I was always a child who loved school and loved to learn. School was a joyous place that I never wanted to leave. When I founded Angel Care Montessori in 1995 I wanted to provide a level of quality and care to children in education that was careful to maintain that natural joy and love of learning that these big souls in small bodies seem to posses.

When I relate to children with a sense of awareness they respond appropriately. What we do here at Angel Care Montessori with children is unique; because in everything we do we address the mind, body and spirit of the child. Much attention has been placed in the details of the child’s day, from their personalized coat hooks where children may access their ballet slippers to the arrangement of materials available in the classroom. Angel Care Montessori has quietly grown into a place where many children have come to form memorable first school experiences. It is my hope that your child will have the opportunity to be one of the legacies of children to who have passed through our doors. – Catherine Valenti

Catherine Valenti
Ms. Catherine is the founder and director of Angel Care Montessori. She has been a Montessori educator for over 20 years and has a background with both the AMS and AMI training methods. Catherine holds a M.S. in Education and a B.A. in International Studies and Political Science. She is certified to teach Nursery, Kindergarten, Grades 1-6, and Grades 7-12 Social Studies. She holds multiple certifications in NYS, RI and China and has held personal membership in several Montessori societies including AMS, IMS; and IMC. Catherine is a certified yoga and child yoga instructor and is certified in CPR/First Aid.

Catherine has been playing at teaching since the age of 5! By the time she was in elementary school in California she was part of the state’s young tutoring program teaching to younger grades. In college she worked tutoring students who spoke English as a foreign language and then later helped to establish the international students tutoring program at the College of Saint Rose which she headed with the support of then president Dr. Louis Vaccaro. After completing her undergraduate in both international studies and political science and after working in a Montessori school in NYC she took an offer to teach at a teacher’s college in northern China and then took a position teaching at the language center at Tai Da University in Taiwan before returning to complete her masters in education when she was offered a full scholarship. Afterwards, she followed Dr. Betsy Coe’s footsteps out to the Nanhai Montessori School where she was part of a team training and teaching at the China International School Institute before moving to Rhode Island to develop a Montessori language materials company where she now lives in a converted yarn mill building with her husband and 3 cats.

Cheryl Balon
Ms. Cheryl has been the Lead-Teacher in the Toddler Class for nine years before shifting her role into one of Parent Educator and Consultant. She remains on staff as an adjunct teacher. Ms. Cheryl holds a B.A. in Social Welfare from Rhode Island College and is NAMC (North American Montessori) certified in infant/toddler and preprimary 3-6. She is also certified in CPR/First Aid. Ms. Cheryl worked for a few years in early childhood before discovering Montessori where she has been teaching at Angel Care since 2003.

Irina Dobrushkin

Ms. Irina is a Teacher in the Toddler Classroom. She has completed her coursework in early childhood and development from CCRI. She holds a B.S. in Education from Minsk State Pedagogical Institute and is certified through NAMC (North American Montessori). She is also certified in CPR/First Aid.

Ms. Irina comes from a family of educators and has been teaching for over 30 years before discovering Montessori with Angel Care in 2000. She has been a Montessori teacher ever since!

Kathy Shaw
Ms. Kathy is an Assistant Teacher in the Classrooms. She holds an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education from Aquinas College, a T/A Certification for RI State and is Certified as a Montessori Assistant. Ms. Kathy has over 32 years of experience with young children and is certified in CPR/First Aid. Among her many talents and nurturing ways, she also plays the flute, sings and knits toys.

Mission
Angel Care Montessori is an independent early childhood program established to meet the needs of parents who want a safe and enriched learning environment for their child. Our mission is to provide a safe, healthy, nurturing environment within the community for children to play, learn, and grow while maintaining the joy of life.

Philosophy
Angel Care Montessori believes that children learn best by being encouraged to take risks and by working with a great variety of materials and activities that are designed to meet developmental needs. Angel Care translates the Montessori philosophy as established by Dr. Maria Montessori, in several concrete ways:

1. Concern for the growth of the total child. This means care and activities for the child’s social, emotional, and physical development as well as his or her intellectual growth.

2. The classroom is a carefully prepared environment, continually enriched and designed to offer children a wide variety of materials and experiences, and organized to facilitate the growth of their skills, confidence, and ability to make meaningful choices. In addition, there is an emphasis on the children’s responsibility for the classroom environment.

3. Guidance of learning through the active use of concrete materials, based on skilled teacher observations of each child’s development and interests.

4. Commitment to mixed-age groupings, with each child encouraged to experience the full 3-year cycle.

5. Emphasis on mutual respect of each other’s person and work, with clear flexible ground rules that encourage responsible freedom of choice in both the use of materials and social interactions.

The specific goals for the children who attend the program are:
1. To develop a positive attitude toward school and learning.
2. To develop a sense of high self-esteem.
3. To build a habit of concentration for lifelong study skills.
4. To develop and foster an abiding curiosity.
5. To develop habits of initiative and persistence.
6. To foster inner discipline and a sense of order.
7. To develop sensory-motor skills in order to sharpen the ability to discriminate and judge.
8. To develop socially acceptable behavior.
9. To acquire the basic skills necessary for a life-time of learning.
10. To develop each child’s innate ultimate potential through high expectations.