We are families and educators working to build a strong Montessori option on the North Side of Columbus, OH. We share a desire to create an accessible and welcoming school environment where all children will be supported in their innate drive to learn, find community, and develop to their fullest potential. Our founding staff built CMC in 2019 and families were welcomed to their children's first day of school on January 6th, 2020. We look forward to welcoming new families and staff to our community for many years to come!
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If you would like to consider adding your biography to those of our committed staff below, please visit our Join the CMC Team page! If you believe you may be able to help our school in any other capacity, please visit our Support CMC page or email Taylor directly at taylor@communitymontessoricolumbus.com!
Staff
Founding Director and Children's House East Guide
Taylor Dautremont is a graduate of Denison University with a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Psychology as well as a trained Montessorian at the Children's House (ages 2.5-6) and Elementary (ages 6-12) levels. She completed her Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Children's House training at Navadisha Montessori Institute in Chennai, India in 2011. She completed her AMI Elementary training at Washington Montessori Institute and earned a Master's degree in Elementary Montessori Education from Loyola University Maryland (Baltimore, MD) in 2016. She has over a decade of experience working with young children in private and public Montessori schools, conventional preschools, summer and after school programs, and individual family homes; this is her eighth year working as a Children's House Guide. Taylor also has significant experience working with English language learners and in fundraising. She lives with her son, Walden, and husband, Julian, in Clintonville where they all enjoy exploring local parks and organic gardening. She also very much enjoys sharing her love of art, vegetables, phonics, bikes, geography, large numbers, and good stories with the children of CMC!
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Director of Licensing and Outreach
Lauren Diaz is a graduate of Columbia University with a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. Her professional journey commenced with internships at Macmillan and W. W. Norton, paving the way for her role as a digital marketing associate at Simon & Schuster upon graduation. During her time in New York, Lauren cultivated not only her career but also a genuine passion for early childhood education. This passion manifested through her volunteer work with New York Cares. Upon returning to her hometown, Columbus, she pursued this interest further by completing OSU’s Intensive Pedagogical Training Institute, serving as a substitute teacher across all grade levels in her local school district, and working in three different early childhood education settings. Lauren currently resides in Gahanna with her husband, two cats, and one dog. Beyond her professional pursuits, she finds joy in painting, hiking, yoga, and the perpetual journey of home improvement. Lauren is so excited to use her wide range of experience and skills to help strengthen and grow CMC's community.
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Director of Finance and Operations
Sara Trott comes to CMC with over two decades of experience working with children of all ages in diverse settings, including conventional preschools and private homes. During that time, she has gained valuable experience in communicating with families by building trust and honoring the importance of choosing the right environment for their children. In addition to her professional experience, she regularly participates in and enjoys taking advantage of the many volunteering opportunities offered throughout central Ohio, including Meals on Wheels, Special Olympics, and First Book. She has acted as Co-Leader for Seeds of Caring, an organization with the mission of creating meaningful volunteer opportunities for children in order to empower them to make a difference in their community. Sara has called central Ohio home for the majority of her life - she grew up in Worthington and is now raising her two children in Westerville. When she is away from CMC, you will find her fulfilling her favorite role: mother to her son, Milo, and her daughter, Elise. Together, they love to garden, go exploring on hikes, cook, try new and interesting foods, and fully dive into anything that piques their curiosity. She is thrilled to be a part of CMC’s growing team and is committed to supporting their mission of creating an intentionally diverse community.
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Children’s House West Guide
Yung Chi is a graduate of Fu Jen University with a Bachelor’s degree in Home Economics and Early Childhood Education as well as a Master's degree in Education Curriculum and Instruction. She completed her Association Montessori International (AMI) training at the Children’s House level in Cleveland, Ohio in 1996. Over her long career, she has joined the teams of five Montessori schools, an OSU child care center, and two Saturday foreign language schools. Yung also founded and lead her own in-home, bilingual Montessori program to help her two sons and a handful of other students develop socially, academically, and physically. Ray and Jay attended Hillard City Schools where they excelled in the gifted program. Yung has also taken pride in supporting her sons in achieving Eagle Scout rank in Scouts BSA as well as in studying engineering at OSU. Yung has lived with her husband in Columbus, OH for 23 years. Their two cats, Daisy and Dash, have become members of the family. Yung enjoys yoga, aerobics, jogging, biking, swimming, mountain climbing, gardening, reading, travel, and sharing her experiences with children.
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