About Our School
Les écoles de fleurs sauvages sont installées dans des espaces lumineux dans des rues piétonnes. Ils augmentent la présence des enfants et des familles dans la communauté, car une concentration géographique plus étroite favorise la marche vers et depuis l'école, et en s'associant avec des terrains de jeux, des jardins et d'autres espaces civiques locaux qui seraient autrement sur place dans de plus grandes institutions. Nous élargissons notre définition des « parties prenantes » au-delà des familles que nous servons directement, et nous travaillons pour rendre nos communautés environnantes plus fortes et plus saines pour les enfants.
Our Teacher Leaders
Jeana
Olszewski
Founding Teacher Leader
Jeana Olszewski began her Montessori career teaching in a 3-6 classroom in Dayton Public Schools. After taking some time off to be with her four children, she returned to Montessori as a lower elementary teacher at The Good Shepherd Catholic Montessori School in Cincinnati. She spent nine years there, and three years ago moved into a Montessori curriculum specialist role for a small group of schools north of Cincinnati. She is AMS credentialed in early childhood and lower elementary, is state certified for kindergarten to third grade, and holds a Master’s Degree in education. She is passionate about Montessori education and is thrilled to be a part of the first Wildflower school in Ohio.
Amy
Hruschak
Teacher Leader
Amy Hruschak began teaching Montessori in 3-6 classrooms in 2012. She has worked in private Montessori schools in the northern Cincinnati area. She has a Master's of Education in Montessori from Xavier University and is AMS credentialed for ages 3-6, as well as licensed in the state of Ohio for kindergarten to third grade. Amy was drawn to Montessori after a career in journalism that included designing pages and writing headlines for The Cincinnati Enquirer. Her daughter graduated from Azalea Montessori School. She was thrilled to join Azalea in its third year of existence and is committed to serving our Norwood neighborhood!
Our Staff
All of our classroom teachers have Montessori certifications for our age group. All of teachers have undergone federal and state background checks, as well as training in CPR and first aid.
Souad Karaman
Lead Teacher
Souad Karaman is a Montessori teacher with decades of experience who has spent most of her career working in a Montessori school in northern Cincinnati. She leads our kindergartners in our handwriting program and afternoon enrichment activities. She has her Montessori Teaching Certification for ages 3-6 from the Greater Cincinnati Center for Montessori Education, as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the New York Institute of Technology. Prior to becoming a Montessori teacher, Souad taught art to children. She loves cooking and is excited to have a kitchen in our new location for food projects with the children!
Emma Morales
Assistant Teacher
Emma Morales, previously known as Miss Baldwin, grew up on a farm in Liberty, Indiana, and was homeschooled until she was a freshman in high school. She is a citizen of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and works as an instructor at summer language camps for children ages 6-16. Emma completed her AMS Montessori Certification at Greater Cincinnati Center for Montessori Education (GCCME). Emma started her Montessori journey at Southwest Montessori in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and has also worked at a Montessori school outside Dayton. She joined Azalea in its second year and works both in the Montessori classroom and in the Azalea Grows program. Her daughter is a current Azalea student.
Erin Lockridge
Azalea Grows Teacher
Erin Lockridge has nurtured a love for the outdoors since she was a child and now finds great joy sharing this love with others through our Azalea Grows outdoor education program. She has taught nature education for 16 years, ever since she earned a Naturalist Certification at the Morton Arboretum in Illinois. When she moved to Cincinnati in 2011, she started Norwood Grows, which taught garden, culinary, art, and nature-based skills to children. She and her husband, Robert, also ran Moriah Pie for 8 years, a pay-as-you-can pizza restaurant that used only the food they grew in gardens around the neighborhood. In 2020, they opened For the Life of the World Cafe, which now serves pay-as-you-can breakfast one block from Azalea. She is the mother of an Azalea graduate and a current Azalea student.
Anna Jane Smiley
Assistant Teacher
Anna Jane Smiley is completing her internship year for her Early Childhood credential at Crescent Ridge Academy Montessori Education and Instruction. She has assisted at Azalea Montessori for one year. She went to Montessori schools as a child and "grew up Montessori."
Julia Sharman
Assistant Teacher
Julia Sharman is working on her Early Childhood credential at Crescent Ridge Academy Montessori Education and Instruction. She was previously an aide for an Azalea student and fell in love with Montessori.
Vera Heverin
Aftercare Teacher
Vera Heverin raised four children in Montessori schools. She is the queen of aftercare, creating art projects and enriching activities that have our students excited to stay later at Azalea! She previously worked with us as a substitute teacher for several years.
The child is truly a miraculous being, and this should be felt deeply by the educator.
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- Dr. Maria Montessori
