Meet Ms. Ann and Ms. Celia

Ms. Ann and Ms. Celia have over 75 years of combined teaching experience in Montessori schools around the world. They started our Copperfield campus 24 years ago and have inspired countless Montessori teachers on their own teaching journeys. Ms. Ann came to the United States to teach in one of the first Montessori schools in Austin, Texas in 1980, and (fun fact) she previously taught the children of the President of the Maldive Islands. She currently oversees Teacher Training and Curriculum Development.

Ms. Celia, a former banking professional turned Montessori Guide, has been at the Copperfield campus since it was founded. In our schools, she holds a record for the largest number of students winning local Spelling Bees and Science Fairs. Ms. Celia was also recognized by Governor Greg Abbott as a “Teaching Superstar” for transitioning her students to virtual learning during the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. She now leads operations across our entire network of schools.

Ms. Ann (left) serves as the Head of Montessori Education, and Ms. Celia (right) serves as the Head of Operations across all Montessori Preschool campuses.
Ms. Ann assembles a new material for our Children’s House students. Several materials in our school are handmade by Ms. Ann and a team of local artists. We curate each material based on our children’s interests and faculty’s needs.

Meet Ms. Ann, Head of Montessori Education

What do you do for fun?  Haha! I don’t have a hobby. I just go to Michaels and Hobby Lobby and spend my husband’s money. Just kidding. I visit Pinterest a lot and look for new ideas for home decor and curriculum ideas for my kiddos.  

What’s your favorite dessert? I’m not a big dessert person. But I like ice cream – especially chocolate ice cream. My favorite dessert is caramel pudding (in Texas, we call it flan).  

Why did you become a Montessori teacher? I love children!  I like to question them and hear their answers; I like to see their facial expressions; and I just like being with them. When I was growing up, I used to play with little children a lot, and I had so much fun. My father and brother encouraged me to pursue Montessori training – and my career took me around the world and here, to the United States.

Were you born in Texas? I was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, known as the Pearl of the Indian ocean. Actually, the English word serendipity derives from the Arab name for Sri Lanka, Serendib. I remember that it’s such a beautiful place, and I have so many memories of family, laughter, and running around my house and playing. I’m the youngest in my family, and I always ended up getting my siblings’ hand-me-downs. I never got a new box of colored pencils! So, now, I always make sure my students get brand new things!

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Well, if I won the lottery, I would fly all my relatives and staff to Argentina, and we would go on a cruise to Antarctica.  The best part about a cruise is that I don’t have to cook!  

Ms. Celia ensures that our school operations run smoothly and safely. She and her team work together to exceed minimum government standards in health and child care operations and review safety protocols on an ongoing basis. Recently, due to her efforts and the work of our Copperfield team, the Harris County Public Health Department awarded our Copperfield campus a rare perfect score (100 out of 100) in the midst of a global pandemic.

Meet Ms. Celia, Head of Operations

What do you do for fun?  My favorite hobbies are gardening and baking. I like to bake patties. It’s a mini empanada with a really spicy meat and vegetable filling.  My mom used to make them, and they’re my family’s favorite snack! 

What’s your favorite dessert? I like ice cream a lot, and my favorite flavor is mint chocolate chip. Sometimes I like pistachio. I also really like fresh fruits. I like making desserts and baking and decorating cakes.  This is something unique to my family – my mom and aunt were very talented bakers.  Once, I baked a cake in the shape of a castle!  I’ve even made a world map cake.

Why did you become a Montessori teacher? I loved working with children, especially Kindergarteners, so I decided to pursue my Montessori training. Before, I was an HR and banking professional at one of the largest international banks in Sri Lanka.  

Were you born in Texas? I was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka.  Sri Lanka is formerly known as “Ceylon,” and it is famous for Ceylonese tea. Many of my students’ parents may have heard of Ceylon if they drink Lipton tea. Mr. Lipton – the namesake of the brand – actually helped introduce tea to Sri Lanka when we were under British rule.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? I have traveled to Australia and Europe, and now I really want to visit South America and travel right to the tip of Argentina to go see Antarctica.