ABOUT US

Ms. Samantha Walker, Director, is responsible for management of the school. Ms. Walker enjoys spending time with family and baking in her spare time. She has been a part of HNMS and its affiliated family of companies since 2018 where she started as a teacher and was promoted to her first leadership role in 2020. Ms. Walker holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology with over 10 years of education experience and is in process of completing her Montessori Leadership credential with Westside Montessori School in NYC. Ms. Walker is also the proud mother of two Cresthill Academy graduates and a current HNMS student.

Ms. Cera McAndrew, Assistant Director, provides support to the Director in day-to-day management of the school, including enrollment, parent communication, curriculum and academics, and staff coaching, and serves as the Director Designee in the absence of the Director. Ms. McAndrew holds a Bachelors degree in Inclusive Elementary & Special Education and is certified in infant & toddler Montessori education, elementary education, and special education. She joined our affiliated company in 2021 and was promoted to the administrative team in 2022.

ADMINISTRATION

Ms. Monika Meyer, Regional Director, is responsible for the financial operations of the school and evaluating the progress and goals of the school. She oversees all vendor contracts and is responsible for human resources policies, benefits, and all aspects of facilities.

Ms. Pam Schulz, Purely Plated Organics Head Chef, creates and prepares the fully organic meals offered to our children daily. She follows food safety regulations and nutritional guidelines and provides wholesome, healthy, and delicious meals that broaden our students’ palettes.

WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE?

We are the only authentic Montessori program in the Harrison and Newark area, offering an enriching and engaging curriculum for children from infancy to early childhood.
Children are invited to expand their language abilities through daily Spanish and American Sign Language activities.
HNMS learners progress at their own pace, one that suits their internal rhythms and readiness for the next level. Through thoughtful and careful observation of our students, teachers are able to present work that is tailored to the developmental stages, sensitive periods, and learning styles of each individual child.
Our small class sizes allow for individualized attention, creating a plethora of opportunities for exploration of each child’s interests and preferences. Small group sizes facilitate a family feel to our classroom communities and allow children to build close friendships with their classmates.
HNMS utilizes a number of venues to keep parents up-to-date on what is happening with their children and in the school, including digital daily reports, photos, and videos delivered directly to guardians’ e-mail inboxes through Tadpoles.
Our facility is equipped with clean air technology with ActivePure by Aerus, which eliminates contaminants in the air and on the surfaces of our classroom environments. We receive annual services from Sterile Space for antimicrobial treatments and professional disinfection of all high frequency touch points.
We offer a 100% organic meal plan for all students ages 18 months and up, including daily hot lunch, fresh fruits, and whole grain snacks