We are saddened to announce the closing of our school at the end of the 24-25 school year. Read the official letter from our board here.
SOPHIA
MONTESSORI
Educating the Whole Child - Fostering Community - Nurturing a Life of Faith
MISSION
Sophia Montessori Academy is dedicated to serving children and families by inspiring a deep love of the Faith, to assist them in becoming problem solvers, critical thinkers, and fearless leaders. This is accomplished through a rigorous academic, classically-based curriculum following Dr. Montessori’s method of education. Our mission is to bring the children into relationship with Christ through a way of life based in Truth, Beauty, and Goodness as we lead them to their full God-given potential.
Our approach is founded on the reality of Christ as the Good Shepherd. Religious
education is fostered specifically through the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and supported through Divine Liturgy and daily prayer.
Sophia Montessori Academy received its Catholic school proclamation from Archbishop Aquila in June 2022.
Sophia Montessori Academy is dedicated to offering children an outstanding education where they can discover the wonder of God through the Byzantine Catholic faith, where they have the opportunity to acquire a strong love for learning, and where they can grow to their full potential through academic excellence and service using the Montessori method of education.
VISION
WHO WE ARE
We are passionate and dedicated Catholic teachers looking to offer the best education for children and support to families. Our goal is to guide children to their full God-given potential. Together we form a highly effective team using collaborating, respect, and forming strong partnerships with our community.
We thrive to offer an authentic Montessori education deeply rooted in the Byzantine Catholic faith. We are continually engaged in our own growth through professional development and spiritual formation.
STAFF
Ms. Pauline Meert
DIRECTOR
Pauline was born in France and moved to the US with her family in 1999. She always had a great love for working with children. When she was sixteen a priest friend mentioned the word Montessori and the rest is history! She received her international Montessori diploma from Montessori Centre International in 2008. She later came across the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and was deeply moved by the beauty of it all. She completed her Master’s degree in Montessori education from St. Catherine University in 2014. Her biggest dream came true in 2018 with the founding of SMA. Pauline has a deep passion for Montessori education and loves to share it with others. When she is not in the classroom she enjoys swing dancing, sewing, reading, and spending her time with friends and family. She is a parishioner of Holy Protection of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church.
Ms. Megan Luby
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Megan was born and raised in the Kansas City area and graduated from Benedictine College in May of 2022. During her time at Benedictine she developed a deep love for the Montessori Method and classical education. Megan has a deep interest in the human person and graduated with a degree in Psychology. She enjoys reading, cooking, being outside, and spending time with her friends. Megan is very excited to be a part of SMA and is looking forward to being close to the mountains!
Ms. Julianna Rodriguez
PRIMARY LEAD GUIDE
Julianna was born in Littleton, Colorado but also spent several years living in Orlando, Florida. She is a recent graduate of Colorado Christian University, where she studied Scripture and English. During her college years, she encountered the Catholic faith and was received into the Church. Through working at SMA, she has discovered the beauty of Montessori education along with her love for teaching young children. In her free time she enjoys exploring the outdoors, reading lots of books, writing, and learning languages. She and her husband are parishioners at Holy Protection of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church. Julianna is thrilled to receive her Montessori training this summer and continue to be a part of the SMA community!
Ms. Monica Lederhos
PRIMARY LEAD GUIDE
Monica is a Colorado native from where she credits her love of mountains and the outdoors. She
graduated with a BA in Marketing and minors in Theology and Education. During her time in
college, she stumbled upon a Montessori class where she fell in love with the Montessori
teaching style. She is in the process of receiving her Montessori certification. She loves coffee,
traveling, a good book, and pretty much anything that brings people together. She cannot wait to
be in a classroom and instill a love of learning in the next generation.
Ms. Erika Stasiulewicz
ELEMENTARY LEAD GUIDE
Erika was born in Kansas, and while she has lived in many different states, Colorado is her favorite. After leaving high school, she spent 5 years in the United States Marine Corps before attending the University of Colorado Denver. She received her Montessori Diploma from Authentic Institute of Montessori in 2020 and is currently completing her Montessori Lower Elementary Certification at Montessori Education Center of The Rockies. Erika is a mother of three children ages 1.5, 4, and 5, and she is motivated by them to be the best mother and teacher she can be. She is very passionate about Montessori, and she sees the beauty of it at home as well as at school every day. When she isn't in the classroom, she is with her children, hiking, working in their garden, or reading. She is a parishioner at Holy Protection of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church.
Ms. Madeleine Sanders
PRIMARY AIDE
Maddie is a Denver native and loves the mountains, the (almost) year-round sunshine, and exploring new places around the city. She graduated from Catholic University in D.C. in 2022with her BA in Theology. Following graduation, she moved to the south Bronx and spent a year serving with the program Seton Teaching Fellows, teaching 5th grade catechesis and assisting in an 8th grade language arts classroom, which furthered her passion for education. She then moved back to Denver to work at a preschool and was introduced to the Montessori method and
specifically to Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She was so drawn to the beauty and child-centered approach of the Montessori method. She loves her Catholic faith, running, traveling, whatever books she is currently reading, and spending time with loved ones. She is so excited to
continue diving into Montessori, learn more about the Byzantine tradition, and to be a part of
the SMA community!
Ms. Meghan DeLauro
GRANTS COORDINATOR
Meghan has deep roots in the Denver Catholic community, attending small Catholic schools as a child. She attended Metropolitan State University of Denver and completed her education licensure. She taught middle school language arts and has been involved in charitable and education nonprofit organization development for the last six years. A recent graduate of the Denver Biblical School she continues to enjoy her study of scripture. She lives in Littleton with her husband and six children.
Ms. Emily Brundin
ELEMENTARY AIDE
Emily grew up close by to Annapolis, MD, and moved to Denver about a year and a half ago in order to pursue a career in Montessori education. Her background is within the medical field, but she has always loved working with kids, and wanted to be able to focus more on helping them learn and thrive in an educational setting. She has had experience tutoring children from elementary school through high school, and has completed a traditional preschool teacher training program, where she first learned about and became fascinated by the Montessori approach. She has worked as an assistant for the past two school years in a Montessori primary classroom and is looking forward to assisting in the lower elementary setting for this upcoming year. Emily loves spending time in nature, working on different art projects, playing piano, and learning more about her faith. She is looking forward to teaching in a Catholic setting andlearning more about the
Byzantine Rite traditions.
Ms. Maddie Pigg
PRIMARY AIDE
Maddie was born and raised in Vail, CO. She graduated from Benedictine College in 2020. It was at Benedictine that she met the Montessori method first through Catechesis of the Good
Shepherd. It was through this that she fell in love with child led education, that takes into account the entire person. She loves to ski, read the classics, cook, and spend time with friends. Maddie is excited to be a part of SMA and learn as much as possible!
Ms. Cecilia Chiappone
MARKETING & DEVELOPMENT
Cecilia grew up in Denver and is now attending Benedictine College studying Graphic Design. She will be graduating this December and can't wait to start her adult life in the real world! She has a real love for children, the Catholic Faith, and all things creative. All these things brought her to get connected with Sophia Montessori Academy.
“It is possible to see a clear analogy between the mission of the Shepherd of the Church and that of the prudent and generous Montessori directress - who with tenderness and love knows how to discover and bring to light the most hidden virtues and capacities of the child.”
Pope Saint John the XXII
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sophia Montessori Academy has been blessed with an incredible team of people
on our Board of Advisors who each have a strong love for SMA.
They are dedicated to Byzantine Catholic Montessori Education, to our students and families, and to the future of Sophia Montessori Academy.
Pauline Meert
PRESIDENT, TREASURER, FOUNDER
Pauline was born in France and moved to the US with her family in 1999. She always had a great love for working with children. When she was sixteen a priest friend mentioned the word Montessori and the rest is history! She received her international Montessori diploma from Montessori Centre International in 2008. She later came across the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and was deeply moved by the beauty of it all. She completed her Master’s degree in Montessori education from St. Catherine University in 2014. Her biggest dream came true in 2018 with the founding of SMA. Pauline has a deep passion for Montessori education and loves to share it with others. When she is not in the classroom she enjoys swing dancing, sewing, reading, and spending her time with friends and family. She is a parishioner of Holy Protection of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church.
Patty Cisle
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Patty Cisle is the Director of Evangelization at Good Shepherd Catholic Parish. Prior to that role, she was in Catholic education for 24 years, including 17 years as assistant principal at Good Shepherd Catholic School. It was there that she learned firsthand about Montessori education. Patty is married to Jim and is the mother of three grown children. Her interests include gardening, cooking, and hiking.
Father Joel Barstad
CHAPLAIN, BOARD MEMBER
Father Joel was ordained to the priesthood in October 2018. After serving on the staff of the Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA, from 2019 to 2022, Father Joel has returned to Denver to continue his priestly ministry. Father Joel and Pani Leslie have raised seven children and take delight in their grandchildren, whose number is steadily growing
Emma Hecker
BOARD MEMBER
Joe Orrino is a former Sophia dad. He is a practicing attorney and focuses on representing nonprofits of all sizes, assisting with formation, governance, transactions, and development. Joe earned his Juris Doctor at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota and his Bachelor's at Benedictine College in Kansas. He and his wife, Emily, have three kids. They live in Littleton, where they are members of St. Mary Catholic Parish.
Joseph Orrino
BOARD MEMBER
Joe Orrino is a former Sophia dad. He is a practicing attorney and focuses on representing nonprofits of all sizes, assisting with formation, governance, transactions, and development. Joe earned his Juris Doctor at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota and his Bachelor's at Benedictine College in Kansas. He and his wife, Emily, have three kids. They live in Littleton, where they are members of St. Mary Catholic Parish.
Rudy Andras
BOARD MEMBER
Rudy Andras started learning about Montessori in 2014. Through his studies, he found Irene and Pauline who were presenting Montessori workshops at the time. Since then, he has been a faithful support of the vision and mission of SMA, received his Montessori training from the Montessori Institute of San Diego, and is strong advocate for Montessori in Denver. He is an economist. Rudy is a grandfather extraordinaire, bringing his passion for Montessori to his grandchildren.
Very Rev. Michael P. O'Loughlin
FOUNDER
Fr. Michael holds a Masters of Divinity from Sts. Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA. Father is the Vocation’s Director and Co-Director of Youth and Young Adults for the Eparchy of Phoenix. Father is the Byzantine host of Catholic Stuff You Should Know Podcast, the largest Catholic podcast in the world Catholicstuffpodcast.com. He regularly appears on many different Catholic media outlets bringing deeper understanding of
Byzantine Catholicism.