Galileo Montessori Academy @ Citrus Park
Directress
Miss. Bala
Miss. Balajanani is the director and program leader for our Primary Education Program. She completed her diploma in Integrated Modern Montessori, Kindergarten, and Nursery, she is an AMI Certified Assistant, and she also completed her Traditional Teacher’s Training. Miss. Bala holds an MBA degree from Toledo University as well as her Bachelor of Engineering (B.E).
813.291.4961
Pre-Kindergarten Class
Miss. Debbie
Miss. Debbie received her American Montessori Society credential from Palm Beach State College in the mid 1990’s and has been working as a Lead Montessori teacher for over 20 years. She is married with two grown daughters and three grandchildren. Miss. Debbie is very passionate about teaching children through creative play and gentle guidance, and she is constantly keeping up with the latest educational ideas within the Montessori method. Miss. Debbie loves spending time at the beach, she enjoys reading, and she loves playing with her grandchildren. Miss. Debbie will be the lead teacher for our Pre-Kindergarten class and she could not be more excited!
Montessori Lead Teacher
Miss. Katia
Ms. Katia received her AMI Assistant to Infancy training from The Montessori Institute in Denver, Colorado in 2002. She has been working in Montessori schools in the Tampa Bay area since 1997. Ms. Katia is originally from Brazil and is married with two grown daughters. She is passionate about reading and traveling, and she spent time living in Austria. Her favorite quote from Dr. Montessori is “The child is the father of the man,” which describes in essence her love for the Montessori philosophy of education where the child leads his or her own learning.
Assistant Teacher
Miss. Joy
Miss. Joy is Galileo Montessori Academy’s new Assistant Teacher. Miss Joy is currently a senior at the University of South Florida pursuing a degree in Criminology. Miss. Joy believes that education is the key to success in all areas of life and applies that to her position at Galileo Montessori Academy. Miss. Joy’s main goal in being an Assistant Teacher is to provide a safe and educational environment for her students. Miss. Joy has always had a passion for teaching and working within the educational sector. In her free time, Miss. Joy volunteers at Trinity Cafe to feed the homeless, serves at church on the weekends, participates in community events, and more. Miss. Joy finds it important to further her education and interests to keep furthering her knowledge and outlook on life, and she brings this same enthusiasm to her classroom environment.
Assistant Teacher
Miss. Nubia
Ms. Nubia is from Colombia, and she comes to Galileo Montessori with 24 years of experience teaching in a traditional private school. She also has her degree in Spanish and Literature with an emphasis on Elementary Education, and she has worked with children ages 7-10. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and walking with her beloved dog.