High Quality Staff
ISMS boasts a talented and passionate staff, many of whom have been with the school long term.
Our classes are staffed by a Director with Bachelor degree teacher qualifications or other relevant tertiary qualifications as well as, in most instances, recognised Montessori teaching qualifications. In some classes, whilst we support our Directors to finalise ISMS sponsored Montessori training, we employ a Montessori Diploma trained Assistant to complement the team delivery.
Each classroom is staffed with a teacher and an assistant. In many cases, our assistants have Early Childhood, secondary or primary teaching degrees, Montessori training, Certificate III or a Diploma in Children’s Services.
In addition, we have specialist Music, Spanish and Sport teachers, and two learning support teachers. External sports, dance and swimming instructors help with our physical education program.
Our team structure includes formalised roles and dedicated release time for leadership of each curriculum Stage as well as peer-mentoring and guidance.
Many ISMS teachers have worked in mainstream schools before pursuing their passion for Montessori education. For some, this passion has led to volunteer work to help establish and maintain quality Montessori schools in remote and disadvantaged parts of Australia and throughout the world.
In Montessori, the teacher’s role is that of a guide or facilitator whose task is to support the child in his or her process of self-development and education. For that reason, in Montessori education teachers are commonly known as ‘Directors’.
Each of our classrooms is staffed by a teacher (Director) and an Assistant, resulting in a high staff-to-child ratio. This can be as low as 1:10, and seldom exceeds 1:15, which is one of the significant advantages of an ISMS classroom.
One of the hallmarks of a Montessori education is that children stay in the same class for three years. This provides a stable environment for learning and allows the Director to get to know and understand each child and their unique personality. This understanding helps the Directors direct each child into areas of natural interest and to observe, assess and aid their educational and social progress.
Our Team
| Principal | Jenny Hall |
| Business Manager | Christine Shaw |
| Curriculum Coordinator & Stage 2 Coordinator | Rebecca Khoury |
| Early Years Learning Coordinator | Kat Leonard |
| Lead Teacher, Lilyfield | Cassandra Levy-Smith |
| Registrar | Alexandra Hopkins |