdale Campus

Echo Lou – Supervisor and Campus Administrator

416-250-1022

Bio

Ms. Echo’s journey from Shanghai to Ottawa involved obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Child Studies and an Early Childhood Education (ECE) diploma. She then moved to Toronto for work, where her passion for the Montessori method drove her to become a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) with accreditation from MACTE. In her career, she transitioned to an assistant supervisor role, gaining valuable administrative insights. Ms. Echo later joined CMS, where she worked with children of all ages and served as the Head of After School Activities at the Maplehurst campus. Her diverse experiences and unwavering dedication have greatly enriched early childhood education, fostering a nurturing environment for young learners’ growth.