Kate Meushaw - Director
Kathryn Grace Meushaw "Ms. Kate" comes to us from Nashville, TN via Vancouver, Canada. Kate was a Lead Primary Teacher for eight years at Montessori Weaver School before relocating to Atlanta.
She received her Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education and Montessori Certification from Belmont University.
Kate's other passions include: Travel, acting & photography, hiking and spending time in nature.
Leda Harvey - Toddler Lead Teacher
Ms. Leda Harvey joined the SMS staff in August, 2013 as our toddler assistant and, after 4 years of practice in our Montessori toddler community, Ms. Leda is now leading our Toddler program. Ms. Leda brings a natural joy and love of teaching toddlers into the classroom each day, along with a wealth of experience that comes from working with toddlers for much of her nearly 20 year early childhood teaching career. Ms. Leda is also a bilingual educator and a loving mother to her children. She received her Toddler Montessori Certification at the Center for Guided Montessori Studies.
Tiffany Adkins - Primary Lead Teacher
Hi! My name is Tiffany Adkins... I am the Primary Teacher and newest member of the SMS family. I love both guiding and learning from children. I received my B.S. in Early Childhood and Sociology from Kennesaw State University and my Montessori Teacher Certification from The Montessori Teacher Education Institute in Atlanta, GA.
I love being a part of the SMS family and building new relationships with the students and parents.
In my spare time I enjoy travel, listening to music, shopping at Target, spending time with my family, hanging out with friends and eating good food.
Dhipika Vijaykumar - Primary Assistant
My passion to nurture and mold young children has brought me here. I have completed my Bachelors in engineering and Advanced Diploma in management.
Loves to: Spend time with family, learn classical dance and music.
Emily Oldfield - Primary Assistant
Ms. Emily earned her bachelor's degree from Agnes Scott College in Studio Art in 2021. She loves encouraging children to be creative and to explore.
In her free time, Ms. Emily loves to travel, hike, work on craft projects, and spend time with friends, family, and animal buddies.
Katie Tilt - Owner
Katie Tilt is a teacher with eighteen years of experience teaching preschool and early grades at Nickajack Elementary School, a Cobb County Public School in Smyrna. Her international experience includes teaching kindergarten in England for a year after being selected for the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program. She also fulfilled her student teaching experience in New Zealand.
Mrs. Tilt's mother is a Montessori teacher; so as an infant, Katie accompanied her mother to school. She attended Montessori toddler and preschool programs in Cincinnati, Ohio, before moving to Marietta, Georgia and attending Cobb County Public Schools. She graduated from Sprayberry High School in Marietta, and received her bachelor degree in Education from Berry College in Rome, Georgia. She also holds a Master of Education degree in Early Childhood Education from Kennesaw State University and a Montessori Teaching Certification from the Pan American Montessori Society.
Smyrna Montessori School will fulfill Katie’s vision to provide an optimal learning experience for young children, especially her daughter, Lily and son, Liam, as well as to work with her mother, friend, and mentor Bonnie Wall.
Bonnie Wall - Support
Katie Tilt's mother, Bonnie Wall, is so happy to be back where her heart is…teaching young children in a carefully prepared Montessori environment. Bonnie earned a Master of Education degree in Montessori/Early Childhood from Xavier University in Cincinnati. Her father was a professor at Xavier and suggested she look into the Montessori training. He was intrigued by its basis in science and the nature of the learner. It changed her life.
With American Montessori Society (AMS) certification, she taught in Montessori Primary (3 to 6 year olds) and Elementary (6 – 9 year olds) classrooms in Cincinnati and the Atlanta area for 15 years. She also supervised student teachers for AMS teacher training programs. In addition to Montessori education, Bonnie designed and taught a multi-aged pilot program for Fulton County Public School System. Bonnie retired from Fulton Schools after several years as Curriculum Support Teacher, excited to help with the establishment of Smyrna Montessori School. She is a Primary Lead Teacher.
Bonnie's daughter, Katie, and son, Adam, both attended Montessori schools in their early years, Adam until fourth grade. Self-motivation, confidence, and love of learning, as well as a strong early academic foundation are some life-long gifts she feels her own children received from their early Montessori experiences. What a pleasure to be a part of her daughter Katie’s dream to have her own school, and what a special treat to see her grandchildren, Lily and Liam, enjoy the fruits of this endeavor!