Our People
Meet Our Team
A diverse, multilingual community of dedicated professionals who bring warmth, expertise, and a deep commitment to authentic Montessori education.
Our Strength in Diversity
A Community That Speaks Your Language
One of our greatest strengths is the diversity of our team — not only in our talents and expertise, but in the cultural richness we bring to our community. Our staff collectively speak 16 languages, ensuring that children and families from all backgrounds feel an immediate sense of belonging and familiarity from their very first day.
When a child hears their home language spoken by a trusted adult at school, the transition into a new environment becomes gentler and more natural. This multilingual capacity also enriches the classroom experience for all children, fostering cultural awareness, empathy, and a global perspective from an early age.
Languages Spoken by Our Team
16
Languages across our team
Our Heritage
Founded on Authentic Montessori Values
Petite Girafe Montessori Academy was established in 2022 as an associate school of Lions Gate Montessori, built from the ground up with the support of the local community. The site was successfully rezoned from residential use — a testament to the neighbourhood's belief in the value of authentic Montessori education in South Surrey.
Drawing on Lions Gate's 25+ years of Montessori heritage and its founding legacy established by Ms. Riza Weinstein, Petite Girafe carries forward the same commitment to AMI standards, prepared environments, and child-centred learning that has defined our family of schools since 1999.
As we continue to grow, Petite Girafe is now pursuing a Ministry of Education and Child Care kindergarten designation — a milestone that will allow us to offer families a seamless Montessori continuum from preschool into the elementary years, right here in South Surrey.
2022
Year Founded
3+
Years Serving South Surrey
Associate
School of Lions Gate Montessori
Growing Together
Committed to Continuous Learning
Professional Development
We actively pursue and support our staff in advancing their education through workshops and training — not limited to Montessori pedagogy, but extending to child development, neurodiversity, inclusive education, and emerging research. Through organizations like AMI Canada, our team stays at the forefront of best practices.
Cross-Disciplinary Support
We work closely with occupational therapists, behaviour interventionists, and other specialists to identify and remove obstacles for students with diverse needs. This collaborative approach ensures every child receives the individualized support they need to thrive in our prepared environments.
Community Seminars
We welcome professionals from related disciplines to collaborate with us in hosting seminars and webinars for families across all campuses. From child psychology to nutrition, these events empower parents with knowledge and strengthen the bridge between home and school.
Protecting Concentration
A child’s deep concentration during work is extraordinarily precious and difficult to develop. We train every member of our team — from guides to assistants — to recognise and protect this state. Practical routines such as meal preparation are structured around the child’s work cycle, never the other way around. We do everything possible to safeguard these moments of focused engagement.
Trusted Practicum Host Site
Training the next generation of Montessori guides and early childhood educators
Our schools are proud to serve as trusted practicum host sites for aspiring educators. We welcome student teachers from leading training institutions, providing them with hands-on experience in authentic Montessori environments committed to AMI standards. This partnership reflects our commitment to the broader Montessori community and ensures that the next generation of guides is trained to the highest standard.
Montessori Training Centre of BC
Montessori Practicum Partner
Sprott Shaw College
ECE Practicum Partner
Capital College
ECE & Montessori Practicum Partner
Stenberg College
ECE Practicum Partner
Western Community College
ECE Practicum Partner
Pacific Rim College
ECE Practicum Partner
Douglas College
ECE Practicum Partner
Leadership
Ethan Chang
Group Executive Director
B.Sc. in Behavioural Neuroscience & Physiology · AMI Montessori (0–6) Certificate · AMI Montessori (6–12) Certificate · AMI Montessori Administrator (now School Leadership) Certificate · AMI Montessori Sports (2026 candidate)
Vicky Lin
Group Operations Director
B.Ed. in Childhood Education & Enterprise Management · AMS Montessori (3-6), Early Childhood Credential · AMI School Leadership Certificate · AMI Montessori Sports Certificate
Roiza Reuyan
School Administrator
B.Ed. in Elementary Education (Special Needs Education) · Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator Certificate · AMI School Administrator (now School Leadership) Certificate
Lari Joyosa
Head of Montessori (3-6) Program
M.Ed. in Montessori Education · B.Sc. in Early Childhood Education · AMI Montessori (3–6) Diploma
Martin Chui
Facilities Manager
Early Childhood Education Basic · AMI Montessori Sports Certificate
Faculty
Jessie Lin
Montessori Directress - Primary
AMI Montessori (3–6) Diploma
Lari Joyosa
Montessori Directress - Primary
M.Ed. in Montessori Education · B.Sc. in Early Childhood Education · AMI Montessori (3–6) Diploma
Stella (Kyoungmi) Kim
Montessori Directress - Primary
AMI Montessori (3–6) Diploma
Effy (Xing) Gao
Montessori Assistant
AMS Montessori (3–6), Early Childhood Credential
Liz (Guanchenzi) Zhao
Montessori Assistant
AMS Montessori (3–6), Associate Early Childhood Credential
Nancy (Chun Yao) Wu
Montessori Assistant
AMI Montessori (3–6) Diploma (2026 candidate)
Support Team
Kristine Amomonpon
Class Manager - Oak
Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy · Early Childhood Education
Estrella Simper
Class Manager - Maple
Early Childhood Educator Assistant
Marhaba Parhat
Assistant
Early Childhood Education · AMI Montessori (3-6) Orientation
Neslihan Tuncdemir
Assistant
Early Childhood Education · AMI Montessori (3-6) Orientation
Afsoon Parwani
After School Leader
Early Childhood Educator Assistant
Dora (Guo Ping) Wang
After School Leader
Early Childhood Educator Assistant
Jaskirat Kaur
After School Leader
Early Childhood Education
Sonjit Dhindsa
Faculty Support
Early Childhood Education
Specialists
Maeva Ramaroson
French Specialist
Careers
Join Our Community
We are always looking for passionate educators and support staff who share our commitment to authentic Montessori education. If you believe in nurturing the whole child, we'd love to hear from you.
INQUIRE ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES
"The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, 'The children are now working as if I did not exist.'"
— Dr. Maria Montessori