Board

Sonya L. Castellanos

Sonya Lanzen-Castellanos, Executive Director of the Montessori World Educational Institute since 2002, launched her path in Child Development in the early 70’s. At California State University Los Angeles, she began studying child development and the neurosciences. She then went to Italy for her first Montessori teacher training and sparked a life-long passion. Upon returning, she began her full Montessori teacher training for ages 3-6 and 6-12 with MWEI while raising her family with four children on the central coast.

Sonya’s teaching career of over 40 years spans infancy, early childhood, elementary through adult learners. She received infancy training with Magda Gerber and WestEd. She served in roles as as parent educator, Head Start Education Coordinator, and Montessori teacher. She founded New Dawn Montessori School in 1986 and then helped to open a tuition-free K/6 Montessori public elementary learning center. Read More

Korey Dudley

Korey Dudley has been on the Montessori World Educational Institute Board for over 25 years. Korey earned her BS from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1980. She had the great fortune to be a Child Development student there in 1979 when Margaret Homfray, co-founder of the St. Nicholas Training Center in London, and colleague of Dr. Montessori, gave courses in Montessori Education.

in 1980 opened Children’s House, the first Montessori school in the San Luis Obispo North County. In 1988 Korey and her husband found a beautiful 2 1/2 acre parcel along a creek reserve in Atascadero where they designed and built the school of their dreams. Today, after expanding 3 separate times, Children’s House Montessori School serves over 120 children, ages 18 months to 12 years.

In addition to running her school, Korey has taught teacher training courses for MWEI at the Primary and Elementary levels. She holds Montessori diplomas in Pre-Primary, Primary, and Elementary 6-12. Read More.

Mary Kern

Mary Kern received her Bachelors Degree in Child Development from Cal Poly State University in 1980 and her Masters Degree in Early Childhood education, also from Cal Poly, in 1990. She was fortunate to study Montessori with Margaret Homfray and Phoebe Child and received her Montessori Primary Diploma in 1981.

Mary founded the Montessori Children’s School in San Luis Obispo in 1983. The school began with a Primary class, moved on the add lower elementary and then began the upper elementary in 1998.

Mary has also taught courses at Cal Poly State University in the administration of childcare centers and in general child development. She has also been a teacher trainer for the Montessori World Educational Institute. Read More