Our Team
Our teaching staff are highly qualified, highly paid, and backed and trained by our nationally certified in-house Montessori Trainer and Consultant. Our teachers receive continual training both inside their classrooms and in our on-site training room.
Sharon Thomason-Sekyi
Founder
Sharon values the development and human spirit of the whole child—physical, social, emotional, and cognitive. She worked at Aquinas Montessori School in Alexandria VA, an AMI (Association of Montessori International) for over six years, and her children attended Aidan Montessori (Washington DC) and Aquinas Montessori (MT. Vernon) schools. Both of those Montessori schools are AMI accredited, the heart and soul of Montessori. She credits Aquinas Montessori as the inspiration for building the STARS Montessori Group. Sharon worked with Kathleen Futrell, who, in turn, worked with Mario Montessori. The AMI atmosphere and purity of the Montessori principles still exist at Aquinas Montessori School, an inspiration to everyone who is determined to bring this superior way of teaching into preschool classrooms.
Sharon managed and taught in the classroom during the infancy of the Montessori school she started in Washington DC, Capitol Hill, Northeast Stars Montessori). Northeast Stars Montessori DC has been operating for 19 years and has served the Capitol Hill community and thousands of families since 2003. In 2008, the STARS Montessori Group opened another location in the Washington DC metropolitan area. This school is in Old Town Alexandria, VA, just a few miles from the Pentagon. Both Northeast Stars Montessori, DC and ALX -VA have been consistently full and with a wait list for their unique, incredible classrooms.
Southern Stars Montessori Nashville, is the third school developed by the STARS Montessori Group. Sharon will take advantage of all of the AMI, AMS, and NAMC directors she has known for the past 19 years to begin a Montessori training program for teachers and educators in the Nashville area.
Sharon’s education includes a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Nursing (not currently registered). She was formerly a manager in DC law firms for many years and lived on Capitol Hill for decades. Today Sharon oversees the entire operation of the STARS Group including regulatory, operations, marketing, and financial. She often counsels parents on an individual basis when dealing with personal challenges and issues like physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, nutritionists, behavioral therapy and other medical services. She also consults with local preschools regarding management and best practices in preschool business operations. She is available personally for any/all parent comments and questions while attending Southern Stars.
Jennifer Grissom
General Manager
Jennifer joined STARS Montessori Group in 2018. She came to us with many years of business, marketing, and advertising experience with Fortune 500 companies. Jennifer has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in marketing and advertising. While her three teenage children were young, Jennifer worked in child care and was a swim instructor and coach. Jennifer assists Sharon in overseeing the general operations, marketing, and finances of the STARS Montessori Group.
Chloe Neal
Executive Assistant
Chloe has worked with Southwest Stars LLC for over 2 years as an executive assistant to the Founder and General Manager. Her detailed knowledge of the classroom and business allows her to provide the best support to the Executive Team for our students and parents. Additionally, Chloe has over 6 years of experience with child care as a private nanny. Her caring and nurturing approach and her hands-on support make her an incredible asset to our Executive Team.
Brenda Wright Sheppard
Administrator/Registrar
Brenda has many years of experience in the education industry and in local law firms as a paralegal and attorney support. She handles all of the registration, communication, and databases of the STARS Montessori Group. Brenda is indispensable because her operating procedures allow the directors and teachers to focus on the classroom, not on the zoning, licensing, and regulation part of the job. Brenda has a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). Her two children are young adults.
Chynna Jenkins
Director Supervisor/Curriculum Coordinator
Ms. Jenkins has been with STARS Montessori & Education Group for 8 years and has taught in Montessori schools for over 13 years. She is also the Director and Lead Teacher in our Alexandria location. Ms. Jenkins has a Montessori Teaching Diploma from North American Montessori Center. She oversees all curriculum and supervises/assists our directors and teachers with daily lessons.
Blythe Kloshen
Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Ms. Kloshen is thrilled to be joining the Southern Stars Montessori community. Originally hailing from the Buckeye State of Ohio, Blythe brings with her an impressive 15 years of experience in child development and education. In addition to her wealth of practical knowledge, she also holds several behavioral accreditations and has obtained a prestigious Master's Degree in Human Resource Management, further bolstering her qualifications. Blythe is positively elated to being a part of the school's family. The opportunity to nurture and guide the brilliant minds that represent the future fills her with a profound sense of excitement and purpose. Blythe firmly believes that the hands of dedicated educators today will mold and sculpt the leaders of tomorrow, and she is honored to play a role in this transformative process.