Meet the Faculty & Staff

Teachers at Adams Montessori School are A.M.I certified in Montessori education, completing an intensive graduate level training in child development required for their assigned level of instruction. Most assistants hold a bachelor’s degree. Throughout the year, teachers attend seminars and conferences, highlighting the latest findings in child development.

Rosine Hekmat Afshar

Head of School

Rosine is starting her seventh year as head of school. She pioneered the elementary program at Adams Montessori School in 2001. Prior to teaching elementary, she enjoyed six years as a teacher at the primary level both at Adams Montessori and at Petersham Montessori School in central Massachusetts. Rosine holds A.M.I primary and elementary diplomas from Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Canada respectively. She also holds a M.Ed. from Loyola College in Maryland. Rosine offers parenting classes and consults at various schools throughout North America.

Tricia Norton

Operations Manager

Tricia came to Adams Montessori School in October, 2003 with many years of experience working with children and their families. A 1985 graduate of Wheelock College with a Bachelors degree in Social Work, she is the proud mother of two teenage daughters. When not devoting her time to the children, parents and staff at Adams Montessori School, Tricia describes live theater for the blind at Boston area theaters and chairs the No Place for Hate Committee in Randolph, MA.

Beata Swierczynski

Development Director

Beata started the after school program at Adams Montessori School in 1999. After 8 years in this position, she became the director of development, working closely with families to promote auction events and community outreach. A native of Poland where she taught elementary school, Beata has two children who attended Adams Montessori School; Alan attends Boston College High School while Alison is in the second grade at Foxboro Regional Charter School.

Mardie Hinkley

Children’s House I

Mardie has taught at the primary level for nearly 20 years in the Montessori pedagogy. She has her M.Ed. from Cleveland State and her diploma from the A.M.I. Montessori Education Center of Arizona. Mardie has taught in both private and public schools. Although Mardie's passion is working with the children and their families, she is also an accomplished lecturer, trainer, and mentor of new AMI teachers. Mardie devotes her time to many causes: she volunteers for the Red Sox Foundation, Boston Cares and participated in Locks of Love.

Veronica Toro-Ruiz

Children’s House II

Veronica knows firsthand about Montessori: she attended one as a child! Born and raised in Puerto Rico, she attended her parent’s school, Casa Montessori de Caguas until she was twelve years old. She received her AMI Primary Diploma at the Montessori Institute of San Diego. Veronica holds a BA in Public Communications and an MA in Translation Studies. As a freelancer she produced cultural videos to teach language to children and teens. In her free time she volunteers at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston as a tour guide for children with disabilities.

Maritza Rodriguez

Children’s House III

Maritza has been with Adams Montessori School for 11 years, the most recent 9 years as an AMI Montessori teacher. Her husband responded to an ad in the newspaper, she came in to observe for half and hour and ended up staying the entire day. The rest is history. She completed her primary training at the Montessori Institute of Denver in Colorado. A native of Puerto Rico and fluent in Spanish, Maritza shares her language and cultural traditions with her class and with the school. Prior to teaching, Maritza specialized in respiratory therapy in Puerto Rico. She is the proud mother of Kyan Luis.

Lindsay Perini

Children’s House IV

Lindsay is starting her fourth year with us after completing her primary training at the Montessori Institute Northwest in Portland, Oregon. A native of Columbus, Ohio, Lindsay received a BA in Early Childhood Development from Ohio State University…go Buckeyes!! She also received an M.Ed. from Loyola College in Maryland. Lindsay has worked closely with families as a nanny for five years and was an assistant teacher for two years. The children and Lindsay sponsor a child from the Dominican Republic. In her free time, Lindsay participates in biathlons and bike riding.

Katie Hausenbauer

Lower Elementary

Katie joins us from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She holds an AMI Elementary diploma from Washington Montessori Institute in Columbia, Maryland. After receiving a BA in Political Science at Carleton College, she attended the Institute of Social Studies in the Netherlands where she received a MA in International Development. Katie has worked for a non-profit organization, addressing poverty in the United States. She was introduced to Montessori by her aunt and cousins and after spending time researching the method, decided to pursue a career in this field.

Michelle Scholfield

Upper Elementary

Coming from a family of eight children, Michelle wanted to work with children from the time she was very small!! She is very excited to be a part of the Adams Montessori School community as she spearheads the Upper Elementary program. She learned about Maria Montessori while looking for a better way to serve children after working at a group home for neglected children. She holds an AMI Elementary diploma from Washington Montessori Institute in Columbia, Maryland. Michelle has a BS in Psychology from Towson University and a M.Ed. from Loyola College, both of Maryland.